Prelude

[Relina Zhan]

[member="Quinncolson"]

Relina looked at the hologram chronometer on her low, flat nightstand. "Well, considering the lateness of the hour, it cannot be tonight. However, I shall see about an appointment for you in the morning." she answered. "You'll have to wake me if I'm not out of bed by 0800 hours. I don't have anything scheduled tomorrow, so I don't necessary have to be up with the dawn." she added. If she didn't have anything imperative to be awake for first thing int he morning, she had a penchant for shutting off the alarm after the first ring. Her sleeping habits in general, however, are very much military influenced.

"Oh, and speaking of which, you might be used to a darker nighttime where you come from. Here in the Hapes Consortium, none of our worlds receive a true night. What we accept for night time here is about as bright as twilight is any other world in the greater Galaxy, at least. Some worlds are brighter than others. The reason is because of the Transitory Mists that surrounds the star cluster we live in. The Hapes Cluster itself is composed of over 200 stars of varying types and luminosity, sixty-three of which are inhabited systems. Light is reflected off of the nebula, ionising it, and making it glow in its many colours. Many of our worlds have moons as well, which adds to the nighttime lights." she explained. "The windows' transparency can be manipulated, if that will help you. I'm used to the conditions here, however. The saying that "Hapans are beautiful, but they can't see in the dark" is true."

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

As Quinn listened to her speak she was very excited for her appointment in the morning and she would remember to wake up Relina at 0800 hours "So I guess I will leave you to your rest my lady." She says and grabs her heels putting them on and stands bowing to she her respect to her new boss. She knew she would be happy here and walked up to her room on the third floor. She then quickly changed and fell into her bed but she didn't sleep much for all of her excitement for the day to come. At 0745 in the morning she began to make her way towards Relina's chamber. She knocked on the door and waited

[member="Relina Zhan"]

 

[Relina Zhan]

[member="Quinncolson"]

Relina would nod as Quinn went to her room. They were on the same floor, incidentally. Handmaidens and male attendants had their quarters on the same floor as the Ducha and her sister. Other staff had their quarters in the next floor up. Each room was similar in design and quite nice, too, since such careers were live-in ones.

When Relina was alone, she smiled a bit to herself. She had a feeling of certainty that she was doing the right thing for the girl. While it would be some time before Relina shared familial feelings with Quinn, there was an odd maternal instinct that was starting to develop. Relina had no children and hadn't taken a consort with whom to bear an heir yet. Further, and odder still, was the age difference. Quinn couldn't possibly be younger than sixteen nor older than twenty. Relina would be thirty-one in a few months, and so she wasn't really old enough to be the girl's mother. She put the thought out of her mind as she laid dimmed the lights and laid down, the ghostly shimmer of the Transitory mists and the light of Gallinore's twin moons filtering through the curtains of the sliding glass door at the balcony.

As she slept, Relina's mind stayed quite active, inducing an intense dream. Once again, she was flying in a heated battle, the incessant noise of her threat warning alarms ringing in her ears.

*******

"Angels, we are red and free." she said, staring at a lock-on on her canopy's HUD. "Angel One, Fox three!"

"Angel Three, Fox three!"

"Angel Seven, Fox three!"

A salvo of concussion missiles from the seven Angels streaked in front of blue trails of ion efflux toward a very large craft that was a disc shape, but much larger than a Type D505 Wyvern and with no secondary disc. The missiles impacted on the sheilding, which held despite an entire Hapan battle fleet throwing a wall of firepower at it.

"That is one strong shield...." Angel Five replied.

"Command, Angel One. I'm switching to 'Sidewinders' and moving in." Relina said when she saw what seemed to be fighters launching from the giant disc. "Angels, notch vector one-two-zero."

"Angel Seven, One-two-Zero"

Relina latched onto a passing fighter, turning to engage with inhuman manoeuvreability. She had an instant lock, the tone ringing loud and clear. "Angel One, Sweet Lock! Strong tone, Fox two!" She said, launching a short range missile on the little disc-shaped craft... too small to contain a Human-sized being. Perhaps it was a drone?

"Angel Four, Fox three."

The drone erupted in flames when the missile impacted. "Splash one, kill confirmed.... Leba'e frak?" she swore when a dozen others replaced it.

"Come on! GET THEM OUT OF THERE!" shouted someone aboard the Firedrake. The forces deployed just from this one ship were overwhelming. How did this ship even get into Hapan space in the first place? Relina's rational mind was starting to question the reality of the situation. It just seemed impossible. Not once in her career had she ever been given an order to run... but an order to retreat had been issued.

"Angels, it seems we're to make a run for this one. Everyone, on me. We'll break through their curtain!" she ordered.

"Yes, My Lady!" came the reply as the squadron formed up behind Relina. Somehow, in the next instant, they were being pursued by a horde of drones through a place Relina didn't want to be: Avalon Valley on Shedu Maad. She had never been there before, that she could recall, but there was a strong sense of foreboding as she flew at speeds breaking Mach five through the winding canyon toward the megalithic dam at the end.

"SWAX'IF!" Angel Seven swore as his fighter burst into flames.

"Slayer...." resonated a creepy, dark voice in the back of the Ducha's mind.

"... Kael?" Relina called over the comm. "KAEL? REPORT IN!" she screamed. There was no response.

Then another burst of flame... then another... and then a third.

"Holland? CYNTHYA? ANNA?" The Angels were falling and soon, she was alone after two more explosions. "Rafe.... Taritha..."

"APOLLYON!" The voice resounded, practically shouting at her, filling her ears.

Fear washed over her as her view brightened to white and her own screaming voice was drowned out by the rising shriek of titanium being torn apart. Then, darkness. Her voice echoed into silence.

*********

The knock at the door came just as she sharply inhaled and awoke on her own with her heart pounding. Relina immediately put her hands to her chest, her eyes darting around. She was alive and in her bedroom. She was still dressed only in her purple nightgown of lashaa-silk, her hair bound in a diaphanous piece of silk to reduce knotting. She inhaled deeply again as the door slid open to allow Quinn in. "... What is wrong with me?" she whispered in mellifluous Hapan.

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

"My lady are you ok?" Quinn asks looking in Relina's eyes and sensing her dis-ease and puts her hand on the ducha's shoulder. She had learned to sense when others were distressed. This worried her greatly, being as she had only ever seen her master at ease or happy. She didn't know what to make of it. She then moved her hand feeling as though it wasn't helping the ducha but hurting more than helping. She then smiles and holds out her arms offering a hug.

[member="Relina Zhan"]

 

[Relina Zhan]

[member="Quinncolson"]

Relina looked to Quinn and blinked. "...it's nothing... just a bad dream." she said. While technically true, Relina wasn't yet willing to talk about the fact that she was constantly haunted by strange and quite scary nightmares. She felt, however, that she should go to the Temple and consult Mother Skye, the local Wayist High Priestess, and confide in her the dreams she had been having and the cryptic connection to they legendary Apollyon figure of religious lore.

Reina sat up in bed, now realising she had been sweating. The silken nightgown clung to her skin as a result. The smile of the girl, however, helped ease her mind a bit. "Forgive me... these things pass. Go and dress and see if breakfast is ready, hmmm?" she asked of her. While the hug was offered, Relina respectfully declined. She did reach to take her hand for a moment as a reassurance measure.

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

Quinn took her hand and then began to try to use the force to calm Relina down . She then went down to the kitchen making sure that Relina's breakfast was ready. To her surprise she found it half done and so she jumped in with everything she could do which included frying eggs. By the time she had finished she had gotten stuff all over herself including in her hair. She was a mess. She ran back upstairs and changed washing her hair before returning back and getting everything plated and ready to go for Relina.

[member="Relina Zhan"]

 

[Relina Zhan]

[member="Quinncolson"]

Meanwhile, her hands still tingling from the minor use of the Force on her, Relina showered and put her nighty into a dry-clean-only hamper. She would dress herself in a violet robe and then called in her stylist as she let her wet hair out of the towel she had it wrapped up in. A handsome, effeminate man entered the room as Relina seated herself on the barstoll she kept in her bathroom.

"Mister Kasra, my new handmaiden mentioned to me that she would like her hair coloured red." she told him as he professionally styled the Ducha's hair in a wavy, loose updo dominated by a bun. Apart from a long, hot bath, having her hair played with by skilled hands was probably the most relaxing thing to her.

"When do you wish me to do this?" Kasra asked.

"1400 hours." Relina replied. "Are you available?"

"I will make myself available, my Lady." The stylist replied.

Relina smiled. it took about forty-five minutes to finish her hair, after which Relina tipped him double the normal rate. "The extra amount is for Miss Quinn's hair colouring." she said. "Thank you."

"Of course, my Lady. 1400 hours." he replied before going off on his way.

Alone again, The Ducha would swap her robe for an elegant wrap-around dress in royal blue and silver trim. She'd then select a pair of flat sandals in silver to match and a spritz of expensive, supremely feminine, floral perfume. It was a bit eye catching for breakfast, but she simply felt the need to show some style.

Alessandra seemed to be thinking similarly; the only difference between the way the twins dressed was the colour. Alessandra wore a crimson dress of the same kind, trimmed with gold and wore gold sandals of the same style. Further, the younger twin beat her sister to the dining room and for the first time caught sight of Quinn.

"Sallan." she greeted, her voice resembling Relina's. She looked identical to her as well. To a Jedi, however, she had a similar, but distinctly different presence, however. "You must be the new girl, no?"

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

"Yes ma'am that would be me. You must be The Ducha's younger sister?" Quinn asks bowing. Quinn loved her job thus far. She had just finished getting everything plated when Relina's twin entered the room looking breathtaking. Quinn gasped and looked down at her clothes they now seemed dull and ordinary compared to hers. And when Relina entered the room Quinn's jaw hit the floor in disbelief. She looked beautiful as Quinn had ever seen. Quinn finished plating and then finally sat the plates down in front of the twins "Is there anything I can do for either of you?"

As Quinn asked this she began to think of how horrible she looked. She knew it was time for her to do a major makeover of herself so she didn't embarrass herself or Relina. She could only wonder if this stylist could work miracles.

[member="Relina Zhan"]

 

[Relina Zhan]

[member="Quinncolson"]

"Lady Alessandra Zhan." the twin sister replied in a Hapan accent just slightly thicker than Relina's. Then pause a moment to observe what Quinn was doing before adding, "This isn't your job, rather it is for the kitchen staff to do, but I am certain the help is appreciated nevertheless. Personally, I appreciate a girl with initiative."

Relina entered the room and glanced to her sister, who glanced back at the same time. The two women would take their seats at the dining table from each other, Relina at the head of the table and her sister to her left. When Quinn asked what she should do, Relina and Aless both replied in unison. "Have a seat." with Relina gesturing to the chair to her right.

Kitchen staff would come in with breakfast foods of various kinds, one servant pausing a moment to find that part of her job had been done for her. "..who....?" she asked in Hapan.

Aless pointed out Quinn with a wink. She'd tell her in Hapan just to carry on with a pleasant grin. The language was mellifluous and when Aless spoke, it was sort of sing-songy sounding.

The servant simply nodded and began with the rest of her routine, bringing the caff over to Relina first, then to Aless, prepared the way they liked it. Then she made her way to Quinn with the caf pot and a mug. She'd lean over and said, "Te'ta'xida. Lana'agte tala caff?" she asked.

Relina looked to Quinn a moment and then said in Hapan to the servant. "Ni naiat'camlia Hapani." She then translated for Quinn, "She said "thank you' and asked "how do you take your Caff?"

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

As Quinn sat down she looked at the twins and smiled "Black please and thank you." Quinn says and then goes back to thinking about what later that day would have in store for her. She was very excited t get her hair done. She was hoping this person was a miracle worker. She looked at all the food and thought to herself I have never seen so much food in my life. She would then bow her head and look to Relina "So why did you wish for me to have a seat my lady?"

[member="Relina Zhan"]

 

[Relina Zhan]

[member="Quinncolson"]

Relina's food was served first, then Alessandra's and finally Quinn's. It consisted of something surprisingly simple and mundane, what looked and smelled like bacon, large eggs of some sort, a bowl of thick grain porridge of some sort that had bits of meat in it, and a bread product with what looked like a whiteish gravy in it. There was also a variety of freshly sliced local and foreign fruits and juice available as well as pastries. The items themselves were relatively simple and not at all unusual anywhere Humans lived, but there was a fairly large quantity of it and the quality of cooking and presentation was akin to a high-end restaurant. Additional helpings were placed in the middle of the table between them.

To Quinn's question, she replied. "You are a handmaiden, a personal attendant. Yes, by definition, a servant, but I'm going to be frank with you. it's a risky job, albeit not terribly difficult with me or my sister... Although if Aless flags you down for some reason, she can be more demanding." she said with a teasing tone and a grin to her sister.

The other noblewoman laughed. "I am not, Relina! For the love of Hera, don't scare her." she retorted. "Honestly, I'm not demanding at all. I might only have you fetch me things from time to time if you aren't busy, but there is a chain of command, so to speak. All of our staff have their own duties they are hired for, so while it is a generous and wonderful thought to take the initiative and help them, I would simply check with them and with Ducha Zhan beforehand, so that you aren't in the way and disrupt work flow. That's all." she said to Quinn.

Relina nodded in ascent. "Indeed. But yes, you may sit with us at mealtimes. If there isn't a guest present, then your place is at the right of me. Your job is, as I stated, risky because my own social status is risky. If you weren't aware, just as every rose has its thorns, so too does the Hapes Consortium have a dark side under its beautiful and advanced exterior. This entire nation's federal and even local governments are, unfortunately, heavily reliant on political intrigue. Noble houses compete with each other both overtly and covertly for promotions to higher social status... status that can be gained in a number of ways despite the hereditary nature of one's title and birthright. Assassination attempts are commonly expected and we thus go to great lengths to screen staff before hire and guests before admittance. This isn't perfect, but it DOES provide an inconvenience to would-be enemies."

Relina paused to eat, seemingly unbothered by what she just explained. After swallowing a bit of food, she continued, "You were hired because you have proven yourself a hero by saving the life of one of my best friends and wingmen. had you not been there, Commander Holland Roc would be, posthumously, a Lieutenant Colonel and I'd be attending a funeral right about now. I have also, unlike many of my peers, come to trust Jedi somewhat. Your skills, even if they are those of a trainee, are not an expected line of defense. Finally, this is what you made clear to me that you wanted. So, I am giving you a chance at a career while taking care of you, at least until your mentor can come. Ultimately, if you prefer to stay, you may do so as far as I am concerned." she said. her newfound trust of Jedi stemmed from Joshua Dragonsflame, a dear friend of her's and one she hoped indeed to make her consort someday, if it suited him. His heroics on her behalf made having Jedi around preferable for her.

"There is an Anti-Jedi political interest with chapters across the Consortium and, constitutionally, they are entitled to their opinion. If you encounter such a radical, however, just ignore and avoid them. Don't advertise your being a Jedi, either." Aless said. evenly, between bites.

"The Ni'korish are a vocal minority, though. Most people don't care these days, although historically, the general consensus was a general distrust of Jedi... It has to do with our ancient history, much like the foundations of our matriarchal society. it derived from the same time period, but if it helps, we DID have a Jedi Queen Mother whose own mother was a Force Witch from Dathomir." Relina added to her sister's comment.

"it is not illegal to be a Jedi in the Hapes Consortium and there is no law that says one cannot work for us, either. You have nothing to fear, really. Your immigration documents came in this morning. We'll have you sign off on them after breakfast." Aless added. "Regardless of what biases I may still hold, if your presence and ability keeps my sister alive, then I'm happy to have you as her handmaiden. I dont' mean to put any pressure on you but-" Aless stopped speaking and looked to her sister, who immediately picked up where she left off.

"- This is a big responsibility. I wouldn't have given you the job if I didn't believe you could handle it. You are both an attending servant to assist me and something of a bodygaurd. Like I had with Joshua, I will need to have a practice duel with you in a safe environment gauge your combat ability. If there is need for immediate improvement, I will see that you receive opportunities to train and practice."

Relina would then eat a bit more.

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

As Quinn took in all the information that had been just laid out for her she took a bite of eggs and then looked up at Relina and smiled "I will do anything for you including sacrificing my own life for your protection." She said and then began to think of how much she owed to Relina for taking her in and giving her an opportunity to prove herself as her handmaiden. She would forever be indebted to the Ducha for this opportunity.

[member="Relina Zhan"]

 

[Relina Zhan]

[member="Quinncolson"]

Relina gave her a long look, making eye contact. "I hope it never comes to that, but you should be prepared." she said evenly. There was a reason why she brought along two Cyborgs in that meeting with Matsu Ike, rather than ordinary Space Marines. Relina sat back a moment, a few pieces of bacon left on her plate. "Also, I routinely do personal training runs. This body doesn't maintain itself." she added with a chuckle. "Do you care to join me?"

Full at this point, she'd sip at her caff, letting her breakfast digest a little. She actually already thinking of different dinner options. She wondered what Quinn liked to eat, since Aless and Relina had similar tastes.

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

"Yes I would like to join you." She knew what Relina meant she had been around important enough people to where she got the gist of what was being said. She thought back to another royal she had met Queen and then senator Padme Amidala. The senator had used a bodyguard, infact most people thought the bodyguard was her. Padme had been one of the last of Quinns friends left alive before that fateful day when Mace Windu was hurled out a window and Padme well Quinn had not heard from her since she told her she was going after her husband Anakin Skywalker. Quinn then finished her food and met Relina's gaze

[member="Relina Zhan"]

 

[Relina Zhan]

[member="Quinncolson"]

Relina looked to Quinn. "What do you prefer to eat for dinner?" she asked of her. She'd look to her sister as well, knowing more or less what she wanted.

"Now is a good time to get the kitchen staff started so that they can make preparations ahead of time. We usually eat by 1800 hours or so." she added. She'd finish her cup of caff and rested the mug on the table. In a few minutes, she'd prepare herself for a bit of a delayed PT run. Of course, she was considering swimming at this point, as well.

Then she thought about showing Quinn around her hometown, the big city of Dimitor. Of course, it could wait. There were several things she needed to get for Quinn and at least one particular department of said items would be dependent upon how the girl's combat abilities were judged. Perhaps that would be an ideal start for the day's personal training. The stroll around town could indeed wait.

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

"I will eat anything. I am not picky." She says and begins to ready herself for the coming combat training. She then finished her cup of caff and sat it down on the counter. She pulled her saberstaff from its place on her belt and sat it on the table as well "This is my saberstaff my lady my weapon of choice." She then smiled towards the twins

[member="Relina Zhan"]

 

[Taygeta Lightkeeper]

((wrong toon))

Relina would shrug slightly. Perhaps she might enjoy local seafood. She'd tell one of the servants in Hapan to prepare something involving a lobster-like crustacean by the usual dinner time. Aless nodded in agreement. She'd then look to the object Quinn held. She'd seen a lightsabre before, but not one like her's. Her's was long, as if there were two lightsabres attached to each other at the pommel ends. She never did understand how those things worked.

"I trust it has a low power stun setting, no?' she asked, not particularly interested in needing a prosthetic limb, despite the fact a certain department of her company produced the most realistic organic prosthetics available in the galaxy... and the most expensive. "Joshua's does."

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

"Yes it does." Quinn says hitting a button and switching the mode to a stun mode. She then handed it to Relina who seemed to take an interest in it. Quinn had never used this setting before but it was a good mode for training or inexperienced handlers. Quinn thought of the purple blades that would pop out on either side

[member="Taygeta Lightkeeper"]

 

[Relina Zhan]

[member="Quinncolson"]

Relina hefted the lightsabre in her hands. This was the first time she had ever directly touched one. She didn't activate it, as this wasn't the place for it, but she took a moment to examine it closely. "It is heavier than it looks." she said.

Aless stared at her sister's hands and the hilt she held. "Not at the table, dear sister." she teased.

Relina sneered back at her, also teasingly and stood up. "True enough. Come, then. It is time to see what you can do.' She said evenly. She would hand back the hilt and would first begin to head up to her bedroom to change into something more practical for a sparring match.

"I shall be along momentarily." the slightly younger twin said, finishing her caff.

****

Having changed into a white vest, white turtleneck shirt, white trousers, and of course, white boots, Relina lead her handmaiden into a room used for practise dueling. it wasn't terribly large and was located adjacent to the swimming pool enclosure, itself near the gardens. The Ducha picked up a specially designed practise rapier with a soft sheath over the blade. She'd activate an inertial damper field for safety's sake and would stretch and go through a few elegant flourishes with the weapon to prepare.

"I will have you know I was fencing for sport at an age when I should still have been playing with dolls." she said.

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

"Yes my lady." Quinn says and activates boths sides of her saberstaff before thinking back to the first time she activated it. She thought of making it with Mace Windu and then all the way to now. She looked at the deep purple blades that sprung to life from the hilt. There was an electric hum to the air around her. She looked up at Relina and thought about her unorthodoxed style of fighting using both Ataru and Soresu. "Are you sure I won't hurt you?"

[member="Relina Zhan"]