(L,F&E Interlude) The Taming of the Shades

[kalenath]

<Three days later>

 

The Beskad Ordo dropped out of hyperspace and was immediately challenged. Maria would have had someone's chebs if they hadn't. It had NOT been a fun three days. Between the various problems that always seemed to crop up and Shades, Maria was beyond frustrated. The girl just would NOT see reason. Maria shook herself. It was high time she relaxed a bit. She nodded to her team and they brought the Beskad Ordo in for a graceful landing on the pad appointed for it. The escort gunship was just about the largest of the Mandalorian ships that could land on a planetary surface. Well, and take off afterward. As soon as the ship touched down, Maria was heading for the airlock. She had a bunch of things she had to do. Of course she had commed ahead to set most of it up, but...

 

As always the view from the landing pad was magnificent. A mountain in the background stood tall and proud, while the few visible buildings that comprised the Mandalorian spaceport were clustered near the group of landing bays. She deactivated her helmet filter and took a deep breath. It smelled pure, clean and vibrant. She started off towards teh low cluster of hills that marked the closest edge of the settlement. She smiled a bit as she entered the perimeter. An untrained, or unobservant eye would think the hills natural. When in fact each of the dozen of so hills surrounding the central flat space were houses. Each concealed in the ground, and with hidden slits for firing weapons out of. Mandalorians planned for defense and it wasn't so long ago that the colony HAD been attacked. But...

 

"Ba'buir! Ba'buir is back!!!" A whole pile of children came running out of one of the houses and Maria braced herself. it was a good thing she did, because two of them launched themselves at her. She caught them and suddenly the whole group was one big hug.

 

"I have missed you all." Maria smiled as she saw that the children were growing. But, life went on. She nodded to the children and went on her way. She had a bunch of things to get set up before Shades came down.

 

Cyare stood outside the workshop and listened to Shades curse. it had not been fun for him. She worked, ate and slept. At least with Maria's ultimatum, she had been limited to ten hours in the workshop, but she was always smuggling things out to tinker with in her quarters. Which were beginning to resemble the workshop in many ways. His com chimed and he smiled. He opened the hatch.

 

"We have arrived. Time to go."

[kalenath]

Shades blinked up from the project she was working on. She always got engrossed when she worked so it took a minute for her head to clear of wires and circuits as she blinked at the blue pest of a guard she had. "Huh? What?"

 

"We've arrived. Come on, let's go." Cyare stated in his normal unemotional tone.

 

Finally Shades's mind came up with what she wanted, making her mentally curse. She had actually forgotten they had been going to a colony. Creation this was going to be as fun as hanging around a sith torture chamber. A colony full of mandalorians that hated her guts.

 

Cyare seemed to pick up on her reluctance. "No one is going to hurt you." He stated with a tone of complete truth.

 

"Yeah right," she grumped as she marched to the door where he waited. "Lead the way Carebear."

 

He led her to the ship's airlock, which stood wide open in almost welcome. Outside it was dusk turning into night. The single sun of the planet was setting over the distant mountain and the two moons were rising.

 

"Amarath Shades?" Cyare looked back at her and waved a hand as if presenting the place to her. "Welcome to Nova Ordo."

 

Shades blinked some at the sight sprawled out from the ship. She found she actually missed sights like these. Almost ten years on Coruscant with the occasional trip to Nar Shaddaa made it easy to forget the rest of the universe and the wonderful picture nature could draw. Shades actually started to grin a bit before she finally caught that what looked like hills was actually buildings. Her mind already started skidding from mild panic as she told herself to breathe.

 

"You okay?" her blue armored companion asked. His tone was worried and had Shades waving a hand.

 

"Yeah," she told him though she certainly wasn't sure about it. "Fine...lead on."

 

Cyare nodded as he started off down the slope towards the buildings. "We will find you a place to stay quickly. Tomorrow will be soon enough for you to start work."

 

"Yeah...sure..." Shades commented in a disgruntled tone. She followed as she wondered if a taking a double dose of E'hn's stuff would drug her sufficiently. The better to keep her from seeing where ever she slept as a hole in the ground. The thought made her shudder.

 

At the bottom of the hill Maria was waiting. She had her helmet off and was breathing deep before she turned to the two and smiled. "Welcome. We have a place for you to stay this way." she said as she lead the way with Cyare bringing up the rear.

 

"Oh boy," Shades said trying to mask fear with sarcasm.

 

Maria gave a grin over her shoulder. "It's not a hovel."

 

"Hey I've lived in a hovel, nothing wrong with those." Shades stated. "Specially since they are well above ground." She added mentally.

 

Maria simply laughed as they walked. Shades simply followed and looked about. Even late in the day there was still plenty of mandos about. A number of them looking at her and making her nervous. She had no idea what was going on in any of their heads but she doubted they were welcoming thoughts.

 

What surprised her was also a number of kids. She assumed they had to be mando ones but they sure didn't look any different from anyone else's kids. A mix of races watching them as well. Maria waved to the lot and they dispersed rapidly as she walked by.

 

Finally they came to one of the houses and Maria turned to Shades, presenting her with a key. "Your house, your key. I have keys to every house because it's my job to keep the peace. Among other things."

 

Shades was white as a sheet as she eyed the door, like it was going to jump up and bite her. Her brain pointed out that it was likely very sturdy and structurally sound, even as the rest of her screamed for her to bolt. "You know I'll be just fine on the ship with a ton and a half of guards." she said meekly.

 

Maria just sighed and opened the door and stepped in, as if her standing in would show Shades nothing was going to happen. Inside didn't look anything like a hole in the ground. It looked like a house, with windows and even a skylight.

 

Shades walked in much slower, like a deer creeping out into a meadow on the alert for hunters. The house was on the small side but it wasn't like she needed a lot of room. There was one main room, a refresher, a kitchen area, and two smaller rooms. One of the small ones was configured as a bedroom while the other was bare for whatever she wanted to turn it into.

 

The kiffar forced herself to take a breath as she looked about nervously. She was white as a sheet and felt ready to throw up any minute from nerves. Still, the place was comfortable looking, if spartan, and had plenty of light and openings to see the sky and stars outside.

 

Maria shook her head from her spot near the kitchen table. "See? Nothing is going to eat you."

 

"As long as you stay inside." Cyare said in his normal quiet tone as he came in.

 

"That not what I'm worried about." Shades commented as she studied the support beam planted in the middle of the place. It looked sturdy enough, though she was still bolting if she heard so much as a creak. Her stomach was slowly calming down as she stood in the place and reminded herself that if the mando's really wanted her dead they would have just shot her in the head already. Certainly was cheaper then building a place like this to fall in on her head.

 

Cyare crossed his arms as he crossed over to Shades as Maria went into another room, likely to check something. "It's a solid design and it isn't underground. It just looks that way because of how the hill is built up around it." He explained in what most would take as a soothing tone.

 

Shades however did not. She took it as condescending and mentally growled. She'd been telling herself that over and over but it aggravated her that she had to hear it from someone else for the rest of her to accept it. "Says the guy who keeps calling the ugly girl pretty." She hissed back quietly.

 

Apparently that was not the right thing to say. A blue armored hand clamped on her flesh and blood arm hard enough Shades was sure she'd have bruises. He pulled her close and she didn't need the helmet off to guess he was furious, though she was baffled as to what exactly set him off.

 

"You want to delude yourself into thinking your ugly fine," he snapped out in a tone that could have frozen a sith lord in his tracks. "However I know what I'm talking about though with these buildings!"

 

His other fist rammed into the support beam by then and shot Shades straight into panic. She screeched and ripped herself out of his grip as she curled into a ball with her arms over her head, as if trying to protect it from falling debris.

 

The house itself, didn't so much as creek, not even a bit of dust fell as Cyare planted hands on his hips. "Do you really think I would leave you in an unsafe dwelling you di'kut little..."

 

"Cyare!"

 

Shades didn't move as Maria's voice cut through Cyare's rant like a knife. She heard the older woman order him to go home, that Shades would be handled tonight. She heard armored feet stomp out of the house but she didn't move. She stayed in her protective little ball and only peeked up a bit when she realized Maria was calling her name. Her eye was burning and blurry, suspiciously close to tears. She certainly didn't trust herself not to whimper if she opened her mouth or tried to move.

 

Maria simply sighed and sat down on the floor next to Shades, spreading out something that looked like a blue print to the house.

 

Well this was turning into an interesting house warming...

 

((Posted by Setie))

[kalenath]

Maria knelt on the floor beside Shades and tried to think. This particular thing had never happened to any of her kids. Will had been essentially fearless from the time he could walk and Sara, well, she had encountered more than her share of real life horrors, enough to make anything her own mind came up with pale in comparison. She understood Shades problem though. She had also been terrified of closed in spaces as a child. Now had her mother handled it... ah...

 

"Shades..." MAria modulatedher tone to soothe. "I know you can hear me. I know you are scared and I know why. You are not buried. You are not underground. Look at me girl. Shades look at me. Have I lied to you, ever?"

 

She took the girl's shoulders in gentle hands and slowly, so slowly started massaging.

 

"It's all right. It will be all right. I need you to think of something for me. You have seen gardens, I know you have. I want you to think of an outdoor garden. Picture it in your mind. Think of the flowers, the sizes, the shapes, the colors. Imagine yourself there. Surrounded by colors. Peaceful, quiet, calm."

 

She hoped she was getting through to the girl.

 

<Outside>

 

Cyare was kicking himself. To lose control in such a way. He knew better. But something about Shades made his control fray. It annoyed him that he couldn't figure out what. He stomped off. The curious onlookers quickly and prudently found something else to do. He made his way to his small house and opened the door. Inside he tore his helmet off and just stood for a moment, trying to work through his rage.

 

Why did she annoy him so much? She wasn't nearly as much of a handful as Sara had been. That girl... Cyare felt his mouth twitch in a grin as he recalled the girl's last com to him. Sara had been in tears, asking him to take care of Ba'buir. Of course he had agreed. And that led him to meet Amarath Shades.

 

Cyare slumped. He didn't know what was going on, but he did know one thing. As soon as Maria let him, he owed Shades one heck of an apology.

[kalenath]

Shades somewhat heard Maria's attempt at soothing. She did her best to picture a nice garden but the only one she could remember was her mother's. The last person she wanted to think of. So she tried to imagine her father's lighting towers out in the wide plains. It was always peaceful between storms. Slowly but surely her tensed up muscles started to relax.

 

"That's a girl." Maria crooned as she stroked the younger woman's head gently. Shades pondered when she'd gotten pulled into a hug and felt suddenly like she wanted to just cling and cry.

 

That thought was enough to have her try pulling away some. "I'm fine," she murmured though her tone was still a bit shaky. Creation she was making a complete idiot over herself for a stupid little fear of hers.

 

"Fear is not rational, Shades." Maria's voice was calm and gentle. "I know about fear."

 

Shades gave Maria a withering look then. "What did you turn into a forcer on me here Guns? Last guy who read my mind got warned I'd put a thermal in an uncomfortable place if he did it again."

 

"A force user?" Maria snorted in quiet amusement. "Not hardly. Mandalorians do not like Force users, for the most part. And I have my own reasons for... disliking them. I am a mother of two though, so mind reading comes with the job."

 

Shades snorted a bit as she sat up. "Hard to picture you a mom. Then again...the kids about here seem to like you."

 

"It's true." Maria had a sad smile on her face. "and yeah... the kids... I love kids..." Maria let Shades go, reluctantly then. "You okay now?

 

Shades sat up quickly, trying to stifle injured pride. "Yeah, though I think someone is a bit...livid at me."

 

"What did he do?" Maria asked with a long suffering tone to her voice.

 

"Aside from being the most aggravating punk in existence?" Shades asked in a somewhat innocent tone.

 

"Yes apart from that." Maria snorted as she sat back. "What did he do? You know he wouldn't endanger you."

 

"Just started in on how the place was built sturdy. I had been telling myself that enough I didn't need to hear it from Carebear there!" Shades snarled. Creation the man was annoying

 

"That wouldn't have made him so mad, Shades." MAria said scarefully. "I know him. What did you say?" There was curiosity, not anger or condemnation in Maria's tone.

 

"Pointed out he likes to state bull all the time."

 

Maria froze. Her voice was very quiet when she spoke, disbelieving. "What?"

 

"Uh..." Shades cringed under the tone. Why did she have a feeling she did something very bad?

 

"What did you say?" Maria's voice was still gentle but her gaze hardened. "Exactly as you can recall."

 

"I just...uh...point out he said something before that...er...isn't accurate." Shades said trying to dodge telling Maria about the pretty comment. Her face betrayed her though as it started getting as red as her facial tattoo.

 

"Shades. It is important. Very important." Maria shook her head slowly. She had a sneaking suspicion. "What. Did. He. Say. And. What. Did. You. Say?" Each word was calm, but there was something behind them Shades couldn't quite define.

 

Shades scowled. "He was saying the the building was sound and I pointed out he liked to call the ugly girl pretty."

 

"Oh crap..." Maria slumped. "In other words you called him a liar to his face." The older woman shook her head slowly.

 

"That's the other way of putting it. I was more trying to pointing out he's not always right." Shades stated, guilt was starting already, even though she didn't think she should feel it.

 

"I know that." Maria snorted. "Of course he is not always right he is a Mandalorian not a Jedi." She bit the word Jedi out as if it hurt her. "But you said to him, that he was telling you something that wasn't true. How would you react to being called a liar?"

 

"Let the moron rot via his own stupidity for not believing me?" Shades supplied with a raised brow.

 

"Shades..." Maria froze. Then she shook her head. "Okay. Let me explain something to you. I am not being condescending or sarcastic, ok?"

 

Shades simply sat quietly as Maria pondered out how to explain whatever.

 

"Mandalorians speak their minds. They have little use for subterfuge in most respects. If a Mandalorian says something, you can usually put money on whatever they say to be true. Not that the don't ever lie, but most of them feel it demeans them. And if he said something like that, he meant it." The older woman shook her head then. "Why would he lie about that anyways?"

 

Shades shifted, that feeling of guilt was getting bigger rather quickly. "To make fun of the little kiffar schutta?" She replied, though she had a feeling she was way off on it. She struggled trying to latch onto something to keep her anger. "Just cause you gave orders not to kill me Guns, doesn't mean folks have to like me."

 

"Nope." Maria sighed then with a swift move rapped Shades flesh and blood knuckles cause the kiffar to yelp and suck on them in an effort to ease pain. "Wrong answer, try again. He didn't say anything about liking you did he?"

 

Shades had to think about that one. The closest the man came to that statement was the pretty comments, which did not mean anything. Even if he did for some reason actually think she was pretty, that didn't mean he liked her. "No."

 

"So." Maria continued solemnly. "He complimented your looks, but that has to be an insult because you don't think you deserve to be complimented, right?"

 

Shades scowled now. She was getting tired of everyone picking on her blasted appearance. "I know how I look thanks." She snapped out.

 

"Oh?" Maria stared at Shades and shook her head. "Do you know how you look from his point of view, or yours?"

 

Shades snarled now. She was really not liking this conversation now. "What does that have to do with anything? Look I'll just keep my mouth shut and he can keep his shut and we'll just go on like we had been."

 

Maria shook her head. "Look..." she started to say then snorted. "Yeah, I guess it would be better to wait for morning. Too many shocks tonight. Come on, food is waiting."She stepped back, allowing Shades to rise on her own.

 

"Not really all that hungry." Shades commented as she stood up. Though there was still obvious nerves over the building she was more settled. "I just...umm..." She struggled to come up with a way to explain to Maria, without sounding stupid, that she didn't want to go eat under a bunch of hostile stares where she might possibly have to deal with the great blue armored pest again. Specially when she was feeling like a heel and still shaky from things.

 

((Posted by Setie))

Edited July 14, 2012 by kalenath

[kalenath]

Maria looked at Shades and froze. "Wait here." Her tone brooked no argument. She walked swiftly to the group at the tables and a few minutes later walked back. A pair of boys, who couldn't have been more than 10 carried large trays loaded with stuff. Maria directed them into the house. In moments, they came running back out. "Go on, enjoy, and thanks boys." The boys hugged Maria and then ran back towards the tables. Maria smiled at Shades. "Dinner is served."

 

Shades watched the kids for a minute before looking elsewhere. Mari was sure she saw a hint of loneliness in the look that Shades was giving the dining area, but... She wasn't ready yet. That part at least was clear.

 

"Yay chow time." She said in a tone that was somewhat cheery, though it didn't reach her eye any. Maria smiled and waved Shades into the house. She moved slowly, to give Shades time to adjust. The smells though, made her want to rush to the table and dig in.

 

"I can't promise to be the best of company tonight, but its all part of the job of being a Ba'buir. Come on Shades, you will think better with food." Most people did. Maria set out the utensils quickly and a few different drinks, just in case. Then she sat down. Shades gave her an odd look but sat as well. Maria looked at Shades and the girl spoke, almost hesitant. Maria waved for her to speak as she piled a heaping potion on a fork.

 

Shades frowned a bit. "What is a Bab...ir?"

 

"Oh yeah..." Maria grinned a bit foolishly. "Ba'buir is Mando'a, that's their language by the way, for 'Grandmother'. One of them called me that and it stuck. And now, well... I enjoy it. Come on, lets eat while it is warm." Shades was looking at her closely now. Maria arced an eyebrow and Shades grinned slightly.

 

"Hard enough picturing you as a mom, much less a grandmother." Maria snorted.

 

"Technically I am both. My son has a daughter who is your age." Maria grinned a bit remembering that meeting. She sobered for a moment. Nia was still missing, but... all they could do was being done, and she couldn't help Nia. She hoped she could help Shades.

 

Shades poked at her food some, hoping maybe it would encourage her to eat. "Explains why you like kids and why you were after my head on Coruscant."

 

Maria didn't answer immediately. She ate a bite and smiled. "Mikala makes some very good pasta. But its kind of spicy." Then she looked Shades in the eye and spoke quietly. "Let's let the past stay in the past Shades. Enjoy the meal. Mandos can cook as well as they can fight."

 

Shades poked a bit longer before ordering herself to take a bite. Her eyes watered but she managed to keep her coughing to herself. "Good stuff." She choked out. Maria carefully did not grin. She had actually hurled up her first bite of the spicy stuff. To the great amusement of all observing her.

 

"Mandos approach food as they approach a fight. With great gusto." Maria slid a glass of something across to Shades. "We mere mortals who were not born with Mandalorian palettes have to survive as we can."

 

Shades frowned a bit in confusion. "Aren't you one? You keep talking like your not."

 

"I am, but I wasn't always." Maria looked sheepish. "I was adopted. Its a bit of a long story."

 

Shades blinked a bit. "Adopted?"

 

Maria ate another bite and nodded. "Yeah. We Mandalorians are a bit strange by most people's customs. If we like you, we can adopt..." Maria's com went off and she snarled a bit. She opened it up and spoke into it.

 

"What?" Her face went slack and she shook her head. "Well, separate them, send them home. You know the drill." She closed her com and turned back to Shades. "The downside of liking kids, they all call me whenever any of them cause trouble..."

 

Shades snickered a bit. "A mom's work is never done." Maria had to laugh at that. Then she sighed.

 

"Nope... Wait until you get to be a grandmother to a whole colony..." Her sour tone was spoiled by a wide smile though.

 

"Thankfully that will never happen" Shades pointed out digging into the food more. Maria however burst out laughing. Luckily she had swallowed the bite she had just taken or Shades might have gotten wet.

 

"I said the exact same thing when I was your age, the exact words..." Maria stopped talking for a long moment, her face closed up. Then she smiled a bit. "How is the food?"

[kalenath]

"If you survive the nuclear ambush hiding in it. It's good." Shades replied. The dinner was certainly spicier then anything she'd had before but that wasn't a bad thing. She found she rather liked it.

 

"They do like their spices." Maria smiled as she took another bite before waving her fork at what Shades was eying. "Be carful of that. The Tingilar is something that they consider spicy. It is good, mind you, but..."

 

"Stay away from the Tingilar unless my taste buds are fried already." Shades said simply

 

"Yep." Maria grinned. "You will get used to it if you stick around." She said as she finished her plate and took a sip of her drink. "Try the drink, its a good batch"

 

Shades sniffed at the drink before sipping carefully like she had done with Cyare's stuff. "Not bad." She stated, it was fruity yet reasonably strong alcohol. You didn't expect the fruity flavor with it being clear. Still, she found she preferred the straight up bite in Cyare's drink. The thought depressed her though about the situation between her and the blue mando, even if she didn't understand why.

 

"Are you going to be okay here?" Maria's voice was concerned now.

 

"I'll get use to it...or I'll have a psychotic breakdown, whichever comes first. You and I know I won't last long out there with Yinran hunting for me." Shades grumbled dejectedly as she ate.

 

Maria shook her head. "Maybe not, but we won't hold you here against your will. Mainly I meant in here though." She waved a hand around to indicate the house.

 

Shades looked about a bit mentally checking herself. "I'll get use to it. The blueprints help drill logic into things and provided I don't have a blue pest coming to smother me in my sleep...I should be ok. Just need to give it a couple days to get use to." She grinned a bit then. "Besides, can always do what I did on Coruscant and jump out a window."

 

"Well..." Maria chuckled. "Feel free here, the ground is only a few feet away instead of miles..."

 

"Well I wasn't going for the ground, I was aiming for a window across and a few feet down in the next building. Blasted sniper threw me off." Shades said with an almost comical glare.

 

"I know." Maria shook her head. "Can you blame him? He has two kids of his own. Anyways...enough of the past." She said firmly as she stood up and sighed. "Your chiller is stocked, the bed is made. And I have a lot of work to do before I can sleep."

 

"Oh, er course you do." Shades said shifting in her seat. It occurred to her she had been sitting a good thirty minutes having a nice meal and pleasant conversation with the older woman. It unnerved her quite a bit and made her feel surprisingly guilty since the woman had things to do.

 

"It's okay, this is part of my job too." Maria smiled. "Check out the house, and make sure to lock up after I leave."

 

"Hey, I lived in the slums of Coruscant for 5 years here. I lock up and trap for the occasional home invader. Though I'll forgo the trap this time since I'm a bit lacking in materials right now." Shades informed.

 

"As to that?" Maria chuckled. "Any house on this block that doesn't have at least two traps is empty right now."

 

Shades cringed a bit, "So jury rig or get eaten by the local wildlife, got it."

 

"Um." Maria tensed. She had said teh wrong thing. Again. "No, we have patrols. They do it to keep in practice I think. If you want to though, be my guest. Just, nothing lethal okay? It's such a mess." She said with a shiver.

 

"Was thinking that. I'd likely have to clean it up and my cleaning skills are lacking." The black haired kiffar pointed out.

 

The older woman grinned. "I see we understand each other. I will take my leave. 0900 tomorrow I will be here."

 

"Gotcha." Shades replied.

 

With a nod, Maria left the house quietly. The door clicking shut behind her.

 

Shades shuddered for a minute before reminding herself to breathe. "Just a house. Not gonna fall in on you." She told herself as she looked about. She was definitely going to need a double dose of E'hn's sleep drought, at least for tonight.

 

No time like the present she supposed pulling the powder out of her pocket and mixing it with what was left of her drink. She was still stirring when she walked into the bedroom and spotted it.

 

A book A simple, page turning, hard cover, book. It sat on a rough side table by the cot with soft blankets piled high.

 

Shades immediately looked about, as if expecting someone to pop out and accuse her of stealing it from them. Did Maria leave it there by accident? A test like those kind jedi liked to give to see if Shades would pocket it or not.

 

The kiffar girl had more respect for the written word then that though. The book wasn't hers, and something that rare belonged with it's owner, not a merc. That was the stuff of family heirlooms, like the one wrapped around her ankle.

 

Still...it couldn't hurt to leaf through it for one night and find the owner in the morning could it? Maria was behind as it was and Shades didn't think she'd like being kept from her bed hunting for someone who had misplaced a book in the middle of the night.

 

She'd figure it out tomorrow, like she'd figure out how to handle the blue pest tomorrow. For now though, she had a few things to make and a door to securely lock up before she relaxed enough to go to bed.

 

Tomorrow would bring enough problems.

 

((Posted by Setie))

[kalenath]

It was 0830. Thirty minutes before Maria was supposed to arrive. He knew this would not be fun, but he had to do it. And soon. That had been made QUITE clear to him. HE walked up to Shades door and knocked. It wasn't forceful, but it wasn't soft knocking either. He heard a muffled exclamation as well as what sounded like a thump from inside and waited patiently. Or as patiently as he could. He heard a voice, Shades voice.

 

"Coming!" There was a mild bit of swearing followed by a "Whoops!" and something cracking into the door. She was talking as the door opened.

 

"Your about 30 minutes early there I just..." Shades started saying as she opened the door. Seeing who it was halted her words entirely. "Er...your not Guns..."

 

Cyare stood, impassive. Any normal person might think him aloof, not quaking in his boots in worry about the conversation. Or the consequences if he shoved his boot into his mouth again. He stood, stiff as a board. Anything else and he might betray what he felt. She looked good standing there, if a bit bewildered. Almost like a nerf in the headlights of an oncoming speeder...

 

"I came to apologize." He could have sworn her flesh and blood eye widened a bit. He was going to speak again when Shades raised a hand.

 

"Might as well come in then." She stated. he could see her struggling with herself and he nodded. All the better to get away from the confusing entrance and it looking like a hill she was under. He stepped inside as she backed up and then he took a step to the side so he didn't bar the door.

 

"Just ignore the mild mess." Shades stated as she headed for the kitchen. A heavy rock attached to a shoe lace sat near the door and another boot lace hung out like a clothesline across the middle of the room close to the floor. Anyone trying to come in would likely make a lot of noise at the least and as worst get a rock to some part of them.

 

"Nice warning traps, given the limited gear." Cyare's voice was cool. it made it hard to tell what he was feeling. "I should not have grabbed you or struck the beam. I apologize for frightening you and for losing my temper."

 

Shades halted in her steps and sighed as she turned. Her father always told her to look someone in the eye...then again all she had was that blasted helmet to gauge. As if he read her mind, Cyare reached up and removed his helmet. Shades froze and then spoke quietly.

 

"From what I understand it was kinda warranted." Cyare saw her reluctance and he shook his head.

 

"No it wasn't." Cyare admitted. "I overreacted. I know better Ma'am. It won't happen again."

 

 

"Hold it." Shades stated holding up a finger and reminding herself to breathe. "Ok I'm really bad at this and I really don't understand...your kind. Never had any dealings with them. Add that to the fact that I'm not use to dealing with anyone that wasn't lying to try and get something for themselves. It doesn't really help one deal with a bunch of...straight talkers."

 

"I know." Cyare's voice was quiet. "It won't happen again, Ma'am." Cyare looked Shades in the eye and was surprised when she sighed.

 

"Ok, quit calling me ma'am, I'm only 25 and I never been anywhere close to married." Shades stated. Cyare froze. This wasn't playing out as he had envisioned.

 

Cyare blinked. "Uh..." But Shades wasn't done.

 

"Anyways, that's besides the point. Just makes me feel old." Cyare snorted at that. Not that Shades LOOKED old no matter what she thought.

 

Cyare shook his head. "Calling you Shades is impersonal, and I don't want to sound fresh by calling you by your first name, so what can I call you?" Shades looked at him and he tabled that discussion till later. He would just call her 'Shades'.

 

"I...didn't mean to call you liar." Shades ground out. "You just...get on my nerves a lot."

 

Cyare bowed his head. "You didn't. I misunderstood what you said. Ba'buir... explained it to me..." With short words and lots of swearing. Having three other Mando women with her hadn't helped matters either. He dreaded facing any of them if he messed this up.

 

Shades cringed, that didn't sound right. "I mean...your not trying to...I think..." Cyare stopped trying to return to his script and laughed a bit sourly. Shades looked at him and he grinned.

 

"I have muddled this. Aren't we two muddled fools?" Shades stared at him and for a moment he worried he had insulted her again. Then she blinked in obvious confusion.

 

"Sorry?"

 

"Okay, let me start over." Cyare shook his head and spoke slowly. "I came to apologize for my actions last night. You have nothing to be sorry for. I was in the wrong. I apologize" He could have sworn Shades was biting back a frown. No, couldn't have been.

 

"You were trying to be helpful...though that thought baffles me as much as your insistence that I'm pretty. I pretty much bit your head off for it. I just don't do good with accepting help...a pride issue in me I guess." Cyare nodded.

 

"I can understand that. You have to stand on your own two feet. And I can understand you view point. it was... explained to me." He winced. Maria had a very loud voice on occassion.

 

Shades scowled. "Yeah well hiding behind Guns does not really sit well me."

 

"No." Cyare grinned, but his voice was rueful when he spoke. "It wouldn't would it? And it wasn't Maria..."

 

That obviously stopped Shades in her mental tracks. "You said Ba'buir though."

 

"I should rephrase... It wasn't just Ba'buir..." He winced again. His own mother wasn't available, but the other Mando women... Insulting a Mando woman was a bad idea, insulting the guest of a Mando woman was almost as bad as insulting their cooking. "Ba'buir is bad enough when she gets angry... When the other women of the clan start sharpening their knives... I knew I had to get here fast..."

 

Now Shades snorted in disbelief. "Bah! Likely the lot was dreaming of gutting me for angering their cutest boy and making him try and break his hand on a beam." Cyare however met her flesh and blood eye and held it. There was no misdirection or evasion in his look.

 

"Actually, they wanted my privates for offering you insult." Cyare said quietly, but with total conviction in his words. "So I came to give apology."

 

"I don't... know what never mind. I'll just wind up insulting you again and it'll go downhill again." Shades said interrupting herself. "I'll eventually get use to this whole people saying what they mean and not just spouting bull deal."

 

"Not all do. But I try. Saves explanation time most of the time." Cyare nodded. "I hope so. And... for what it is worth. I do think you are pretty. But that is just my opinion. Take it or leave it. it is just my opinion." He nodded to her and put his helmet back on. "Now I have to get back to work."

 

Cyare turned to go. Shades coughed to get his attention. He turned back.

 

"Yes?"

 

"Yeah I found this book in my room yesterday when I finally got to it. Do you know who it belongs to? Was thinking they forgot it or something." Cyare froze. She couldn't know. There was just no way...

 

Cyare turned back to Shades. "A paper book?" His voice was... odd. Not accusing. Just odd. He took his helmet off again and his eyes were... haunted?

 

"Yeah. They're really rare so I was thinking it's owner might be going crazy looking for it."

 

"No he won't." Cyare sighed. "This house hasn't been touched since Gret got killed. If you found a book, it was his. He loved to read. Taught me my letters as a matter of fact." Cyare's voice was sad. Shades flinched, that was a tone she hadn't heard before.

 

"Oh...I'm sorry." Cyare snorted.

 

"He was a creep too. But a good man. I think... If you like to read, you will like this house. I need to get back on station before Ba'buir gets here."

 

"Of course." Shades commented sounding slightly dejected, though she said nothing more.

 

"Hey." Cyare looked right at Shades. "He would love it if someone who enjoyed reading as much as he did had it. If you don't like it, you can always sell it, and he has a library in here somewhere too..."

 

Shades shifted some. "You don't sell family heirlooms and I did find the library." She scowled then. "Feel like a grave robber. Bunch of scum.."

 

"Not really." Cyare walked back into the room. He stood in front of Shades. "He has no use for it, do you?"

 

"Well yeah but still if he had a family or something..." She broke off as Cyare looked at her. When he spoke again, it was quiet.

 

"They would want you to have them." With that he put his helmet back on and walked out.

[kalenath]

Maria knocked on the door promptly at 0900. She looked rather perturbed but still managed a friendly greeting when Shades opened the door. "You sleep ok?"

 

"Like a rock once Ratchet's stuff kicked in." Shades replied as she stepped out and locked her door.

 

Maria froze in place, giving Shades the impression she was getting the evil eye. "How much did you take?"

 

"Enough," the kiffar replied. "I'm awake, in one piece, and not likely to have the problem constantly. Guns breathe."

 

"Ah..." Maria inclined her helmeted head. "I see Cyare got here bright and early."

 

"Yeah, mentioned something about being threatened with castration by a bunch of old bats." Shades stated with a withering look.

 

"Well..." Maria burst out laughing. "Yeah, we can be a bit... intimidating. But come on, the boy messed up."

 

Shades sighed in annoyance. "Yeah, but so did I." She had a feeling she was wasting her breath but seriously, she didn't believe in hanging one person out to dry when the blame rested on more then one. "Anyways, we figured it out and such. Back to our normal silent corners."

 

"Good." Maria nodded as she started walking, leaving Shades to follow. "Ready to get some work done then?"

 

"Yep," the kiffar replied. She wasn't surprised when Cyare brought up the rear. She resisted the urge to give a reassuring grin to him though. She doubted he really needed it after all. He likely knew how long Maria held a grudge longer then Shades did.

 

The blue man kept his place behind them. Shades kept getting the oddest feeling like he was watching her, but whenever she managed a look he was always looking about.

 

"We don't have a lot of tech here, so a lot of what we have is jury rigged or improvised from others tuff. Having you here will help out immeasurably." Maria stated.

 

"Repairing old tech? Been doing that since I could walk it feels like." Shades commented.

 

"Right." Maria nodded. "Not all of it is old, but some of it... well, we don't have regular suppliers, for the most part, so its an odd mash of stuff."

 

"Whatever works, works." Shades stated as they walked with a grin. "You never saw my gun. Having different techs mashed together can be surprisingly helpful in a pinch if you know what your doing and are quick enough."

 

"Oh yes." Maria's tone was oddly knowing as she spoke. "Which is one reason you are here as opposed to being on a ship."

 

Shades simply sighed. Again with everyone knowing things? "Where ever you want me to go here Guns. Your the boss after all."

 

"Here we are." Maria smiled as she stopped before a building that seemed kind of squat, but solid. She keyed the door open and looked inside. "Um..." The piles of stuff were to the roof. Anything and everything tech related. "I think I might give you a hand with this. At least for a while..."

 

Shades eyed the piles nervously. "Or I can work outside for a bit and figure things out. It all depends how bad things are as to if I'll need a hand. Minor problems go faster but happen more often after all."

 

"Hmmm..." Maria turned to Cyare. "Bring out the stuff we can set it up here." She indicated the open area in front of the building. it was flat, clear and dry.

 

Shades was already picturing things in her head. "Just need a good size table really for the small stuff...and maybe something flat so I don't go losing bolts in the grass."

 

"Hmm," Maria pondered. "We can do that. Cyare do not let her go in there. I'll be right back." As the older woman headed off Cyare moved to stand in front of the doorway.

 

Shades looked over his shoulder, curiosity over things warring with the fear of getting buried again. "You know...you could probably start pulling a few things out for me to kinda sort through while we wait." She suggested casually.

 

She got the impression he was giving her a suspicious look before he nodded and looked into the small building. Obviously looking for smaller things she might be able to fix right then.

 

"Don't forget the tools. Should be a box near the door somewhere." Shades called with a grin. In a couple minutes Cyare came out, sliding an old toolbox along with his foot. In his hands looked to be a medical scanner and a small terminal...at least that's what Shades thought they were.

 

Shades almost looked like a child at christmas as she settled into the grass with the smaller devices and the tool box. "Alright boys tell me what ails you." She said quietly as she picked up the scanner and started checking it. She was systematic about it, blindly reaching into the tool box with her mechanical hand and somehow always finding the tool she needed as she dissected the scanner carefully, always mindful to put small pieces in the pocket of her shirt.

 

Instantly engrossed as she was, Shades completely missed the aggravated hiss from inside the toolbox.

 

All she knew was that she was reaching for another tool when a blue arm suddenly wrapped around her and picked her up, swinging her behind him as Cyare pointed a blaster at the box.

 

"What? Where's the fire?" Shades asked in confusion as she was released to stand on her feet.

 

"Easy..." Cyare stated as he kicked the box and another angry hiss sounded. He barely lowered the blaster as he reached in and picked out a small green snake. It was only about a meter or so long and slender. The man shook his head before flipping the snake into the brush to find a new home.

 

Shades cringed a bit, snakes were almost always nasty. "Don't know that species. Wasn't poisonous was it?"

 

"Non-poisonous." Cyare said softly. "But territorial. It would have bit you. And you wouldn't have enjoyed it."

 

"Yeah I'd like to keep my fingers, even the mechanical ones."

 

Cyare shook his head at her. "I need to get you some gloves."

 

Shades snorted a bit waving a metal hand. "Well a glove anyways. I use to have some but I keep losing them."

 

"Why does that not surprise me?" He replied. Was that humor in his tone?

 

Shades raised a brow at him then. "I'll behave and not grace that with a smart reply, only because you saved me from the evil snake of doom. Just don't go expecting me to get all sappy and gush at you like in those dumb holovids where the girl's always an idiot to kiss the guy."

 

At that Cyare laughed. "I wouldn't expect you to." He said as he resumed his station. Maria came back a minute later with her arms laden down. He quickly took some of it, looking at it for a moment to see what there was. Then with a practiced yank, flipped a small table open.

 

Maria spread a tarp on the ground and motioned for Cyare to put the table on it. "This should work for us."

 

"Works perfectly." Shades said picking up her current projects and putting them on the table before nudging the tool box a bit with her toe, checking for any more disgruntled snakes.

 

"What did I miss?" Maria asked suspiciously, her T-visor pointing at Shades.

 

"Eh, animals. Know how they work. 'Oh look a nice warm box with some rodents nearby to chomp on'." She replied.

 

Maria froze as Shades'a comment made sense. "Snake? You get bit?"

 

The kiffar had to fight a snicker as a blue helmeted head cocked to the side at Maria. She could almost see the annoyed look on Cyare's face over Maria's apparently lack of faith in him.

 

"Nah, he got it first." Shades replied jerking a thumb at Cyare. "What he's here for isn't it? To be my meat shield against nature?"

 

Something suspiciously like a snort came from Cyare's direction and Maria relaxed. When she spoke it was quiet. "A lot of the local fauna will try and take chunks out of humans. Its one reason we wear armor a lot here. But... yeah, that's why he is here. Sorry Cyare."

 

Cyare didn't respond and Maria shook her head, still chuckling from the meat shield comment. "Shall we try and make some order out of this mess?"

 

Maria and Cyare, since they had armored gloves, took over digging out various broken down object. Always giving a good shake or kick before handing them over to Shades. The kiffar then gave everything a quick check to figure out severity before separating them into piles. Quicker and easier jobs apart from the more difficult and time consuming ones.

 

Shades would have worked though lunch but Maria and Cyare insisted she take a break. Though she put her foot down at eating with the rest of the colony in the hall. She simply had a feeling that it wouldn't go well for her to be there, no matter the company she kept. So much like the night before Maria called up one children to get them from food and the lot ate while occasionally chastising Shades as she tried to pull out a tool or two to work on the scanner again.

 

Afterward someone showed up to pull Maria away for other matters, leaving Cyare and Shades to finish organizing. While things were slower, and definitely quieter, Shades found she oddly didn't mind it. It wasn't hostile or even forced, more like a pair of friends. It was rather unnerving to Shades. She couldn't remember being that way around...well anyone.

 

((Posted by Setie))

Edited July 14, 2012 by kalenath

[kalenath]

Still that struck her as odd as she walked back to her house, with Cyare as always bringing up the rear. So like any curious minded person Shades turned on her heel and started walking backwards, intent on asking his opinion on the matter.

 

"So what do you..."

 

Quite suddenly Shades's left foot vanishing into mud with a slurp, throwing her balance off completely as she pinwheeled to stay upright. Her ankle seemed to be on fire as her weight pitched her forward to the ground.

 

Lucky for her that Cyare was a rock and had been barely two steps behind her. She reached out and grabbed his armored forearm, keeping herself from falling over, barely.

 

"You alright?"

 

"Foot. Mudhole." Shades ground out. Creation her ankle was killing her here.

 

Adjusting his grip Cyare pulled her up. She lost her boot to the mud's grip but was thankful that her sock at least stayed in place, she didn't want to lose the treasure wrapped around her ankle.

 

"Can you walk?" The blue man asked gingerly setting her on her feet.

 

Shades tested the ankle and ground her teeth. "Just help me in the house and a chair and I'll be good." She bit out.

 

She was grateful that he did as she asked, and once settling her went out to retrieve her boot. Even after removing her sock and storing away the family heirloom in it that usually resided on her ankle.

 

When Cyare came back he was swearing impressively under his breath as he dumped the filthy boot on a mat by the door.

 

"It's just a dirty boot, I'm sure the mud will clean off." She told him as she gingerly prodded her ankle. Was it her or did that look like it was swelling up?

 

"It isn't that." Cyare said with a snarl, btu obviosuly not one directed at Shades. "Someone set a trap. When I find them I'm gonna..." He broke off, but it was obvious what he wanted to do.

 

Shades snorted. She might not know a lot about these people but they certainly struck her as mostly having sense. "Who the heck would be dumb enough to put a trap in the middle of the path where their fellows can break and ankle in it?"

 

Cyare sighed. "Beskargam locks the plates, see...?" He pointed at his boots to illustrate. "It wasn't intended for me or any other, it was intended for you. That makes it my responsibility. I will find out who did this." The blue man was already moving about the house checking for other surprises left behind.

 

"Oh leave it be." Shades grunted hitting a tender spot in her ankle. "It was likely kids, besides not like anyone died or anything. Would you stop running about I locked my door this morning, unless folks can fit through the windows somehow."

 

"Locks doors don't mean much around here." Cyare called from the other room. "That pit could have been filled with stakes, or had a mine in it. I should have been leading..."

 

Shades rolled her eyes at that. "It was a mud pit. That's not lethal. Besides I'm assuming Guns would have told everyone by now not to kill me. It's a childish prank, so unless you really think a bunch of grown up mandalorians would be that petty..."

 

"Kids are kids, Amarath... but..." Cyare snorted sounding like he was in another room. "I know a couple of supposed adults who just might."

 

She groaned at that. "So some people hate me. What else is new? They can't do anything about it other then be annoying pests unless they want your ba'buir and her legions of armored grannies castrating them. It's a bunch of kids Carebear. They're just picking on the evil neighbor, which is the civic duty of adventuresome kids everywhere."

 

"No." Cyare came back in then planting his hands on his hips at he stared at her, or at least she assumed he stared. Blasted helmet. "You are not evil," he stated. "It might have been the kids. All the adults know better, or will when I am done explaining things to them..." He trailed off dangerously.

 

"Just leave it alone," the kiffar said. "I've pulled crazier stunts in when I was younger...actually I still pull crazy stunts."

 

"Yes...you do," he replied in an odd tone, almost sounded like admiration to Shades's ear. "But if I don't do something though they will get worse. Bet on it."

 

"They'll get worse with you ripping into them. They'd take it as I whined likely which just makes them do it more hoping to get a bigger rise out of me." She pointed out.

 

"Shades..." Cyare let out a sigh. "At least tell Maria."

 

Shades snorted. "She's got enough on her plate. It'll be fine. I'm a tough girl I'll manage."

 

"Oh very well..." Cyare crossed his arm in a disgruntled manner. "How's the ankle?"

 

"Not sure. I don't think it's anything serious." Shades said with an unsure tone and a scowl.

 

"May I?" He asked quietly. "I have a bit of experience with various injuries."

 

"Sure, probably know better then I do. I never could manage first aid, despite my attempts." Shades grumbled leaning back in her chair and presenting her foot.

 

She questioned the wisdom of that the minute he removed his gloves. Before she could manage a protest though he had her ankle in surprisingly gentle hands. He turned it slowly this way and that before exhaling in relief. "It's a sprain. It will hurt like hell, but it will heal if you stay off of it. Matter of fact..." He stood and quickly walked to the chiller. in a moment he was back with an improvised ice pack. "Hold this on it, and it will keep the swelling down."

 

"Ok..." Shades said, sounding a bit odd. That certainly wasn't a tone she'd ever heard out of herself and she cleared her throat quickly. She was sure her face was red but had no reason to be so. Granted the only people to lay hands on her that weren't family were doctors but this situation counted...right? "So I get to sit and work for a few days."

 

"We cleared enough space that I can get a chair in there." The blue plated arms crossed again then. "Are you sure you don't want me to discuss this with anyone? I mean... If they get away with it, they will do it again..."

 

"Best way to get a bully off your back is ignore them. Your no fun that way." Shades stated then frowned. "Well I should correct myself..."

 

"The best way to get a bully of your back is to beat the snot out of him." Both of them said at once. Both fell silent, Shades blinking curiously while Cyare remained frustratingly unreadable behind his helmet though she did hear a slight laugh.

 

"I could find out..." Cyare started.

 

"Wouldn't do much. What am I gonna do? Punch them in the helmet and break my hand?" Shades asked dejectedly. "Besides, it'll make it look like I complained, which adds fuel to the fire."

 

"Not if they aren't wearing armor when they get here. I know a few ways to get people out quick for... rescues and such you now?" He finished a bit lamely, though the glint of mischief in his tone was unmistakable. "You have a right to complain. you are a guest..."

 

"A very much unwanted one by others obviously." She pointed out.

 

"Not all of us." Cyare stated as he put his gloves back on.

 

"Aww didn't know you liked me Carebear." Shades said sarcastically. Though the bite in it was more for herself. After all, she was the one who everyone hated around here.

 

Cyare seemed on the verge of replying, but stopped. He nodded to her. "I will take my station."

 

"Remember to get some sleep there." She said.

 

Cyare nodded again. It was as if he didn't trust his voice all of a sudden.

 

"Aren't you all Mr. Mysterious." Shades thought to herself. The man made her think of those cube puzzles Renmon has always been so determined to figure out but always had to hand over to Shades.

 

Bah! She didn't have time for the man. She had a boot to clean up, an ankle to rest, and a new day of projects tomorrow.

 

((Posted by Setie))

Edited July 14, 2012 by kalenath

[kalenath]

Cyare stayed at his post until Shades' light went out. He was trying to keep his temper and at the same time not laugh outright. This girl... She combined a world wary cynicism with the strangest form of almost innocence he had ever seen. She was obviously no wilting flower, but... she was odd. And he was worried. He knew his people. Whoever had set that trap for her wouldn't be satisfied with just hurting her physically. He resolved to stay extra alert. And while Shades didn't want to talk to Maria, there was nothing that said HE couldn't. As he walked towards Maria's house, he pondered things.

 

It didn't make sense, what he was feeling. It was as if... He froze midstride.

 

No... way...

 

It couldn't be. There was just no way he could be...

 

But Mandos, for the most part, did not indulge much in self deception. He examined his feelings as he stood, frozen. He picked them apart, trying hard to find some way out of the tangle of emotions that beset him. Then he slumped.

 

This is really going to complicate things. I so need to talk to Maria...

 

But when he reached her house, she wasn't in. He supposed he could com her, but that was for emergencies and this really didn't qualify. He resolved to get up earlier the next morning. To check Shades house and workshop for more surprises. And from now on, he would stay between her and ANYTHING that might threaten her.

 

<Elsewhere>

 

Maria sat waiting. This was nerve wracking. She knew, without a doubt, what had to be done, but doing it... An outside observer would have been excused for thinking her just sitting quietly, waiting for the com unit to respond, but her mind was moving a light year a minute.

 

First, she had promised Vix that she would turn Shades over to the assassin after a week, which was coming up fast. She couldn't do that now. She just couldn't. Yes, Vix had reasons for wanting Shades dead, and in the most gruesome way, but...

 

Second, she had given Shades her word. To many, their words meant little if anything. To Maria, her word was really all she had. Vix had been promised too however. Maria cursed herself for getting into this situation. Then she flinched as the com chimed.

 

A holo appeared on the screen. A large and to a human very ugly face. Maria nodded to the holo.

 

"Cranna the Hutt." Maria said with a smile. She liked Cranna. Cranna looked at her, and then nodded in return.

 

"Maria Kalenath." THe odd Hutt replied. "This is a surprise. I thought you would be busy." Maria nodded and then spoke quietly.

 

"I have a problem and I hope you might be able to help." Cranna looked at her and MAria continued. "It's about Amarath Shades." Cranna snorted.

 

"She couldn't have gotten away, so what..." Cranna froze. "You are not thinking of double crossing Vix are you?" Cranna's voice was hard now, but the Hutt relaxed as Maria shook her head vehemently.

 

"I am not that stupid, but the situation is more complex that I had thought. I..." Maria broke off as Cranna snorted.

 

"Maria, speak plain. What is the problem?"

 

Maria sighed. Then she started at the beginning. Her fight with Shades on Coruscant. Her research on the girl. Her talks with the girl. Her having met the girl's father. At that Cranna jerked upright and focused closely on Maria. Finally, Maria finished, speaking of how the clan needed more techs and how gifted Shades was. Maria stopped talking finally. her eyes burned, but she kept her focus on Cranna.

 

"Oh dear..." Cranna was silent for a long moment. When she spoke it was thoughtful. "I know Vix, once she has a target, she won't change it for anything. It makes her very good at her chosen profession, but..." Maria nodded but remained silent. After a moment, Cranna continued. "I agree, the clan needs techs, and I can't spare any of mine. But that is not the only reason is it?"

 

Maria smiled a bit but didn't speak. After a moment a sly grin spread across Cranna's features. "Let me guess, Trava's idea?" Maria nodded and Cranna laughed. A jovial laugh. "Oh... my... I wish I could be there to see it, but... things have come up here. Let me do some checking. I will get back to you on this, Maria. I promise you that, vod."

 

Maria nodded. "Take care of yourself, vod." Cranna smiled again and cut the connection. Maria stood up ad stretched. She had been sitting for two hours waiting for the connection to go through. But now, it was time to find her bed. The morning was soon enough for the rest of her stuff.

Edited July 14, 2012 by kalenath

[kalenath]

<2 days later>

 

Shades was not a patient beast. Most people knew this. She considered herself as showing excessive patience with these pranksters. When Cyare and her found her workplace loaded with bags of horrific smelling somethings. She didn't even risk inspecting one, simply threw them out and make sure everything was open to let air in. Still it had taken forever to find them all, hiding in projects and under things.

 

Then there had been the nice sized bucket of garbage that had gotten dumped on her when she had gotten home. And her tool box suddenly vanishing to be replaced by what looked like some zeltron show girl's make up kit. And coming home to her rooms covering in traditional toilet paper, with soaped windows, and a mini mechanical catapult pitching eggs at her.

 

She grinned and bore it, and managed to keep Cyare from murder and telling Maria every time.

 

This one though. This meant war.

 

Shades could see the insult clearly as she stared at her clothes, a thin over sized tunic she slept in that barely reached mid thigh covering her. This one they had to of pulled during the night. Meaning they had to break into her house, while she was sleeping. Quite possibly they knew she took E'hn's sleeping powder stuff so she'd been completely out.

 

Either way, she was vibrating in fury, and quite certain kids would never think to roll this insult and prank into one.

 

In places of Shades's normal jumpsuits, pants, and shirts; were dresses. No they shouldn't even be dignified with being called dresses. These were the type of things street walkers wore, a blaring sign to come and get it for a price.

 

If it was one derogatory term Shades did not accept being applied to her, it was being called a harlot or anything of the sort. Schutta was the closest she took, and only because it could also mean a woman Being In Total Control of Herself.

 

She steamed and stewed as she ran about desperately trying to find anything decent to wear. Creation the little scumsuckers had even stolen her underwear!

 

Right then there was a knock on her door. "Shades? Are you alright?"

 

"I'm fine!" She called back as she ran her hands through her hair in a panic. She managed to keep it out of her tone some though.

 

"Your five minutes late." Cyare called through the door. "What's wrong?"

 

"Uhh..." "Think fast girl!" Shades told herself as she headed for the front door so she didn't have to scream.

 

"I'm not feeling well. Think I'll just...take today off." She said loud enough to be heard.

 

There was dead silence on the other side of the door for a moment. "What?" came a disbelieving tone. "Shades, what's wrong?"

 

Oh blast it she should have realized her suddenly taking a day off would come off as weird. "Nothing! I get a bit under the weather like everyone else thanks."

 

"Can I come in?"

 

Shades almost went white. "NO!" She screeched. You'd think he had already tried the door from her tone. The last thing she wanted was anyone seeing her in such a lack of coverage state. Creation next time she'd sleep in her clothes, humidity or not!

 

"Shades, are you in danger?" Cyare asked, is tone quiet and lethal.

 

It took her a second to realize he must have thought she was being held hostage or something. "Oh no! Love of creation no. You'd hear something breaking if that was the case. I don't do quiet fighting."

 

"Shades, what is wrong? Is there anything I can help with?" Cyare is sounding a bit more worried now.

 

Shades glared at her room with the offending garments thrown about. "Only if you know a good place to hide bodies..." She growled lowly.

 

"Shades, are you alright?" Came a new voice. Maria was worried.

 

"Oh frak! Not Guns! Not now dammit!" Shades thought in panic as she swore excessively. Desperately she tried to think of a way to cling to dignity, letting the pair of them in would blow everything.

 

"Shades?"

 

"I'm fine!" Shades snapped pressing herself uselessly against the door, as if she would keep it closed. The blue heart of fire she'd kept around her ankle so long bouncing under the shirt against her chest.

 

"Help!" She screamed mentally though she knew no one could save her from the humiliation of this particular prank.

 

When she got out of this...she was going to hurt someone.

 

((Posted by Setie))

[kalenath]

Maria looked at Cyare, who shrugged. E'hn just stood back. Cyare's call was unexpected and when unexpected things happened, well, it was usually a good idea to be prepared for just about anything. Maria turned the key and tried the door. It didn't move.

 

"What the?" Maria asked, startled. "Shades?" Why was she standing right beside the door? Shades' voice was a bit on the high side.

 

"I didn't say you could come in!" Maria looked at the two men and shook her head.

 

"Shades..." Maria said flaltly. "Move, let me in."

 

Maria's voice was reasonable, calm even. The reply though set her back on her heels. A panicked negative. Maria shook herself. Shades never reacted like that to anything, what was going on? She shrugged and stepped aside as Cyare took hold of the door edges and started heaving. The door opened, slowly.

 

Maria heard Shades swear as the girl tried to hold her ground. She had the leverage, unfortunately she lacked the muscle as she lost her grip and stumbled forward. At least she managed not to fall and go showing her only pair of undies to everyone. As soon as the door was out of the way, Maria froze as did the two men. The Kiffar's face was red as she took sudden interest in her toes. She didn't care if they were all behind helmets she knew they were all giving her funny looks.

 

Maria shook herself and took charge. She swept into the house pulling Shades in further. Cyare and E'hn followed in silence. Shades surprisingly meekly followed, silent as a pallbearer. Maria entered the bedroom and stopped on seeing the mess of... things... strewn about. It was obvious to anyone Shades was wishing she had a stealth generator right that minute.

 

"What the flarg?" Maria turned to Shades. "What happened?" Her voice was flat. Shades' voice wasn't much warmer.

 

"If I knew, I'd likely have my clothes right now."

 

Maria snarled a vile oath in Huttese. "Cyare, find her clothes. now." She didn't raise her voice, but Cyare took off at a trot. "Someone came in here and exchanged your stuff for this... trash..."

 

"Pretty much..." Shades said meekly.

 

"Its not all trash Maria." E'hn spoke from where he had been lurking. "This piece actually is kind of nice..." He held up a slinky blue tube dress. Shades gave E'hn a death glare then. Maria turned her own glare on him, but he continued as if oblivious. "and this would go so well with her eye..." He held up a skirt.

 

Shades growled. "Ratchet you like being a man? Cause I'll happily forcefully turn you female and then you can wear that."

 

"Stow it E'hn." Maria was also not amused. "And this... incident didn't happen, clear?"

 

"Clear. Drat." E'hn obviously pouted a bit, but he did put the dress he was examining down. Then he looked at Shades. "How much did you take? To sleep through this."

 

Shades shrugged. "Enough. It does knock me cold here."

 

"What?" E'hn looked at her, and then his hand came up with a scanner. "It shouldn't have. it is a calming agent, not a true sedative. How much did you take?" He repeated relentlessly as he approached her with the scanner in front.

 

Shades swore. "Ok so I doubled it. I don't go thinking I'm sleeping under a burial mound that way." E'hn scanned her swiftly and nodded to himself.

 

"Idiot girl... you are lucky it wasn't anything stronger..." E'hn put the scanner away and sighed. "Your readings seem okay."

 

Shades scoffed. "With all my drinking you think sedatives hurt that much?" E'hn just shook his head but Maria was through fooling around.

 

"Out." The single word was cold. E'hn nodded, but stopped as he was halfway out.

 

"You think I can have a few of..."

 

Maria rounded on him. "Out now!" She shouted and he literally ran out the door. Maria slumped. "I am sorry Shades, I thought they would listen to me. i guess I will have to crack a few heads.." She froze as Shades tugged at the hem of her shirt, as if trying to pull it down more. the older woman snarled at herself and grabbed the blanket off the bed and swung it around Shades. Her voice was cold when she spoke. "If Cyare can't find your stuff I will find you something to wear." Shades looked at her.

 

"Thanks...and I doubt cracking heads will help much. I mean there isn't exactly an incriminating evidence around." Maria started cursing. Then with decisive jerk, she ripped her helmet off and threw it across the room.

 

"Stupid, flarging, frakking, frelling osik for brain fools!"

 

"That was something along the lines of what I said." Maria turned and glared around the room.

 

"You know..." Maria sighed as she looked around. "I would have expected them to start with something a bit less... inventive.."

 

Shades looked at her feet again. "Well...ummm..."

 

"This.." Maria froze. Her eagle eyes training on Shades. "This... wasn't the first was it?"

 

"Define first." Maria wasn't sure if she should scream, cry or throw somethign at Shades obvious evasion.

 

"Shades..." Maria snarled, and then visibly restrained herself. "First as in the first insult done to you while you have been my guest. And under my protection." Shades wouldn't meet her eyes.

 

"Well this is the only one that's really been insulting..." Maria froze even stiffer than she had been.

 

"How... may... times...?" The Mando woman asked, almost dazed. Shades replied in a quiet tone.

 

"Only five. They're just annoying really not insulting...least not till this one." Maria recoiled, and then slumped.

 

"Five times?" Maria's incredulous voice was almost inaudible. Disbelief was coloring her features. That may not have been the best time for Cyare to walk in. His armor was covered in mud and he carried a mud splattered bundle.

 

"They buried the pile out back." He said as he laid it down.

 

"Did you know?" Maria leveled her gaze on him and he froze. Shades turned to her, a worried look on the younger girl's face. Maria didn't take her gaze off of Cyare's helmet.

 

Shades visibly cringed. "Now Guns..."

 

"Did you know?" Maria didn't raise her voice but the sheer intensity was appalling. Cyare looked at her and winced. He nodded, silent.

 

Shades tried again. "Guns he was just..." Maria ignored her. Now the older woman raised her voice.

 

"You idiot boy..." Maria snapped. "They could kill her, you know that! Even if they are not trying, You know that!" She advanced on Cyare, who wisely stood his ground. If he had fled or even moved Maria would have likely charged.

 

Shades scowled angrily. "Guns!" But Maria was too angry to hear anything except her own rage talking.

 

"Cyare, answer me! What were you thinking?" Maria's voice held outrage, disblief and hurt in equal measure. But Shades had had enough.

 

"Hey!" Shades bellowed as her flesh and blood hand cuffed the back of Maria's head like a mom to a stubborn child. "Try listening to the Kiffar that conned him into not saying anything." She snapped. Maria's hand caught Shades' as she was recoiling from her strike. Maria might have been old but her reflexes were still sharp. She released the Kiffar immediately. Shades continued.

 

"I told him not to say anything cause you got enough on your plate. I don't need someone to babysit against pranksters."

 

"Shades... I..." Maria looked at Shades and her eyes glistened. "Shades, this is my responsibility. this is a major part of what is on my plate. Those idiots could kill you, by accident."

 

Maria stared as Shades seemed to harden a bit. "Yeah...and so far I've been being nice." Cyare nodded as well.

 

"So have I..." Cyare spoke quietly.

 

Shades glared at the T-slit of Cyare's helmet. "Well you kept wanting to hunt them down and leave them in pools of blood."

 

"I didn't say that." He snorted. "I never said I was going to kill them. I just want them to hurt."

 

Maria looked from one to the other. Then she bowed her head. Without a word, she retrieved her helmet and walked out.

 

Shades stared after her. "Great... She's mad at us, you think?"

 

"Yeah." Cyare nodded. "She has reason to be too. We should have told her." Shades scoffed.

 

"Aren't you the ones who preach self reliance above all else?" Cyare laughed sourly.

 

"Not to the point of idiocy. You can't take on a whole colony alone. luckily you are not alone."

 

He pretended not to hear Shades say softly "Watch me..."

 

"Well..." He shook his head. "We are both in trouble now, so... time for payback you think?" His tone was vicious.

 

Shades grinned a bit feral. "Prefer playing off their tactics. Since they seem insistent on wrecking the house and the shop...might as well use it against them." She pursed her lips in thought then. "Gonna need you to pick up some things though." Cyare snorted.

 

"What do you have in mind?"

 

"A good strong fishing line, red and white paint, some weights..."

 

"I like the way you think." Cyare said with a snicker.

 

"Well you guys are all about your pride. Might as well kick them where it hurts. And they can't say anything without letting people know they tried messing with me."

 

"Oh yes... Oh yes... make a list, I will get what you need." Cyare smiled viciously as he contemplated hitting certain people where it hurt the most.

[kalenath]

<3 days later>

 

Shades was frustrated as she sat in her dark house by the door. A pair of kitchen knives in her hands as she waited like any predator for her prey to come along. Maria was cracking heads, though still angry at the pair of them. That along with Shades's traps to counter should have had the pranksters on the run.

 

Instead, it seemed to encourage them. It didn't help matters that so far they hadn't caught anyone. Sure there was plenty of mandos with suddenly fresh paint on their armor or curious limping, but they were failing to catch them in the act.

 

Hence the little trap they were doing tonight. Shades had quite enough of this junk.

 

The comm Cyare had given her beeped three times in her ear. She could hear the punks whispering back and forth in their language herself. Right outside her front door. She had a nice snare trap waiting that they likely had spotted easily and stepped right over. Thinking that she had wanted them to step in as they approached.

 

She wanted them to step in them as they ran.

 

Suddenly the door burst open and Shades leaped out with a kitchen knife in either hand giving a roar that would have done a krayt dragon proud. All of them jumped, startled. The one who had been working the lock leaped back and right into the snare trap.

 

She could hear Cyare swear and bolt from his hiding place as two of the armored punks managed to get free of the snare. The other was going nowhere soon.

 

He came back a minute later as Shades was letting the badly tangled lock picker down into the dirt. A squirming bundle tossed over his shoulder as he whistled off key.

 

"The other got away, but I think we can make these fools talk..." He commented as he threw the immobilized youth onto the ground.

 

Shades scowled, frustration making her growl at these punks messing with her. "Might as well bring them inside for that." She said, grabbing hers by the fishing line tangling him up and dragging him in none to gently.

 

A wail that quickly cut off came from the one left on the ground as Cyare snorted. "Fine by me..." He slung the captive up and carried the protesting bundle into the house.

 

Shades dropped hers on the floor. He was far to tangled in the fishing line to get out without help, the line easily getting between plates to it would be hard to pull out. Cyare dumped his burden on the floor next to her's. "You want them out of the armor?"

 

"Yep," Shades stated with an evil grin. "I'll go find something pretty for them to wear."

 

Cyare's chuckle was just as evil sounding as he pulled off the helmets, showing a boy and girl who could not be over sixteen yet. "What you think, a pink one for Ursan here? And the blue or purple one for Galena."

 

Galena spoke sharply. "You can't do that to us!" Shades heard as she rooted through things.

 

The blue man spoke just as sharply back. "To the colony you are adults, and have been since your trials, but you act like children so you will be treated as children and punished when you mess up!"

 

It took a few minutes, Shades was picky about what she put people in after all. No body wanted to see pieces they shouldn't. However it was easy to find something the perpetrators would be uncomfortable in.

 

"The one lacking a front is for our big strong boy here." She said as she came back into the main room.

 

It took some doing and some fairly grisly threats on the part of Cyare, but in about 10 minutes, Ursan and Galena were resplendent in their... dresses and obviously very uncomfortable.

 

"Now..." Cyare said as he finished retying Galena's hands. "Who was with you?" The restraints he put on them were not as tight as they could be, but they were uncomfortable, and the kids were going nowhere soon.

 

"Sooner you cough him up the sooner you can get back in your armor." Shades pointed out from her spot. She was leaned casually against the table balancing one of the kitchen knives on a mechanical finger.

 

Neither of the kids spoke. No matter what else they were, they WERE Mandalorians.

 

Cyare sighed audibly. "Protecting the other one won't help you here. You were caught, entering this guest of Ba'buir's house without permission."

 

The boy stared at Shades, obviously trying to hide how petrified he was. The girl however snorted. "Like this murdering tramp cares about us! As if Maria cares about..." Cyare's hand caught the girl by the jaw and hauled her up of the floor.

 

"If you value you life, girl, never say that again..." Cyare's voice was cold as he dropped her back onto the floor.

 

Shades's lips were drawn into a thin line. It wasn't hard to see she was livid as her one eye narrowed. She looked about a bit before snatching the blowtorch she'd used for a different trap. "Love how you go judging girl. As if you know a thing about me." She sneered as she toyed with the blowtorch.

 

That was just how it always worked with people. One look at her, one meeting, one second in her presence and she was instantly a murdering tramp. No one bothered asking WHY she did the things she did and when they did they always did it with a superior air. Cause everyone was better then Shades in the galaxy. All those blasted pranks boiled down to people deeming her some murdering little schutta.

 

Cyare looked at Shades, then back at the kids. He laughed coldly. "You want to paint them? They left you that makeup kit and you do have that paint."

 

Shades glared at the girl who was staring forward and unwavering like a good little soldier, with something disturbing twisting in her eye. She bet this Galena grew up in this colony. Never having to worry about eating, never scratching out a living by herself. Sure she probably pitched in around the place but she wasn't trying to fend off dirty old psychos and worse at 15 while trying to keep a job all on her own. She'd never been faced with a hole so deep and having to pull her family out of it by herself. No she always had back up, always had folks willing to help her out. As always though, Shades was the trash, the tramp, the schutta because she did things on her own to keep her and hers going.

 

Shades flicked on the blowtorch and ran the flame along the kitchen knife she'd been toying with a minute ago. "So I'm some tramp eh..." She said in a dangerously low tone.

 

"Shades..." Cyare turned to her and froze.

 

She sneered at Galena as she ignored Cyare completely and started kinda prowling forward. "You know what happen to a streetwalker that gets uppity with her boss?" Of course she didn't, likely this uppity punk hadn't left the colony yet. "They get all kinds of interesting marks..."

 

Galena stared at Shades, hate twisting her face. "Like you could..."

 

Now there was a twisted grin on Shades's face as she pointed a red hot blade dangerously close to Galena's face. "Watch me." She hissed.

 

Quite suddenly she was grabbed and yanked away, blinking up at a blue helmeted head. "Stop. We have them, they won't do this again. Not once we are done with them."

 

"Damn right they won't...let go." Shades hissed trying to pulled the hand with the knife away. One good slice, that was all she needed to teach that little schutta a lesson.

 

"Shades..." Cyare shook his head and quickly relieved her of the knife which he tossed into the sink in the food preparation area. "We can punish them, not mutilate them."

 

Galena glanced back and forth between the pair, slowly going pale with the realization that not only COULD Shades mutilate her without her being able to fight back, the kiffar WOULD. Being mutilated and wounded in battle was an honorable thing to be proud of by mandos, but this...this was not a battle. Ursan was looking back and forth at the pair too. Training covered interrogation sure, but it didn't cover psychotic mercs out for blood. It made him think of the tales of the blue twi'lek of happy stabbing fame.

 

Shades growled baring teeth at the blue man. "Shut up! The lot wanna judge me they can walk about in my shoes for awhile and then see how they like it!" She tried squirming out of the grip on her. Trying to go for the knife again.

 

Cyare kept his tone as calm as he could, though he was loud trying to get through Shades's anger as he shook her just a bit in frustration. "And how will they judge you if you cut their arms off or their eyes out? Is that justice? You have your revenge, they will never live this down."

 

"Why shouldn't I?" Shades snarled. "Isn't that what your all expecting!? 'When's the kiffar gonna start trying to stab us in our sleep?' Might as well do it while your awake!"

 

"Shades, look at them..." He told her spinning her so she had to.

 

Shades blinked at the kids, they were doing their best to hide it like proud mandos. Meeting death with a challenging glare and a laugh. Shades could see it in the eyes though, they were terrified of her. The same look she'd seen on a kid barely ten when she'd been trying so desperately to get away from Vix and the rest. Even then she'd felt like slime. It had put her in a horrible mood, even as she dealt with the sith Zelkin then had her go pick up. She'd felt low but refused to pin the blame on herself as she snapped at everyone else.

 

"How many children will you have to murder for your pay?"

 

Guilt crawled in and crushed Shades in a second. She was horrified as she felt a tear start running before she snarled and finally managed to rip herself out of Cyare's grip. She didn't say a word to any of them as she bolted past into her room and slammed the door.

 

She looked around in a panic as she felt her chest heaving, trying to get a sob out on her.

 

She bit down on her own arm then, the flesh and blood one. Muffling pointless crying and sob that would have been like a good summer storm cleaning her out. Instead she was clinging to her anger at everything like a lifeline, never realizing it was dragging her down.

 

((Posted by Setie))

Edited July 14, 2012 by kalenath

[kalenath]

"Do I want to know?" The sorrowful voice had Cyare spinning in place. He froze on seeing Maria flanked by two of the night patrol. Maria had her helmet off and was looking at the scene with a hint of a smile on her face. Cyare shook his head but the two kids immidtaely started babbling, their training undone by their encounter with Shades.

 

"She was going to kill us! She is insane! You have to..." Both shut up as Maria leveled her gaze on them.

 

"Nice dresses. Where did you get them?" Galena stammered that Shades had put it on her, but Maria shook her head. "I meant when you switched them for Shades clothing. Yes I know it was you. I just got back from... discussing your actions with your parents." Both kids froze. "They are not happy with you. You will go with the patrol, straight to your homes." The kids froze.

 

"Uh, Ma'am..." Ursan started to speak, but Maria wasn't done.

 

"No. You go home as you are. Consider it... incentive to learn about your targets before you attack them. Your parents..." Both kids froze again. "...can pick up your beskargam tomorrow. And after noon meal tomorrow we will discuss your punishment." Galena snapped at her.

 

"We are adults!" And yes, by Mandalorian tradition they were, but...

 

"When you act like adults, I will treat you like adults." Maria snapped right back. "Until you do, I will treat you like children. Too bad you are too big for me to spank... Get them out of here."

 

This last was to the two patrol members who grabbed the kids and hauled them to their feet. Quickly the two were ushered out of the house. Maria turned to Cyare. "What happened? You wouldn't be this stiff if something hadn't gone wrong."

 

"It did." Cyare sighed. "She wasn't going to stop. That girl punched some buttons, bad ones. Maria, she was going to mutilate them."

 

Maria sighed. "I am not surprised. Tomorrow morning, instead of work, bring her to my place and we can talk. Yes I know she was provoked, but..."

 

Cyare nodded. He needed time anyways, to figure this twist out. He knew how he felt about Shades. But was she...? Did she...? He shook his head. Nothing more really needed to be said tonight. He followed Maria out of the house and watched as she locked the door. As he walked off towards his own place, he heard Maria speak softly to herself.

 

"And so it begins..." She snorted. "Dresses..."

 

<0900 the next morning>

 

Cyare was at Shades door at the required time, but she didn't answer his knock.

 

"Come on Shades, time to go. Maria wants to talk to you..."

[kalenath]

Shades heard Cyare at her door and swore under her breath. "Great..." she muttered on the other side of the door before she opened it. She hadn't slept much, even E'hn's calming stuff unable to keep the nightmares at bay. That plus the constant aggravating feeling of being about to burst into tears made her look like she'd gone ten rounds with Trava.

 

Cyare simply sighed. "We shouldn't keep her waiting."

 

"Creation forbid..." Shades grumbled waving for Cyare to lead the way. She hadn't been to Maria's house yet after all.

 

Cyare nodded. He started off, slow enough that Shades could keep up. The few people outside this early looked away as he walked by. Shades was sure she could hear their thoughts though. All pointed at her like the gun barrels they wanted to heft at her.

 

She heard Cyare mutter an oath then and pulled her attention forward. A mando in smoke colored armor had moved to intercept them, placing himself squarely in their path.

 

"Morning T'ad." Cyare said in a neutral tone, though it was obvious the other man wasn't looking at him. That T-visor was trained on Shades and the stance was combative. Even as Shades blinked, trying to place the name Cyare called him she had her own for him.

 

Troublemaker.

 

As T'ad spoke his voice was cold and hard. "I see you are up to your old tricks. You DO like hurting kids don't you? I wonder how long before you get put down like the murderous nerf you really are."

 

Shades's spine immediately snapped straight as she glared but Cyare stepped in front of her before she could get a word in, making her grind her teeth together.

 

"You are one to call someone murderous, sniper." Cyare stated flatly.

 

"And you have obviously lost your edge, or is it your manhood?" T'ad spat back.

 

As far as Shades could tell Cyare didn't react to the insult at all as a small crowd started gathering. She looked about nervously, feeling like she was going to get jumped and knifed any minute.

 

"Get out of the way, T'ad." Cyare said softly, a dangerous edge to his voice. "We have business with Maria. Or do you want to take it up with her?" Cyare asked in a tone that could have frozen water.

 

"Oh?" T'ad looked over the blue man's shoulder at Shades. His disdain was obvious even through armor. "How long are you going to protect this murderous scum?"

 

"As long as Maria tells me to. Unless you have an objection..." Cyare stated. In spite of the tense situation he was oddly relaxed, making Shades think of some of the pistol jocks she'd seen about. It seemed as if T'ad would do something for a moment, but he laughed, and stepped aside finally.

 

Cyare inclined his head as he started forward again, eying T'ad suspiciously before turning his attention forward.

 

Shades had her hands in her pockets now, better there then out where she might give in and punch the harassing jerk. She was already boiling like a volcano.

 

Then an armored hand grabbed her arm roughly. Shades knew she was going to have bruises as T'ad yanked her to a stop. She could imagine him snarling in her face as she tried to pull her arm free. Blasted mandos and their gloves with iron grips needed to be kicked in sensitive areas.

 

"You are going to die girl, and I am going to be the one to kill you." He stated, Shades glanced at Cyare out of the corner of her eye to see Cyare spinning back at them. "Where did you steal this shiny little trinket you murdering little thief?"

 

Shades felt herself go white as T'ad's fingers wrapped around the chain around her neck, a delicate snap reaching her ears. Then he had the blue stone pulled away as he jingled it, likely jeering something at her but she couldn't hear over the roaring in her ears.

 

She didn't realize it was her who was roaring, rather like she had to startle the punks yesterday as her door as her weight shot forward, knocking the unsuspecting grey man on his rear as she followed, hands latching around the flexible armor at his throat.

 

"That's my family's you dwarfnut, di'kut, bantha poodoo eating, hutt licking, son of a sith harlot..."

 

Shades lost track of what she was saying. Thoughts pouring out her mouth the minute they were made. Any time T'ad tried to pry her grip from his windpipe she'd jerk his neck and slam his head into the dirt, stunning him long enough to reinforce her grip.

 

Someone was trying to pull her hands off, she only growled and snarled and jabbed a mechanical elbow, hitting metal with a resounding clang. A pair of blue armored arms wrapped around her waist then, pulling her away as some of the people in the crowd grabbed T'ad and pulled him away. Finally Shades lost her grip with an angry shriek, leading her to kick at the odius thief who still had her family's heart of fire in his hand.

 

Cyare planted her in front of him and shoved her forward some, trying to get her to move. Shades stumbled forward two steps before turning on her heel to go back for more. Three times of this and Cyare simply threw the rabid kiffar over his shoulder and carted her bodily to Maria's.

 

"Put me down! I'm just gonna rip his throat out!" Shades shrieked as Cyare reached Maria's door. Shades's voice had carried far enough that Maria threw the door open when the pair reached her doorstep.

 

"What happened?" she asked with alarm in her voice as she took in Shades anger and Cyare obviously not fairing much better.

 

The blue man gave a curt nod to Maria real quick before planting Shades in a chair. She started jumping up only to have him shove her right back down into it and hold her there as he looked her in the eye, though she couldn't tell from his helmet.

 

"I will get it back, will you stay here?" He asked, his voice cold and hard as ice.

 

Shades snarled at that trying to squirm out of his grip. "Fracking thieving son of a hutt's backside..."

 

"I will get it back for you. T'ad has managed to anger me. Stay here..." Cyare ordered bluntly, his voice still cold. Maria looked from one to the other before she moved to the chair, helping to hold Shade down. "If I have to tie you down to keep you from going after a trained killer Shades, I will. He wants you to come after him."

 

"He'll be a trained corpse..." Shades spat as she struggled up. "Might as well grant his deathwish!"

 

This time it was Maria who forcefully yanked Shades back in her seat. "T'ad is a sniper, I have never seen him miss a shot. He hit you coming out of the window on Coruscant for goodness sakes. Shades, will you let Cyare do this or do I have to knock you out?"

 

Shades growled and snarled, obviously she still wanted to rip the man's throat out and had no issues doing it with her own teeth if required. She was however, seeing the point through the red haze around her.

 

"I will make it hurt..." Cyare stated as he turned and left.

 

It took five more minutes of Maria holding Shades down enough for the kiffar to finally admit defeat, at least for now. She wasn't getting out of the house until Maria likely deemed she could.

 

"Shades..." Maria sighed and went to a cabinet. She pulled out a bottle and carried it to another chair, which she pulled close to the chair Shades was in. She put the bottle on a table that was between the two then. "Whatever T'ad stole, Cyare will get it back and T'ad will not enjoy it. However we need to talk."

 

"Frak..."

 

((Posted by Setie))

[kalenath]

<Somewhere in the colony>

 

T'ad stood in the shadows, marveling at the gem. It was nice. He wondered briefly how long it would take for the girl to come looking for him to get it back. He snorted. It really didn't matter. When she did he would see her coming and bang, it would be over. He tensed as he came around a corner and a small group was there, but he relaxed as he saw his niece in the group.

 

“Hello Galena.” Galena nodded to him. She was angry. He waved the gem at her and her mouth dropped open.

 

“I wish we could get her, it would be so much better.” One of the others spoke.

 

“Galena, this is a bad idea... I told you we shouldn't have pushed her...” Galena snarled.

 

“Are you going to just let her do that to us and get away with it? She is insane. She threatened us, all we were going to do was play a prank...” the one in the shadows snorted.

 

“It's taken care of.” Another spoke. T'ad looked at the speaker, his posture was quizzical.

 

“What? I'll handle it...” His breath exploded out of him though as a size fourteen armor clad boot thudded into the small of his back. He landed on his stomach, using his momentum to roll into a fighting stance, but he froze as he saw... All of them froze as Cyare appeared out of the shadows, his stealth field generator cycling down. His voice could have frozen a supernova in its tracks.

 

“You, girl... come here...” None of them took their eyes off the thermal detonator that was blinking in his hand, or the unholstered blaster that was in his other hand. “Now...” Galena walked up to Cyare and winced a bit as he plunked the live thermal detonator in her hands. “Hold this.” Unarmored she wouldn't survive if it went off. Neither would Ursan. The other young Mando had vanished. T'ad didn't take his eyes off Cyare. “Dead man switch, no timer.” Both the young Mandos blanched. T'ad stood.

 

“What do you want?” The sniper asked slowly. Cyare took his helmet off and smiled a death head smile. His voice was still cold as he stretched a bit and holstered his blaster. T'ad took of his helmet. He knew what was coming.

 

“I am going to explain a few things to you, and I am going to use small words, so I am sure you understand." Cyare's voice was calm, cold and clear. "Amarath Shades is many things, but she did not steal that gem. You did, from a woman I am ordered to protect. That is an heirloom of her family. I am going to take it off of your bloody broken unconscious body. But first, you girl...” Galena tensed. Cyare glared at her. “How many times did you insult, attack or play pranks on Amarath Shades?”

 

T'ad froze. He looked from Galena to Cyare and back. Galena stammered.

 

“I...” Cyare smiled again and Ursan cringed. A firaxa shark might have gotten goosebumps from the sheer emptiness of that smile.

 

“Don't lie girl, I might get angrier than I am already...” Galena bit her lip and spoke slowly.

 

“Six times.” Cyare turned back to T'ad. T'ad stared at his niece, then at Cyare.

 

“You niece attacked the woman I am sworn to protect. Admittedly in idiotic and childish ways, but they were attacks nonetheless. Amarath Shades decided not to respond, she felt that if she responded or complained that we would blame her for being weak. I thought otherwise, but she convinced me, and the attacks got worse and worse. And every time she convinced me not to tell Maria, who is very annoyed now.”

 

At that all the others winced. Maria in a rage was to be avoided at all costs. But Cyare was talking again.

 

“So she finally plotted a revenge. I would have planted an antipersonnel mine and blown all of you morons across the landscape, but she was a bit easier on you. So what did you do girl? You insulted her... I thought you had brains girl. I really did.” Galena flushed at the stinging rebuke.

 

“She has survived worse than any of you besides T'ad could possibly imagine. She was in the blast radius of a thermal the size of the one you are holding di'kut girl. So of course you know better than her what she is and why she is what she is.” The sarcasm in his voice could have cut durasteel. He turned back to T'ad who was looking a bit pale now.

 

“You said she dulled my edge? Emasculated me? Took my manhood? Why don't we find out?” With that he settled into a fighting stance and charged.

 

T'ad was a sniper. He was incredible with long ranged weapons. He was trained in hand to hand of course, but he rarely used it. Cyare on the other hand was trained as a bodyguard. That meant being able to handle threats to his protectee at any range. His preferred weapon was a pistol, but he knew how to use his hands. Very well. Ursan and Galena could only watch as he tore into T'ad. Give him credit, T'ad tried. He blocked a potentially lethal hit only to get slammed by leg sweep. He rolled away from a stomp and was back on his feet.

 

What is this? He isn't holding back, is he seriously going to kill me?

 

Metal clanged on metal as punches and kicks were blocked by both men. Finally though, T'ad missed a block and a strike got through. He grunted as Cyare's boot found his lower right leg above the shin plate with enough force to break it. He went down to one knee, and tried to block, but an armored fist caught his head and he saw stars. The strikes continued. And continued, and continued. Finally he fell. Pain came as kicks landed on his chest armor. The armor would keep the kicks from shattering his ribs and sending shards into his lungs and heart, it did nothing to stop the concussion of them. Finally, after an eternity of thunderous blows, consciousness left him.

 

Cyare drew back for another kick and froze. It was done, his opponent was out cold and bleeding. He bent down and took the gem from T'ad's belt pouch. He ignored the few pains that he had from impacts, T'ad wasn't a slouch, he was just outclassed. He walked back to where the Galena and Ursan were watching wide eyed. He looked at them, sniffed dismissively and picked up his helmet. He grabbed the detonator from Galena's white knuckled grip and deactivated it. He turned his back on the two and walked away in silence.

[kalenath]

<Back at Maria's house>

 

Shades snarled and crossed her arms, looking very much like she'd rather eat blaster rounds. "Talk? About what?”

 

“About last night." Maria opened the bottle and took a long swig. She placed it within easy reach of Shades. "Nicely done. they won't ever hear the end of being sent home in dresses."

 

"Yeah for them." Shades sneered as she took a drink.

 

Maria sighed. "I know you wouldn't have mutilated them. You are not like me. No matter how angry you get... You might have cut one of them, but you wouldn't have blinded them or cut their limbs off. You know what that feels like. I don't think you could do it unless pressed farther than one stupid girl's insults." Maria took another drink. “Unfortunately, the others in the colony don't know you as well as I do." Maria had spent a lot of time effort and money researching Shades.

 

Shades looked like she was about to snip back but closed her mouth and ground her teeth.

 

"Yes those kids, and I use the term kids with a reason, were dumb." Maria said soberly. "By Mandalorian custom they are all adults. By their actions they are a bunch of stupid brats. Trapping them, humiliating them, that's okay... threatening them with mutilation... that's not..."

 

"So what your gonna fire me?" Shades asked with a tone that stated she didn't care, though there was pain in her eye as she took another long pull from the bottle. Maria carefully did not see the hurt look that Shades squashed quickly.

 

"No." maria snorted. "You are too good. I don't know if I could handle the load without you. But..." Maria sighed. "...We have rules, to keep people from killing one another. As I bet T'ad is about to find out. Now, a threat, in and of itself is meaningless. A threat to a child, or someone who seems to be a child, that puts a different spin on it..." Shades looked at her as Maria took another drink.

 

"You just said they were adults." Maria looked a bit miffed. But not at Shades.

 

"They are..." Maria said sadly. "And they aren't." Shades snorted.

 

"Just because they refused to grow up doesn't mean they aren't.” Maria nodded.

 

"They are technically adults." Maria dmitted. "And technically you could have killed them for their invasions of your house. But they were acting like kids. And their parents... well, lets just say that the punishment you gave them was more than fair in most of their minds. And then I made them walk home in those dresses." Maria chuckled evilly. Then she sighed. "I might know you wouldn't have done it, but again, Mandalorians. You said you were going to mutilate them. If a Mando says that he is going to. How do you expect them to react? The families of these idiot children?"

 

Shades growled now, her temper obviously getting the better of her. "And what makes you think I wouldn't have done it?"

 

"How do I know, Shades...?" Maria's eyes were haunted as she spoke. "Because you know what it feels like. Oh you might have cut one of them, but slice them up? Mark them as a pimp might? No... You wouldn't... Not without a lots more reason, as I said, than one stupid girl's childish insults."

 

Shades jumped up now and paced. "Well maybe you don't know me as well as you seem to think. What think you know me just because you ran about digging up dirt?"

 

"I didn't just dig up dirt Shades..." Maria shook her head, then she took another drink. "Now... to keep the peace around here, I have to punish you. But the choice of punishment is mine. But... I think I will leave it up to you. You can work in the community kitchen, cleaning dishes. You can work on the community farm, moving fertilizer. Or you can go hunt something for the evening meal, something big and nasty, with lots of teeth." Maria grinned evilly again.

 

Shades got a big smile suddenly. One could just see the thought 'gun' and 'hunting' were not applying to food in her head.

 

Maria held up a hand. "Don't go there Shades, not here, not now... you do not want to go there, especially with someone like T'ad... Let Cyare handle it. As bad news as T'ad is, Cyare is worse..." Maria grinned.

 

Shades scowled. "Well if I'm not allowed that punishment why bother giving me a choice. You know I hate people."

 

“You can hunt a Boma or Zakkeg if you wish, but... hunting T'ad is a death sentence. And if you think these punishments are bad, I have the two brats working with E'hn for a while as volunteer labor in his clinic.” And that would be smelly, nasty and non paying. "and since they won't be paid for that, they will be relying on the goodwill of others for things like, food... Maybe that can teach them a few things about life..."

 

Something twitched in Shades's eye for a second. "Yeah I just bet..." She stated, though she didn't sound like the thought the prospect likely.

 

Maria slumped "Shades, I have to punish you. The word made the rounds very quickly, which is probably why T'ad ambushed you today. Family is very important to us and anything that threatens a family member has to be handles quickly. its not fair to you, but if you do this I can guarantee that people will stop seeing you as a threat."Maria snorted. "Or as such a threat to their kids anyways..."

 

Shades snarled. "Well since I don't feel like getting stabbed in the kitchen and you likely won't let me near a weapon which kinda rules out hunting...That leaves being a poodoo stirrer. Gee thanks for the choice there. How about next time you just throw me to it instead of trying to make it look like I'm happy about this junk. Now you gonna take me where I'm going or should I try to figure it out while getting shot at?"

 

"You won't get shot at." Cyare's voice was cold as he entered the house. He walked up to Shades and extended a hand. In it was Shades heirloom. His gauntlets were covered in blood.

 

Shades's eye flicked at the blood as she snatched the jewel and shoved it in a pocket, as if having it out pained her. "Can I go now?"

 

Maria took another drink. "Cyare, take her to the farm." She looked at Shades. "You will get paid for whatever you work today. It doesn't matter what you do, as long as you work. And believe me, you will work."

 

"Yippee..." Shades growled

 

Maria nodded to Shades and Cyare motioned for her to follow him as he started off. Maria sighed. It was going to be one of those days...

[kalenath]

Shades snarled and growled to herself as she worked. Stupid planet with it's stupid mando's and their stupid armor with it's stupid...

 

The more manure she shoveled the more she steamed over everything. It was bad enough she had to do this...now though it had started raining, making the ground nice and muddy on top of it already smelling.

 

She had done nothing to warrant this to her mind. She'd been insulted and practically assaulted by those punk mandos and T'ad. Why shouldn't she be allowed pay back? Why couldn't she rip out their throats or mutilate them? Wasn't that was big warrior type peoples did? They got mad they went forth and slaughtered whoever ticked them off. You'd think the lot would understand Shades's predicament.

 

She'd was nearing the end of her rope with these idiots. The lot wanted to paint her like some evil being that needed to be put down like an animal, she had no problems with that. People had been doing that most of her life after all, she was use to it.

 

That didn't explain why it hurt so much this time.

 

It was the rest of it she figured. Cyare, Maria, and E'hn had seemed...nice almost. Like they actually cared about her welfare.

 

Of course not though, they just wanted a healthy worker. Cyare so he didn't get chewed out by Maria, Maria so her work load was easier, and E'hn to keep her out of his clinic.

 

Then again...maybe she was wrong. After all they hadn't shot her the minute she got in a fight. She was pretty sure there was far worse punishments then shoveling smelly fertilizer into hovercarts for people to take forth and spread among the plants. None of the farmers picked on her or jeered at her. A few even said please and thank you, much to her surprise.

 

Still, more then one still gave her the cold shoulder or insisted on getting their own, which Shades shrugged off. She wasn't out to make friends, just a paycheck.

 

It might have been a lonely existence, but it was her life and she'd learned to accept that she'd always be alone in her fights and everything else. She'd had to when she learned she had to get mechanical parts.

 

Speaking of mechanical...what the heck was beeping?

 

Shades had heard it off and on and it was starting to get on her nerves. She thought it might be a malfunctioning cart but they didn't have anything that beeped. Maybe a sensor? The beep wasn't steady though, in fact it had picked up pace from the last time she had heard it.

 

Curiosity had her tuning her ear and using her shovel to shift through the muck. She was careful since she really did not want to get electrocuted through the shovel, and prodding unknown things with metal would do that.

 

Ah there was a blinking red light. Maybe someone had lost..

 

Shades's blood ran cold as she shifted fertilizer and noted finally what the device was.

 

With a few choice words she dropped the shovel and bolted. The farmers were all definitely out of range, it was just her that stood to get blown to smithereens!

 

"Landmine! Ten feet girl!" She told herself even as the beeping hit a crescendo. "Crap..."

 

The blast knocked her off her feet, since she was just short of out of range. Fertilizer flew everywhere as Shades toppled forward into the dirt. Her shoulder screamed from something biting into it and she could feel blood start oozing down her normal arm.

 

She laid on the ground breathing carefully. So much for some folks wanting her to stay around.

 

"That fracking does it!"

 

((posted by Setie))

Edited July 14, 2012 by kalenath

[kalenath]

It had been a long day. Between T'ad and teh punks of the previous night, Cyare was steamed in so many ways. Yes, Shades was not a nice person, but who cared? She was a survivor. To rush to judge was a human thing, but Mandalorians were supposed to think first. It wasn't the stereotype of a Mando. But like many, the stereotype for Mandalorians fell far short of the reality. Mandalorians were supposed to be smart, tough, capable and adaptable. Not rigidly dogmatic in their condemnation of anyone different. Yes, Shades had messed up her life, but come on, who hadn't messed up something in their lives?

 

Cyare had been born a Mandalorian. He had been raised one, trained one and earned his place. He was, by Mand'alore, one of the best of the clan. But it didn't really matter to him. The clan was what was important. And this girl...

 

He shook his head. Amarath Shades defied understanding. She was kind, in her own way, hardbitten in her own way, and devil may care, in her own way. That was it, she went her own way and to heck with everyone else. But... she was also ruthless. Part of him quailed again, remembering the look in her flesh and blood eye as she held the red hot knife to that arrogant girl's throat. Then he had to snort, so was he. He had beaten a fellow Mandalorian to make his point, even after the man couldn't defend himself any more. Where they differed was that Cyare knew he was capable, that he was good at what he did and more importantly, could believe in what he did. Shades... well...

 

Cyare was in motion before the piles of muck that had been thrown up by the blast started to fall to the ground. His trained ears identified the sound instantly. Antipersonnel mine, frag, probably a mark 3 from the sound. And Shades had been right there! He called for backup and cursed himself as he ran through the muck. The few farmers who had their heads up looked at him and called queries that he ignored.

 

As he ran, his mind worked at lightspeed. This wasn't a range. Someone had placed a mine, probably to try and kill Shades. Pranks were one thing, this was another. This was murder. He darted into the area where Shades had been working. He distantly realized he was being dumb, that there could be more mines. Only an idiot laid a single mine anywhere. But he really didn't care.

 

He heard her scream, but couldn't make out the words. He saw the silhouette of Shades body in the muck and ran towards her.

 

"Shades!"

 

If that girl died, there would be serious hell to pay. Maria would be out for blood, hell Cyare would be out for scalps. She wasn't an easy one to know, or like, but Cyare was warming to her.

[kalenath]

Shades could hear the blue mandalorian come running. She debated just laying there to rot in the muck like whoever planted the mine obviously hoped. She was covered in muck, mud on her front and fertilizer on her back. Her left shoulder was killing her already, she was tired, and right that minute she just wanted everything to go away. Surely the universe would let her rot in peace at least. No demands on her. No bills to pay off, no mother who hated her, no people glaring at her for doing what she felt she had to to, no one judging her to be a murderous little animal...

 

"Shades?" she heard Cyare call, his voice was cautious yet there was a bit of worry mixed in.

 

She was slow to get up, making sure limbs were working before putting weight on them. She could feel her nose dripping and a quick brush of the fingers showed it was bleeding. From her striking the ground or from a concussion was the question.

 

"Easy." Cyare snarled as he inspected her. He apparently did not like the blood from her nose or the wound on her shoulder. "Don't move, girl, medics are on the way..."

 

She glared at Cyare with her mechanical eye before she growled. "Keep your fracking Nurse Ratchet." She forced herself to stand and start walking. She was finding a blasted way off this rock if it killed her. She was done with the place and it's aggravating people!

 

There was a slight snort from the blue man as he got in front of her. "Shades, you were within the blast radius of a landmine. Let us help you."

 

"I don't need help! Was doing just fine before you lot butted in! Don't want me around fine, all you had to do was say something!" She snapped back. She'd had quite enough of 'help' from mandalorians!

 

"Who doesn't want you around? You are needed here... Shades, you are bleeding." Cyare shook his head and placed himself squarely in her path as she tried to side step him.

 

So she shifted to the other side only to have a blue armored chest stay stubbornly in her way. "Move!" she screamed at him in frustration.

 

"Shades..." Cyare tried to keep his voice calm, but she could hear that he was worried. "I can't let you go. Wait for the medics. Please?"

 

Shades simply snarled and shoved. Her left arm protested from the wound on her shoulder but she didn't care. She was tried of these people trying to maim her one minute and begging for help the next. "I'm leaving! If I have to go through you and the rest of your blasted colony I will!"

 

She might as well have tried to move a mountain with her hands. She counted to much on the rain and forgot that his armor added more weight to him. She could just imagine him smirking all triumphant under that damned helmet!

So she took it as a challenge as she growled and shoved again, this time putting her mechanical shoulder into it instead of just using her hands.

 

"Shades..." This time boots slid in the mud and Cyare's balance was disrupted. He went backwards trying to keep it while at the same time not hit Shades. He wound up planting his feet on either side, making his stance wider. "Shades...I can't let you go until I know you are ok."

 

"Shut up! Like you really care if I'm ok or not! You just don't want Guns cleaning your clock!" Shades snipped. Moving him would take forever. If she could go over, around, or through a mountain...

 

She shot down and scrambled right between the blue man's legs. His stance in the mud was great for making him hard to move, but not so great at keeping her from getting under him.

 

"Shades!" Cyare grabbed at her as she slid beneath him but missed. He turned quickly and got hold of her flesh and blood arm. She saw him wince at seeing the blood still trickling from her shoulder but he didn't let go. She didn't know he couldn't let go. "You think we don't care? Then why didn't we turn you over to Yinran? Why didn't Trava throw you out an airlock? Why didn't Maria have you whipped in the square fro threatening those punks?"

 

It aggravated her that he was asking the same things that kept circling in her head with no end. They made her head hurt horribly nightly as she tried to piece everything together. After all, mandalorians seemed to operate somewhat like an army from what she had seen. Why would subordinates not follow their leader's orders, unless the leaders had told them to do something. Why would they bother doing that though? Torture? It was enough to drive her demented.

 

"Let! Go!" Shades screamed. She hooked her mechanical arm around and punched the blue helmet in front of her with a resounding clang.

 

He released her arm then. "Anything you say," he stated with a frustrated air. "Armor," he pointed out then as her fist clanged uselessly.

 

Shades hissed and reached up, hitting a switch on her mechanical shoulder that popped. Suddenly her arm came off and she swung it like a club. It smashed into the visor with a crack. "Just gotta know where to hit you!"

 

Cyare recoiled from the unexpected blow, his helmet ripping free of it's latches to go flying into a mud pit they were near. As he felt himself sliding down he snatched the shoulder of the mechanical arm, pulling Shades into the pit with him as she swore at him. A brief struggle had him snatching the replacement limb from her with a deft twist. "Disarmed!" He crowed.

 

Shades groaned at the horrible joke. Normally she would have snickered but she wasn't in the mood for jokes right then. Instead she cracked her left fist across his face. She wasn't nearly as good with her left but it still had him shaking his face and moving it to make sure it worked right.

 

"Amarath Shades...don't do this..." He said.

 

"Shut up! I'm sick of getting jerked around!" She snapped taking another swing with her flesh and blood arm.

 

"Huh?" Cyare blocked the blow, moving with her blow to keep her from injuring herself. "Who is jerking you around?"

 

"Everyone!" She screamed. There were tears running out of her good eye that had her just getting angrier, prodding her to keep swinging even as Cyare kept ducking and weaving. "Everyone damn one of you! No better then anyone else in the universe! Just take what you want and then give me the boot! All nice and junk when you need me but then who cares! I'm just a animal, well fine!" She finished with a shriek as she jumped, hoping to hold him down with her weight so she could punch his blasted face in.

 

"Shades..." Cyare caught her in midair, but lost his balance and fell back into the mud with a splash. He didn't fight back. Instead, he held her gently as she struggled and spoke softly. "You are not an animal, and no one can make you one. Except you." Then he was busy fending off her punches before he managed to buck her off and into the mud.

 

Shades's breath hitched on a sob as she tried to get another snarl out. Still she stood up and managed to glare some. "I don't have a choice! Don't act like you know me just cause of some stupid file!"

 

"No." Cyare let Shades swing as he stepped back. "I haven't read any of Maria's files. She keeps them locked up tight." He braced as she crouched, thinking she was going to charge again. "I don't know you but I..."

 

Shade simply growled; scooping up a good glop of mud and flinging it right in Cyare's face. "There, now you do!" She snapped. The mud was a perfectly good metaphor for how everyone viewed her after all. She headed to scramble out of the pit while he was blind and distracted.

 

She had gotten maybe five steps before she heard a snarl and looked behind her. The sight of Cyare baring down on her with an angry look. In seconds he had caught up to Shades and with a swift sweep of his legs she went down. His right hand held her flesh and blood wrist and his left held her shoulder where the mechanical arm had been. Armored legs pinned hers into the muck easily.

 

"Idiot girl!" He snarled at her." You scream about others judging you, well how about you judging me?"

 

"Get off me!" Shades yelled as she bucked. Self preservation screaming for her to run.

 

Cyare blinked brown eyes at her then as the angry look faded into sadness. Rain dripping off his blond hair and putting Shades's brain into those stupid girlie holovids again. That was foolish though. Still she couldn't help but blink back in confusion at that look she could see clear as day without the helmet on. She didn't understand why it made her want to hold her breath as if he was going to do something other then strangle her. She didn't understand this bolt of excitement that jarred through her. She certainly had never dealt with anything like that strange feeling in her gut before.

 

"Shades...please..." He whispered.

 

"Please what?" She almost asked it before a bellow cut through everything, making the pair of them jump.

 

"What the flarg is goign on here?"

 

((Posted by Setie))

Edited July 14, 2012 by kalenath

[kalenath]

Cyare's eyes shot up and he froze as he saw Maria standing with E'hn and two guards. Maria had her helmet off and was looking nonplussed at the pair.

 

"Well?" Maria's voice was level and calm. Cyare shot to his feet.

 

"Uh..." Dang it he knew how this looked...

 

Maria shook her head at Cyare and turned her attention to Shades. "What happened? Besides a mudfight, I can see that..." Shades just stood. She didn't speak. Cyare was actually glad, it gave him time to recover his equilibrium.

 

"Maria..." Cyare shook himself. "Someone laid a frag mine in the fertilizer. This wasn't a prank, it was attempted murder."

 

"Well..." Maria froze, then she walked to the edge of the mid pit. She looked at Shades. "Obviously you are not badly hurt if you can play..." Shades started climbing out and Cyare, after recovering Shades mechanical arm and his broken helmet, followed.

 

Cyare froze as Shades swore. He watched as she slid. She was back at it quick enough but lacking an arm was definitely killing the attempt. He knew she probably wouldn't accept but as soon as he reached the edge of the pit, he extended an arm, not the one holding the stuff, to Shades. His voice was quiet. "Good fight." He was unsurprised when she snarled and swatted at his hand, though it cost her footing again. She manage to catch herself halfway down. One could here her swearing muttering as she pulled herself up again. He couldn't resist. "Want a hand?" Cyare extended the mechanical arm to her. And of course...

 

"Bite me!" She yelled. Obviously still not in the mood for jokes.

 

Maria shook her head. Then she moved to the edge of the pit. She extended a hand and motioned to Shades. "Enough, you made your point, and I really don't need any more of his jokes..."

 

"I don't need help." Shades growled. She made it all the way up. Cyare was impressed. he would have been more impressed if the effort hadn't opened the wounds on her shoulder and back though. Maria pulled herself up to stand beside Shades.

 

"Everyone needs help sometimes Shades." Maria said softly. "Everyone."

 

"Haven't before and I don't need it now." Cyare shook his head. Shades obviously meant to keep going, leave under her own power. He couldn't let her leave when hurt so badly. He placed himself in her path again.

 

"Shades." Maria sighed. "You are bleeding. Let E'hn check you out."

 

"I don't need checking! Blast it move Carebear! Or we gonna go another round?" Cyare didn't smile. he was reasonably sure that Shades didn't have it in her to go another round. But he couldn't just let her walk off and... well... He couldn't...

 

Cyare didn't move. the other Mandos didn't as well. Maria moved up to Shades, but was careful to stay out of reach. "Shades, you are still bleeding. I can't believe you were dumb enough to tussle with her in this condition Cyare." Cyare's gaze moved from Shades to Maria. The bodyguard felt a stab of pure resentment that dissipated as soon as he realized that Maria was worried about Shades. So was he.

 

Cyare was startled though when Shades tried to kick him. And in the crotch? He was in armor! As she found out quickly.

 

"Creatoin...blasted...frackin...armor! Always the damn armor..." Cyare didn't crack a smile. He was too worried for Shades, too mad at whoever had threatened her life, too...

 

"Easy..." He reached out quickly to steady her. If he didn't miss his guess, she had broken at least one of the bones in her foot with that ill advised move. "Its all right Shades, its all right... Please..." It wasn't clear what he was asking for. Her to let them help her, her to trust him, or just for her to stop fighting. Even to him...

 

He could see the confusion in her eyes and then the grudging acceptance. He had no illusions that this was a anything but a tactical withdrawal on her part. She wasn't done fighting. He wondered briefly if she ever would be.

 

E'hn came up and ran a scanner over Shades. He flinched as the readings made sense to him. "You have a concussion from the blast. Well, dearie, while you and Blue Bells here were tussling, you exacerbated your concussion." Maria tensed and when she spoke there was no give at all in her words.

 

"Take her to my place." Cyare looked at Shades. It was obvious that she wasn't going to be able to walk.

 

"Add to that..." E'hm shook his head. "You also have fragments in your shoulder and back. You need those treated, and clean since you were in the fertilizer. Bad stuff to get in wounds." He snorted in sour amusement that Cyare shared deep deep down. "Not to mention you just broke your foot. I know you don't like me dearie, but in this, you have to trust me." For once his words have no humor in them.

 

Maria looked from the medic to Cyare and then to Shades. She shook her head. Shades didn't trust anyone and now... now she had even less reason to trust anyone. Cyare shook his head and with a grimace, he grabbed Shades by the waist and hoisted her into his arms, careful to avoid the wounded shoulder. When he spoke it was for her ears alone as he started off for Maria's house.

 

"Not all of us want you gone." Was it just his imagination that he saw yearning as well as confusion in her eyes? Maybe.

 

Cyare started walking, his helmet and the mechanical arm falling by the wayside until Maria thought to scoop them up. E'hn followed, oddly silent. Maria jerked her head at teh field of manure and one of the guards went to look for clues of who had placed the bomb, the other took position at Maria's shoulder. Shades stayed surprisingly quiet the whole way, though she was still angrier then a krayt dragons woken up by bantha mating season. One could feel it boiling in her like a geyser.

 

Maria opened the door to the house and led the procession in. Cyare laid Shades down in a convenient futon. Then he stood back. When he spoke his voice was so cold the temperature in the house seemed to drop.

 

"This ends now." He walked to the door and was gone.

[kalenath]

Shades blinked after Cyare with a confused look before picking a spot on the floor to stare at. She didn't say a word, which likely screamed her stated since she was so vocal normally. Her lip seemed almost curled in a permanent snarl.

 

She laid on her stomach and did her best to keep from growling at E'hn's gentle fingers working on her back and shoulder. Probing for shrapnel and removing it before cleaning the wounds and binding them. Even with her foot there was the same care and consideration that set her teeth on edge and made her want to snap at him to quit it.

 

Soon enough though he was done, only shaking his head at her and leaving in silence. Shades had to fight to keep herself from missing their little banter they usually had. She instead kept herself staring up at the ceiling, doing her best to think of nothing, for thinking only ever got her in trouble.

 

Maria took off her helmet and looked at Shades. There were tear streaks on her face that took the kiffar aback. "You want to leave." She said. It wasn't a question.

 

Shades glared but said nothing. The question was a stupid one to her. Who wouldn't want to leave after all this junk? At the same time though some buried part of her wanted to stay. The same part that occasionally crept up and made her cry at night for no other reason then she wanted someone, anyone to show up and actually care about her. Not what she could, couldn't, did, or didn't do.

 

"I am sorry Shades..." Maria said as she shook her head. "I... You are the best damned tech I have ever met. But... I know we are aggravating. Hell, they aggravate me. They are scared to death of me, and they aggravate me anyways... some universe huh?" Maria's voice was soft, but the bitterness shown through.

 

Shades sighed a bit then. While part of her brain was reminded of Ren trying to squirm out of some punishment there, that made no sense out of Maria. "Well you got me a bit longer while my foot mends at least." She pointed out. She sounded very tired suddenly even to her own ears but sleeping with a concussion was never smart. So she sat herself up carefully.

 

"I am sorry Shades... I thought we could help each other out." Maria said softly. "You needed a job and I needed a tech. Simple, huh?" the older woman said before shaking her head. "If you want, I can get hold of some contacts, find another job for you. It's the least I can do."

 

"I don't need help," Shades insisted. Her tone though sounded exhausted and had her mentally swearing.

 

Whatever Maria might have said in response was tabled as a Mandalorian flew into the house, literally. The armored form, whose light green armor was rent and torn as if something sharp had been applied to parts of it, hit the floor with a massive crash. Cyare strode into the house behind the first one. His blaster was in hand and his face was as cold and emotionless as a helmet visor might be.

 

The blue and currently still helmetless man grabbed the front of the other former flying one's armor, pulling him upright. The light green mando's face was bruised and bloody but Shades's felt guilt rip into her seeing that he couldn't have been any older then sixteen, like the two she and Cyare had caught before.

 

"Ah..." Maria let out a loud sigh. "I might have known. Hello Cubar."

 

Her voice held malice and Cyare hit the boy over the head when he sat silent. "Answer her."

 

Cubar spat out a tooth before he spoke. "Ba'buir..."

 

"Where did you find him?" Maria asked almost clinically.

 

Cyare smiled. A cold, heartless smile. "He was lying in wait outside Shades house." Maria nodded. She turned her gaze to Shades. "You want his life? If you do its yours." Cubar stared at Maria and his face went white.

 

Shades jolted at the words before she frowned. "Uh...well...You have actual proof that it's him?" She asked. Her brain almost flatly refused to believe this dumb kid could have planted that mine. The more she thought about it though the more her heart sank. A professional would have planted more, would have kept the timer silent, would have known not to use a frag if they wanted to just pull some prank...

 

Cubar looked at her and Cyare clipped him again. When the blond man spoke it was cold. "He was seen leaving the armory, and his boots..." He grabbed one and pulled it up, discounting the youth's cry of pain as his leg was stretched in an odd way. Shades couldn't help but cringe as she saw where there was fertilizer still stuck in crevices on the heel. Cyare released the boy and he crumbled back to the floor, sobbing in pain. "The guard who searched the area found tracks matching his boots all over the area. He probably scouted and saw where you were working. Then planted the mine while you delivered a bag." "He was also," The blue man kicked the kid and the boy didn't seem to feel it. "Lying in wait near your house with a blaster. It was him."

 

Shades clenched her teeth as she glared at the kid. A mountain of evidence supporting that this little snot tried to kill her.

 

"Attempted murder and a premeditated ambush..." Maria's voice was soft. Then she sighed. "Why Cubar?"

 

Cubar raised his head and stared at Maria. When he spoke it was raw with anger and fear. "Because you care more for her than you care for us, your family!" Cyare took offense at his tone and kicked him hard between the legs. The audible cracking of armor was heard.

 

Shades was out of her seat though she manage to refrain from lecturing the boy on manners. True she and her mother didn't get along, in fact her mother had told Shades to her face a number of means things, and Shades to her. Never had Shades questioned Naomi's devotion to her family though. It might not be a form of devotion Shades understood, and she might disagree with it, but she knew better then to insult the very basis of mom's everywhere.

 

Cyare kicked him again. Cubar made a noise somewhere between a scream and a wheeze as he curled up on the floor. Maria stared at him. When she spoke it was cold. "Yes, I have to claim you as a member of my clan and right now... I am ashamed to be a member of this clan."

 

"As are we." The low voice came from the door where at least twenty mandalorians were looking in. None wore helmets. Shades found her nerves jumping from the sudden audience.

 

One woman moved to the fore. She bore a distinct resemblance to Cubar though her armor was dark blue. "You would have murdered a guest. A woman who has done nothing to you, or us." She looked at Shades then her face might as well have been carved of rock but Shades could see she was mourning in her eyes. "This...or'dinii was my son. His life is yours."

 

Shades was about to ask what the woman meant by his life when it seemed all the assembled onlookers froze. Cyare flipped his blaster and held it out to her handle first.

 

"Oh frak..."

 

They couldn't possibly mean for her to shoot the kid could they!? They'd been after her head for that! Then again that kid hadn't done anything to her, while this one had tried to blow her up with a mine. Still death seemed a bit extreme.

 

"Shades..." Maria looked at Shades, her face an odd mix of compassion and steel, as if she knew how the kiffar was feeling. "No matter what, he tried to kill you. A guest."

 

Cubar gasped out. "It was a joke..." Cyare kicked him again and he fell into silence.

 

"You don't joke with ordnance boy." Maria shook her head sadly. The mandalorians watched, unemotional. Not a single one speaking up in the kid's defense.

 

Shades growled some as she took the blaster from Cyare though she didn't point it at Cubar yet. It felt heavier then all the gear she use to carry around with her. She kept staring from the gun to Cubar and back. Part of her itching to blow the little punks brains out for nearly killing her, another part though was appalled.

 

((Posted by Setie))

Edited July 14, 2012 by kalenath

[kalenath]

"How many children will you have to kill for your pay?"

 

"None," Shades whispered to herself. It took her two seconds to find the power cell on the pistol and pull it out. She threw the gun in front of a curl up Cubar's face. "I'm not killing him." She stated in a tight voice.

 

She frowned then, she could hear the crowd murmuring. "I know to you guys he's an adult and all. Where I come from though your not an adult until your eighteen. So in my culture, he's a child. I try not to make a habit of killing those...despite how much they tick me off."

 

"He will do it again." This was a vocie Shades had heard before. The crowd parted and T'ad was there. He was leaning on a crutch and his face was a mass of bruises. "I was wrong to say and do what I did. I had to say that."

 

"Wouldn't doubt that he'd come after me again," Shades stated looking almost sad. "To him, I'm an invader. What do you guys do with those?" Though it hurt her foot horribly, Shades managed to get on her knees and pulled Cubar to his own carefully. He was already in sad shape. "This invader though just sparred you. Wouldn't be an honorable thing to go trying to kill me now would it?" She asked him.

 

Cubar looked at her. It wasn't clear if he could even see her but he nodded.

 

"Granted you still have to make up the insult to your people here. I'm sure your Ba'buir will help with that." Shades pointed out looking at Maria.

 

"Oh..." The older woman was grinning. "I have all kinds of things I can find for him to do." A small laugh swept through the gathered crowd.

 

Shades grinned a bit then. Not the mocking or devious ones you normally saw on her face but one that belonged to a shy girl before she became a crusader rescuing a family. She wiped it off her face almost as soon as she realized it was there though.

 

"All right vode, show's over, get lost." Maria said as she shook her head. The group slowly dispersed as she turned to the two men. "Cyare, take this miscreant to E'hn. Tell him i will be by sometime tonight to talk punishments." Cyare retrieved his pistol off the ground and then hoisted Cubar up and carried him bodily out of the house. Maria then turned to Shades. "Well done."

 

"I didn't do anything." Shades pointed out as she ground her teeth together and got herself up, her foot was killing her as she hobbled to the futon she had been in.

 

Maria smiled. "No... No you didn't. And you are not going to do anything for the next couple of hours, until we are sure your concussion is fading." Maria stood up and walked to the kitchen area. "Oh, can you reattach the arm or do you need a specialist?"

 

"I can do it. Need a few things to scrub it out though." The blue eyed kiffar stated as she settled herself. "Pretty much the same things you use on guns. Most cleaners are the same provided the material is the same type...in this case metal."

 

"I probably have them here..." Maria pulled some cleaning supplies out of a cabinet and put them on the table next to the arm. She put it all on a handy tray for Shades as she brought it over. "You do this, I will work on dinner, and you are sleeping here tonight."

 

Shades simply nodded as she started taking the arm apart, did simply didn't have the energy to argue where she slept. She needed to concentrate on cleaning out mud. Cause mud could gunk up the worst places so she was better disassembling and reassembling as she cleaned, which required attention.

 

She let her mind wander some as she worked. Finding herself contemplating that weird moment with Cyare in the mud.

 

((Posted by Setie))

Edited July 14, 2012 by kalenath

[kalenath]

<The next morning>

 

Maria stood impassive. Even with her helmet off, she was eerie at times. Cyare was not. Even with his second best helmet on -Shades had trashed his best- he was obviously not happy.

 

"I am not leaving her alone." Cyare said again. Maria scoffed.

 

"Cyare, you know no one will dare hurt her now. Not with most of the colony ready to throw themselves on thermals for her. I mean... she could have blown Cubar's brains out, and no one would have objected. Instead, she chose the harder course." Cyare just crossed his arms. "Cyare, you can't say no." Cyare just stared at her. "What if... What if I can find someone else. Someone who we both know won't hurt her?" Cyare stared.

 

"You are kidding, right?" Maria just grinned. Cyare shook his head.

 

"IF he is available, sure..."

 

<A few minutes later>

 

"I owe you Miss Shades." It wasn't clear if T'ad's injuries were the cause or his discomfiture was from his recent past. He was not wearing his helmet, but was obviously bound and determined to stay on his feet.

 

"For what? Maria mentioned you had kids of your own so I can see why you wanted to shot me in the face." Shades wasn't sure what to make of this. "Sit before you fall over."

 

T'ad looked at her. "And how can I guard you if I am sitting?"

 

"Oh?" Shades scoffed. "Your a sniper if I recall. Aren't you use to sitting and shooting? Besides, your the one that shot me when I jumped out that place on Coruscant I think. Maria mentioned it."

 

"I did." T'ad admitted. "I was aiming to kill too. You made me mad with taking that kid hostage, but... what else could you have done?"

 

"Given up, but I hate the term surrender." T'ad laughed outright.

 

"You?" T'ad was chuckling. "Give up? Maybe when the stars go cold... Anyways... That was before Cyare educated me, on the true situation." T'ad snorted. Shades stared at him.

 

"Cyare likes to educate with his fists I've noted." Shades stated in a disgruntled tone.

 

"No... actually he doesn't..." T'ad looked at her with a bit of a smile on his face. "this is only the third time I have heard of him doing things like this. Once before, then me, and then Cubar." Shades blinked before reminding herself that prying into Cyare's person was rude...no matter how curious she was. But T'ad wasn't done. "You got stones girl, big ones..."

 

She grinned at the comment. "My parents use to say I'd win a headbutting match with a krayt dragon"

 

T'ad actually smiled at that image. "I can see that too, so... I can see you don't deal well with sitting around... But the doc doesn't want you moving..."

 

"Yeah." Shades grumbled

 

T'ad sobered. "Hey, listen to what your body tells you. The body is usually pretty smart. I wonder..." He looked thoughtful for a moment. "You play Dejarik?" Shades shook her head.

 

"Seen it a few times, never got a chance to learn it though. It's a strategy thing isn't it?" T'ad nodded.

 

"Actually, its based off an old battle game, I forget what they called it. Its strategy. Pick your forces and move them across a board. You try and pit your strengths against your opponents weaknesses, while he does the same thing to you. Want to give it a try? I know Maria has a board around here somewhere..."

 

Shades looked cautiously intrigued. "I'll try it but your gonna have to explain the rules and such to me here." T'ad grinned.

 

"You are in luck girl, that's one of the things I do around here..." He stood up carefully and started looking around. "I know she has it... it wasn't that long ago... Ah!" He pulled a round flat device out of a cranny and brought it over. "Here we go..." T'ad set the small table up where Shades could reach it easily and pulled a chair to the other side. He laid the board down and miniature holos of creatures from myth and legend appeared on the board. T'ad started speaking. "If you look close, you can see stats for each creature, attack, defense, movement..." he loved Dejarik, and a new opponent... that was worth the effort...

 

<An hour later>

 

T'ad grinned widely. this girl was good. He had won, but just barely. He sat back with a smile on his face. "You sure you have never played this before?"

 

Shades grinned right back. "Beginners luck"

 

T'ad laughed. "Sure... "So, another game? Cyare should be back soon." T'ad looked at the odd woman sitting across from him and shook his head. he really didn't know what to make of her, but Maria and Cyare both thought she wasn't a bad person. So, he withheld judgment, after all, it seemed his own was suspect these days...

 

"Are you two on ok terms now? I mean it looks like he beat you really bad there." Shades actually looked kinda worried at the thought.

 

"He did." T'ad sighed. "I made a mistake and I admitted it. We don't mind people making mistakes, we are human after all, we all make mistakes. It's refusing to fix what we mess up that causes problems. We can't afford that in such a small and closed community. I messed up. I hurt you." He sighed. "I would have killed you. And then all kinds of problems would have resulted... Its actually better this way." He snorted. "Not that it doesn't hurt mind you..."

 

Shades smiled thinly. "Sure looks it...then again I was gonna choke the life out of you which wouldn't have been any better."

 

"Yeah." T'ad looked at her, his face sober. "Next time you face someone in armor, use a weapon, preferably a blaster. Going hand to hand will get you hurt."

 

"No? Seriously?" Shades asked sarcastically holding up her foot. T'ad looked at her and there was a serious expression on his face.

 

"We need to get you some armor of your own..." T'ad said with a frown.

 

"I had some, it kinda got trashed though. Light armor isn't made to stand up to assault crews." T'ad eyed her speculatively.

 

"How tall are you?" He asked suddenly.

 

"Huh?" Shades blinked distracted. "5'8 why?"

 

T'ad smiled. "Hang on a sec..." He pulled a comlink out of his pocket and spoke into it in rapid fire Mando'a. Then he put the comlink away. "I might have something that would work for you. Not beskargam mind you, but better than wearing cloth..."

 

"Heh, would make me feel like I'm not naked likely."

 

"Well, I don't know for sure if it will fit... Its older stuff, but still solid." T'ad snorted. "I took it as a trophy, from a mission on Alderaan. The guy who had it didn't need it anymore. The helmet was trashed though." He recalled the feeling of the bolt flying true to nail the eye hole of that particular trooper's helmet.

 

"Can't say I'm use to helms. I rather like seeing and not having something weighing my head down. And I'm use to cast off armors so if it don't fit I'll make it fit." She said with a grin.

 

"Helmets do have their uses. Vac work comes to mind. Kinda hard to breath in open space." His grin was teasing though. "But I know the feeling."

 

Shades smiled. "Can't say I walk about in space a lot."

 

A few minutes later a Mando woman in dark bronze armor walked in the front door. Her red hair glistened in the light. She walked to where T'ad was sitting and laid a bundle down beside him. She nodded to Shades. T'ad grinned. "Amarath Sahdes, meet Rina, my... "

 

"I'm his keeper." Rina grinned as she smacked him on the top of the head. "Pleased to meet you."

 

Shades stared at her, then realized she was staring and spoke quickly. "Oh.um, nice to meet you."

 

Rina gave T'ad a kiss and spoke again. "I have to get back, but I will see you around." Rina walked out quickly

 

T'ad smiled. "Often I wonder if it was good luck or bad. Meeting her..." Shades stared at him.

 

"Good or bad?"

 

"Yeah." T'ad started pulling pieces of the armor out of the bundle. It was marked in Republic colors. "She is a wonderful person, but every time she sees me, she hits me..."

 

"Ah...that sounds familiar." Shades stated with grin, obviously thinking about someone.

 

T'ad raised his hands in mock surrender. "I so don't want to know... anyways..." He laid out the various pieces. "Lets try some of this... The boots will have to wait for a while..." He handed her a set of gloves. "See if these fit."

 

"Gonna lose them in 5 minutes knowing me." Shades grumbled as she pulled them on. "Kinda big, Makes me wish my hands where bigger."

 

"Then put trackers on them. If those are big then logically everything else should be too, we can deal with too big, its too small that gets... painful..."

 

Shades winced in memory. "True."

 

"Okay..." T'ad finished pulling the rest of the armor out of the bag. "Lets see what we can do then..."

 

Well, I can always resize it." T'ad looked at Shades.

 

"I can help with that, if you don't mind." Another voice had them turning towards the door.

 

"I might." Cyare stood outlined in the door looking at them.

 

Shades blinked over at Cyare. "Might what Carebear?"

 

"I might mind if he started man handling you." Cyare said flatly.

 

"Right..." T'ad laughed sourly. "You have any idea what Rina would do to me?" At that Cyare laughed and relaxed. Rina was incredibly possessive of T'ad.

 

Shades scowled a bit. "Maker, Carebear he was just offering armor. Not asking me on a date."

 

"Ah, Shades... he has a point. One I didn't think about." Surprisingly it was T'ad that replied. "Offers of various kinds in Mando culture can have significant meaning. My offer does not because I am trying to make up for my mistake."

 

Now Shades looked hopelessly confused. "Wait a minute aren't you people suppose to be as blunt as a Gamorrean's backside?"

 

"Uh?" Far from offended, T'ad smiled bit sheepishly. "Are any affairs of the heart simple or blunt? For anybody?"

 

Cyare laughed. "I doubt it, unless you count the Jetii, who are not supposed to have relationships..." Now Cyare sobered. "Maria wants to talk to you, T'ad. I thinks he wants to talk to both of us. You okay for a few minutes Shades?"

 

Shades had been about to ask what they meant when the pair had to go. She grumbled but nodded. "I'm sure I won't get in any dangerous trouble for a few minutes."

 

Cyare nodded and waited for T'ad to rise and they both walked out of the house.

[kalenath]

Shades managed to sit still on the futon for maybe thirty seconds after T'ad and Cyare left the room. Quite frankly if she stayed down she was going to go insane. Not that the drejarik game with T'ad hadn't been amusing; it was simply that she needed to get up and move.

 

Besides, this was Maria's house and dang it she was dying of curiosity about the old bat. The woman apparently had dug up a ton and a half of information on Shades but didn't give any on herself other then being and intermediate cook, a mother, and somehow having the respect of the colony enough that she was pretty much the leader; even though she wasn't a mandalorian.

 

Turn about was fair play in Shades's opinion, she'd like to see how Maria took to someone knowing all kinds of things about her.

 

Still, as she quickly limped through the house it became obvious that Maria was no slouch in things. She was relatively orderly, with mechanical projects occasionally laying about.

 

Shades was about to give up when she found it in Maria's study. A small, unassuming bit of metal with number engraved on it.

 

Shades had bail her brother out of enough jails to recognize it as a prison tag. Most tags however had the names of prisons marked on the back, where as this one was blank.

 

She flipped it over for a good two minutes, it was the only really odd thing she had found in the place, and while she tried to imagine Maria in a prison long enough to get a tag, she failed miserably at it. Besides, what could the always correct Maria have done to land herself in prison to begin with.

 

Still, she had wanted something on Maria and had found this. She didn't imagine Maria would like said folks knowing where she was or anything. It never hurt to have something to hold over someone's head. Part of her mind told her that it was low of her to do this, while another pointed out that leverage was useful for survival. One never knew when they might get stabbed in the back and it helped to be prepared.

 

Besides, it was fair really. Maria had dug up all kinds of information on Shades without her consent. If she found out something on Maria, they'd be even, square.

 

So she narrowed her eyes and concentrated on the tag in her hands. She'd never be as good as psychometry as her sister. Shades didn't need to be though. She didn't go hunting for specifics in her little 'scans'. She wanted the general tale of it's most recent adventures.

 

Shades couldn't possibly have known that little bit of metal was a ticket to glance into hell.

 

 

((Posted by Setie))