Private Under The Hot Sun

[Arekk]

NABOO, THE MID RIM​

The beautiful Nabooian lakes were as beautiful as the tales said, a city covered by enormous structures and a roaming wildlife that was so inviting you'd wish you could stay forever.

A hot sun was just the 'icing on the cake' as you yearned to get under the shade of a big tree to cover yourself, take minute and absorb the beautifulness of this planet.

His last meeting with Teyla was about a year ago on Cloud Landing for circumstances he could no longer remember, the invitation made by her sister for him to bring her valuables to Naboo would give him the chance to reunite with his old friend once more, hopefully see her kids as well. It was a long overdue reunion.

"This must be it." He muttered under his tired breath as he took a sip from his canteen, knocking on the door of the lake house where Teyla would be right after. "Nice place. Maybe you should get one, Arekk. One day."

The wait was eternal but he was grateful that he was in Naboo instead of the always-rain-and-depressing Lithios, if anyone deserved a little vacation it was him. Arekk was excited and somewhat nervous to see Teyla again as he wasn't used to happy reunions after all. Comes with the job and the life.

"Anyone there?"

Teyla Sal-Soren ​

​

 

[Teyla Sal-Soren]

N A B O O

| Lake Country, 5 Days After The Incident |
​

Only five days had passed since the world turned upside down. Aside from the turmoil the planet itself was facing with the assassination of their recent Queen, The Ee'everwest family was experiencing a tragedy all their own.

The three day mourning period had already come and gone. For most, their lives would go back to their everyday routines, the birds would continue singing, the sun would continue to rise, and the Galaxy would keep moving forward; but for Alora, Teyla, and Osenia, there was raw emptiness, a black hole that sucked away all the beauty and joy in the Galaxy, leaving them stuck in an entirely new reality.

Each of them dealt with it in their own ways.

Alora was already busy trying to rebuild their family estate, often not returning back to the summer home until late into the evening, exhausted. Osenia, locked herself away in the attic with her paint brushes and canvases, expressing what she could not verbally put to words, in art form.

Teyla...

She was doing what she always did when it came to protecting her loved ones.

She was jumping feet first into the fire.

Not to join the Knights Obsidian as she originally intended, but to work with Baros Sal-Soren and Detective Valere on capturing the one responsible for so much sorrow and death, the Thistle Bark Killer. Alora and Eline were privy to Teyla's plans of sending the children and Osenia away to a safe house. Sera would attend them, as well as one other, or so she hoped.

Hearing the knock, Teyla made her way to the foyer, opening the large double doors.

"Arekk," she smiled, but her voice betrayed a heaviness that did not match. Without pause or hesitation, Teyla lunged herself in an undignified manner from the door frame, throwing her arms about the smugglers neck in a tight hug, as one might a rarely seen brother. "I'm so glad you came."

Arekk

 

[Arekk]

NABOO, THE MID RIM​

The hug was met with equal enthusiasm, rubbing Teyla's back in a friendly manner. He was happy to see her and viceversa though something feel quite different and the fallen Jedi couldn't quite tell what was it. Call it intuition.

"Teyla!" He followed up with after, a toothy smile adorning his face. She looked tired, worrisome. A glint that only those in the darkest places could identify, that made him wary and preoccupied. "It's been to long, hasn't it?"

Just seeing an old friend brought warmth and hope to his somewhat broken spirit, perhaps a little talk with Teyla could help fix some of the wrongs from the past and additionally reminisce of the good old times.

Arekk trusted her well enough to spill his guts just to hear her always encouraging advice.

"How you been? Are you okay?" The slicer asked as he began to wonder about Teyla's current state of mind. He knew, he always knew when something was up. You could just tell. "I didn't know it got this hot in Naboo. Didn't come here with the right attire."

Teyla Sal-Soren ​

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[Teyla Sal-Soren]

N A B O O

| Lake Country, 5 Days After The Incident |
​

Teyla tried to smile, genuinely glad to see him, though very much worn. "Much too long, my friend." Ushering him into the house, Teyla invited him to join her on the veranda outback. "How's the ‘shipping enterprise’ business been lately?” she inquired, knowing he would recognize it as a euphemism for smuggling. She lead him out towards the balcony, leaning on the ancient stone railing and looked out over the glistening waters of the Solleu River.

"How you been? Are you okay?"

Are you okay?

People had asked her that question so many times, that the automatic response that always fell from her lips was, ‘Yes, I’m fine’. Arekk wouldn’t be so easily duped, he knew her too well. She folded her hands together and glanced up at the smuggler. “That’s uhm,” she felt the grief well up in her and she shook her head, as if that could stop the emotions from flowing. “Part of why I asked Eline to direct you here.” She cleared her throat and blinked away unfallen tears, sighed.

“You’ve helped my family once before, when you went with Damon and I to rescue Karina and Marcus… and I really need your help again.” pulling from her pocket, Teyla removed a small device and pressed it into Arekk's palm, closing his fingers over it.

“The Thistlebark Killer has returned, from the old case I used to work when I was with the CSF. He has these followers who call themselves ‘The Disciples’ who are obsessed with… the story, mine and Baros.” she went quiet, her voice slightly choking. “They uhm, one of them got to my family. My sisters all made it out, and the kids, but my parents and Kintel didn’t make it. I’m leaving to finish this case and bring an end to it, but I need someone that can protect my kids, and my little sister while I’m away. This datachit has the location and codes for a safe house. Arek, I know I have no right to ask this of you, but there's no one else I trust more for this task."

Arekk

 

[Arekk]

NABOO, THE MID RIM​

"It pays off my debts." He replied with a toothy grin as he made his way into the depths of Teyla's Nabooian abode. "Can't complain."

The fallen Jedi followed his old friend along until she came to a sudden halt, the expression on her face could tell a thousand stories. Her eyes shinned faintly with a wavering light and somehow he could deduce that something was hurting her soul.

That look. I know that look.

"My help?" The man inquired with a quizzical expression forming on his face, blue pools laying on Teyla for a brief second before looking away at the ever glistening river. "Kark, Teyla..."

She was living in a nightmare, trapped under the forever-hurting loss of your loved ones. An all too familiar feeling, Arekk well knew how losing the grip of your most precious ménage felt like. Like a dagger stabbing you right in the heart.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you." There were no more words to be said about the subject. She knew all of it. "You don't have to ask me that and you know it. I'll protect them with my life, you've got my word on that."

Arekk held onto the datachit for a moment as he looked straight into Teyla's soul. She was hurting but deep inside he knew that she had to do what she had to do. It was the only course of action and Arekk respected that.

"I will meet with them at once. Don't worry about them, they're in good hands."

Teyla Sal-Soren ​

​

 

[Teyla Sal-Soren]

N A B O O

| Ee'everwest Summer House, Lake Country |
_________________________________________________________________________________
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Teyla turned and got to the tip of her toes, wrapping her arms around the smugglers neck in a hug. "Thank you so much. You really are a true friend." She pulled back from it, sniffling a little and rubbing un-shed tears from her eyes, her lips curving in a slight smile.

"I already had Sera make sure that everything was arranged for the children's departure. I'll be sending her along too, it should help with the transition..."

As the words left her lips, it struck her then, how normal she was able to make it all sound. Teyla's heart ached for all they'd lost, even if the children were too young to know it yet. This was certainly not the happy family life that she'd envisioned or wanted for her kids when she was planning out the future with Damon. "...They're my heart, Arekk." she whispered quietly. They deserve better than this. "I know you'll keep them safe." She sighed. "My sister, Osenia, is yet unaware and may prove... difficult. I will break the news to her tonight, I'm sure by the morning she'll be warmed up to the idea."

Hopefully.

Although she loved her sister, if there was one thing the Ee'everwest women were known for, it was their stubborn will and disposition. Osenia was the more agreeable of them, but even she had her moments. Teyla inhaled and reached up to brush some left over crumbs of space dust from Arekk's shoulder, raising a brow at him. "In the meantime, why don't you take a real shower... rest, eat a decent meal. I'm sure it's been a while... and ration bars and pashi noodles are only good the first time."

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6 Weeks Later

"Yes. We've already left Denon, and will be arriving shortly on Naboo..." Teyla had to be very careful with the way that she phrased her words. Kaetwo was always hovering nearby, watching her every move. She needed a way to tell Arekk about the situation, that wouldn't tip off the droid that she was trying to send him a warning. "Arrangements have been made to keep myself and the children safe, so you can bring them home." her eyes bore through the holoprojector, hoping he'd be able to sense that there was something she was not saying, and would recognize the danger. "We'll rendezvous with you at my families summer home."

The holocall ended and Teyla slumped back into the captains seat of the Revenge, exchanging a knowing look with Rafiki.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Arekk ​

 

[Arekk]

NABOO, THE MID RIM​

"You don't have to thank me, Tey." He said in an upbeat manner, bringing some comfort to his grieving friend, a palm resting on her shoulder momentarily. "I'll make sure everyone gets out of here safe, you've got my personal guarantee. You don't have to worry."

Some words of encouragement cannot but aid in healing some of Teyla's suffering, the loss of his loved ones would take a toll on her that was impossible to determine how bad it'd get over the years.

Karina and Marcus would be safe under the care of Arekk for as long as their mother needed it, he wouldn't let them get in harm's way in any manner possible.

"That sounds great." He nodded approvingly. After a few dogfights trying to cheat death and flying half a burning ship, Arekk could use some rest and so did Teyla for what has had transpired. A tiny bit of peace that wouldn't last very long. "Hey, you know me, I can survive on those for years. It's all I ever get anyways!"

With that, the fallen Jedi turned slicer disappeared into the guest chambers to relax until it was time to do what had to be done.

_________________________________________________________________________________
6 Weeks Later​

The shadows rushed Arekk in his nightmare, bruised mug-shot faces hungry for revenge. A familiar voice on the commlink suddenly woke him up from his deep sleep, followed by an egregious grunt.

Better to wake up, it's important.

"I read you." Arekk spoke into the commlink while scratching his forehead. "We'll meet you at the destination."

Odd, he thought. Why now?

For weeks Arekk kept Teyla's loved ones under his protection, ready to strike at any and all unknown entity that dared to step into the safehouse. Their current location was uncompromised and more than likely incapable of being traced but that wasn't enough guarantee.

Precautions had been taken to make sure Teyla's family could transit to their destination undetected as the fallen Jedi still had a few cards under his sleeve. To make sure that his friend's family summer home was clear from any foes he'd make sure they'd stay behind inside the cloaked ship of his while he went ahead to check room by room.

But then something caught his full undivided attention, a K2 droid standing by the very same balcony overlooking the lake where Arekk and Teyla had been talking weeks back.

The KX-series security droid turned around, straight pose with its lifeless white eyes staring at the man.

"Intruder detected. Identify at once."

By the time the droid spoke, Arekk's crossguard lightsaber had been ignited as he smoothly assumed an attacking position. Feet shuffled towards his intended target, blue pools calculating its every move.

"What are you doing here?"

Teyla Sal-Soren ​

​

 

[Teyla Sal-Soren]

N A B O O

| Ee'everwest Summer House, Lake Country |
_________________________________________________________________________________
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"Identity verified. Smuggler. Wanted for crimes on Nar Shaddaa, Lithios, and Coruscant. Threat level: High. Target locked, activating kill order sequences."

Dashing from around the corner, Teyla threw herself between the K2 droid and Arekk , her hands motioning for the droid to back up. "Do not shoot, Kaetwo! Arekk is a friend of mine!"

"Very poor choice in friends. He is a criminal, and I must follow my protocol in keeping you safe. He is a danger to that protocol." the droid stated, leveling a blaster rifle at the middle of Arekk's forehead. Teyla could feel the ice spreading through her veins, her heart thumping wildly away inside her chest.

"Your first protocol is to keep me safe, right? Well, I'm not moving out of the way. If you shoot him, then you're going to have to shoot me, too. Now. Put the blaster, down!!" Teyla knew it was a gamble. The droid could still shoot, with possibly deadly aim, and a bolt never touch her. But if there was even the slightest chance in his calculations that she would be harmed...

The droids wheels turned.

Reluctantly K2 lowered his arm, clearly disappointed that he didn't get to shoot anyone. "Allowing him to be here is a bad idea, my Masters will not approve of this development. Do you want to know the probabilities of him bringing more problems down on yours and your children's lives?"

Teyla had checked out of the conversation half way through, once Kaetwo lowered the blaster, turning to Arekk. "So, you've met Kaetwo." she said, placing a hand on his forearm and nodding for him to lower his lightsaber.

"I assume your familiarity with one and other, and sudden presence, indicates that the children are here, and you are the bodyguard Mistress Ee'everwest hired to keep them safe. You may now turn them over to me, as their new protection detail." It was very much a statement, without any room for debate or question.

Teyla glared at the droid. "Can you excuses us, please?" Kaetwo stared at the both of them for a long minute, then lumbered away and down the hall. She loosed a sigh of relief, fixed her eyes on Arekk, and lowered her voice to a whisper.

"Please tell me you didn't bring the children here."

 

[Arekk]

NABOO, THE MID RIM​

"Hey, who are you calling a criminal?!"

The tension was still palpable in the air despite Teyla's best efforst to deescalate the situation. K2 had already engaged his killer protocols but the prompt intervention by the girl had possibly avoided a major engagement.

"What the kark is this, Tey?" He pointed at the K2 security droid as it lowered its weapons, just like he did moments before with his lightsaber. "Mistress Ee'everwest?"

Things had drastically changed over the course of the last six weeks for Teyla, it seemed. The fact that a killer droid was acting as her bodyguard told him that something was completely wrong or at least that she wasn't exactly approving of having such droid around.

Cohersed, maybe? Something tingled in his head that gave him the wrong vibe.

"Yes, looks like we've met." Arekk scoffed. "Seems like a nice one."

The fallen Jedi's blue pools lingered on Teyla's for a moment as they both spoke in hushed tones, away from the droid's sight.

"You told me to do that, so I did. They're in my ship." He looked at her quizzically. "Is something wrong?"

Teyla Sal-Soren ​

​

 

[Teyla Sal-Soren]

When he told her the children were here, her features visibly fell.

Arekk hadn't been able to feel her warning through the Force it seemed, she just wasn't strong enough to send a message like that from such a long distance yet.

Recovering quickly and straightening her spine, Teyla shook her head. "Never mind right now," she said, some urgency in her voice. "Just take me to the children."

To the ship. The only place it would be safe to have an honest discussion, out in the open.

_________________________________

"Oh, my dears!" Teyla exclaimed when she boarded the ship, kneeling with open arms to welcome the two children who barreled into her chest and threw their tiny arms around her neck. She wrapped them up, planting several kisses on the tops of their heads and against their soft cheeks, holding them as tight as she could. "I missed you so much!"

A movement off to the side caught her attention.

"Welcome home, Teyla." Sera said, drawing Teyla's misted gaze to look on her aged, but radiant face. "They've been anxiously awaiting your arrival." She smiled, then paused, and Teyla noticed Sera looking behind her expectantly.

"He's not here," Teyla answered, realizing she was looking for Baros, a tinge of sadness in her voice. "He and Valere had to go on another mission." Teyla sighed, realizing this reunion was one that needed to be temporarily put on hold. "Which, speaking of…" she pulled back from the two children in her arms, stroking their cheeks gently and fixing wayward strands of blonde hair. "There are a few things I need to discuss with Arekk… Sera," Her heart arched, and she couldn't look into the disappointed faces of her children, "Can you please take them?"

"Of course," Sera answered, in that motherly tone Teyla remembered fondly from her own childhood. The woman practically glided across the room to where the children were, offering each an outstretched hand. "Come along, Karina, Marcus." Firm, but always so gentle, the children reluctantly, but obediently, peeled away.

"They've grown so much since I last saw them," Teyla reminisced, but it only lasted for as long as they were in view, her mind snapping back to the present situation.

"To answer your question earlier… yes." She stood to her feet and rounded to the corner table of the room, motioning for Arekk to join her. "Something is definitely wrong."

Through the next half hour, Teyla did her best to recount all that had happened to Arekk while she was away, including the Isoto's 'arrangement' with Kaetwo.

"Don't beat yourself up over it, Arekk. It's probably better in the long run. If you didn't bring the children, the Isoto's would likely know something was up…"

There was no doubt in her mind that they were being reported back to, making sure Teyla was where they wanted her to be. She did not believe they did anything out of the goodness of their heart.

Especially not after everything, remembering the hours spent pouring over the photographs of each crime scene, the reports of what objects had been used postmortem to desecrate the bodies of the victims. They'd each had a specific mark, a signature. The kind of signature a professional butcher left on their quality cuts of meat.

If they really had used these people as a means to an end, only to create a story to cover up medical malpractice… then along the line they would have messed up somewhere, but never once had there been a sloppy crime scene. No half-assed attempts. They were always purposeful in some way.

These were puzzles to be solved.

Ibrahim and his wife were hiding something, Teyla was sure of it. Even if they hadn't found any incriminating evidence while they were on Denon.

The couple was smart enough that they wouldn't leave anything to chance, but still… maybe…

"So, do you think you could put some of those slicer skills of yours to good use? I want you to try hacking into Kaetwos memory banks."

It was a long shot, and potentially dangerous, especially if the droid reported back to the Isoto's of what Teyla and Arekk were attempting before they could decommission him. It wasn't going to be easy to put down an Imperial grade droid, but Baros and Valere's lives could very well be riding on whatever secrets the Isoto's were trying to keep buried.

There was missing information… all she needed was a single clue, and the rest would start to unravel.

Unless it all really was just useless and meaningless information they'd created to mess with her and Baros way back when, because they'd seen standard Serial Killer practices through holovids, and found it amusing. Why else go to such extremes as taunting them, blowing up her apartment, and more... it all pointed to a twisted darkside, and delusions of grandeur, in her book.

"If we can't learn anything from his databank, which is very probable… how hard would it be for you to reprogram a droid, and add in an audio recorder?"

Arekk

 

[Arekk]

NABOO, THE MID RIM​

"They're blackmailing you. Are you sure you're okay?"

Arekk's discontent with the ordeal was magnanimous but ultimately Teyla's decision to go along with it was more than he could ever do. He didn't want to put her and her family in harm's way, not again, so they'd be smart about the situation and find an alternate path to do something.

The slicer watched the kids walk away but not before kneeling down before them to mess their hair up, letting them go shortly after.

They looked bigger, time really does fly away. There was not a day he didn't think of Atefeh or Jyn. What it could've been.

"K2 security droids are complex to slice, they're not your average cyborgs. Their database is well protected and encrypted." He explained to Teyla in simple terms, no need to overwhelm her with meaningless details. "However, a skilled slicer can do much more than hack into their databanks."

Arekk paused for a moment to look over his shoulder, making sure the droid wasn't eavesdropping.

"We'll need to put him in low power mode without compromising any parts. That means no destroying." The fallen Jedi turned slicer emphasised. "Reprogram? That's easy cake."

Their success dependedo on a well thought out and efficient plan, with the man's prowess in slicing and her brains they should have no issues.

"Osenia will stay here too?"

Teyla Sal-Soren ​

​

 

[Teyla Sal-Soren]

Arekk

"They're blackmailing you. Are you sure you're okay?"

The wall that her shoulder had found purchase on, unstuck itself as she straightened up her spine. Okay? No. There was no part of her that was okay with anything that was going on, not even a little bit. It was just a fact of life for the moment, one Teyla saw as having no choice but to endure, unfortunately.

"I was once the prisoner of a Sith Lord, and survived." a wry smirk tugged the corner of her pout lips, trying to appear more confident than she felt in that moment. "I'll be fine."

Arekk

"K2 security droids are complex to slice, they're not your average cyborgs. Their database is well protected and encrypted. However, a skilled slicer can do much more than hack into their databanks. We'll need to put him in low power mode without compromising any parts. That means no destroying. Reprogram? That's easy cake."

It was foolhardy enough that they could get into a whole lot of trouble if there was even one misstep, but crazy enough that it might just work. Besides, Teyla didn't have any better ideas. If things would stop going wrong, for just two seconds, maybe she could come up with something less dangerous. But here they were.

"You're magnificent, Arekk!" She clapped a hand on the slicers shoulder, giving it a light shake. "I knew I could count on you."

Arekk

"Osenia will stay here too?"

Teyla lifted a brow, but decided not to press, getting the sense that there were some complicated emotions that had developed in her absence. If they weren't trying to plot to disable an Imperial-Grade droid right now, then maybe she would have chosen to meddle some, but as it was, there just wasn't the time to unravel that particular web. She sighed.

"If this doesn't work and Osenia leaves, then there's a good chance her life will be in danger... and I don't particularly like the idea that they might try using her as target practice...but she's also old enough that she can make her own decisions." Teyla strongly disliked the idea of either of her younger sisters throwing themselves into danger and risking their lives, but had to resign herself to the fact that they were more than able when it came to handling themselves, their parents had not raised feeble women.

Shaking off the thought, Teyla looked over at the doorway of Arekk's ship where K2 was still waiting at the bottom of the ramp, then back to Arekk.

"Alright, tell me what it is that you need me to do."

 

[Arekk]

NABOO, THE MID RIM​

"We won't put anybody in harm's way, Teyla. Your sister's strong willed and smart, she'll be okay. I'll make sure of it."

Putting Teyla's worries at ease would suffice to focus on the task at hand, it wouldn't be an easy feat to slice into the security droid but their success depended on having it under their control to "regain" their liberty without having to worry about getting reported about their doings and whereabouts every five seconds.

Arekk tapped his chin gently as he pondered heavily then pointed at Teyla with his index finger.

"Well, I'm going to need you to distract the droid. Make small talk, I guess?" He went through the plan as fast as he could. "I'll sneak behind and press the switch that's located on the back of its head. Should be just a flick of the switch."

Sounded easy on paper but would it go down like that? Probably not. He hoped it did otherwise they'd have to blast the damn thing and hope it doesn't auto-erase all its databank core before they can extract any meaningful information.

"Go. I will be right behind you."

Teyla Sal-Soren ​

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