Coming out of Vacation (Open)

[James Justice]

She could hold her booze better than most, most of the time when the fancy women like here already finished their first bottle, they were fallin off the stool and all that. He had to hand it to her, the woman was stronger than she looked in that regard. And she kept looking at the lil bit on his lap that his arms were around.

"Sonya, off me lap," he muttered giving the woman a pat on the thigh.

"But I am so cozy," the stripper, who's real name was Bethany whined as she rose to her feet.

"I be so sorry," James said sincerely placing both hands on his chest, "I didn't realize what was goin' on. I dun' know where I left me manners at. I shoulda been thinkin' an' I guess I got overwhelmed with all the party planning and feeling all the energy around here with the booze, the spice, and the dancin'," he waved the strippers over, both male and female, "Do ye want one? If ye dun' like what ye see here, I would be more than glad to find one that suits ye fancy. Whatta ye like? I got all races, all genders, hell even a shemale wookiee and a male glam Gamorrean, all ye could dream of, we got it."

He pulled one of his Tatoowine Reds, his favorite cheap cigarettes, Bethany leaned in lighting it for him as she perched on the couch. The crime lord offered his guest one, after all, he had to be a great host. He took a deep inhale, savoring the sweet delicious smokey flavor, and the feeling of the pure hedonism around him. More smoke went into his lungs than most beings would consider physically possible, and in one drag he burned through almost half the light. He was vaguely aware of two presences that were like burrs on a silk sheet, two that weren't quite mixing with the flow of the pure delight. Before he even had a chance to consider ferriting out [member="Ryan Korr"] and [member="Naomi Carolina"], [member="Rashae"] pulled him back to the present metioning him calling her mother a bag.

He choked on the smoke deep in his lungs, it came out both his nose and mouth, "I--I beg ye pardon, I woah," he raised his free hand in an objecting but apologetic gesture, smoke coming out of his mouth with each word like a dragon "Ye misunderstood me, I would never call a woman a bag, even if she was one," she mentioned how he liked his women, "Oh I do like 'em perky, but ye know, as far as 90's go, I did go scraping around there once, but I think the oldest was 76, and a rather smokin' 76."

His eyes squinted at the name Beverly Louvous, before he reclined back and took a long drag on his cigarette reminiscently. A trail of grey smoke hissed from his lips before the spacer began to recall fondly, "Ah, I remember a Beverly Louvous once from Alderaan. Woman looked a bit like ye, only uglier. She were one hella fine. The lady had a lot going on up front, even more going on down back," he shook his head with delightful remembrance as Bethany put a bottle of hard liquor to the crime lord's lips. He drank several gulps before speaking again, "If ye catch me drift. She backed that up on me, all over me on the dance floor. Honestly, I were younger then, by 2 an' a half decades, just comin' to me abilities. I dun't barely have to spin em on her afore she were on me," he let off a puff of his cigarette, "that girl were all about the GlitterRyl. Girl reeked of it with wide eyes and powder all in her dress," he gave a wave of his cigarette and a fond sigh, "She insisted that we go to the--what was it--Jade Ocean hotel? Aye, that was it," he shook his head, "That was one hellva lost weekend."

It was almost like listening to your dad talk about those gold old days with the grand football games he did, back in the day. Except this one happened. He looked at Rashae, furrowing his eyebrows. Every time he looked at her, he got that strange feeling again, "How old are ye, exactly?"


Statistics? Oh right. He never did his numbers and learning right. The man hated paperwork anyway, his desk was a lost ocean of forms and such that had yet to be filled out or looked at for years. He grabbed a bottle off the table, one of many, and hurrled it back blindly over his shoulder, "GREED!"

The bottle flew through the air, unseen but guided by the Force as it landed smack on the faceplate of a protocol droid that looked like it was pretty accustomed to such abuse. It waddled forward patiently, "Yes, master?"

"Give the numbers and things," he said waving towards Rashae as he flicked the cigarette back at the droid. Another blind and flawless hit. Bethany was quick to produce a replacement from his pocket as the droid handed the woman a datapad with all the requested intel in surprising order.

 

[nisa luma]

[member="Enzo Carpathia"]
@ra'a'mah

She saw the man approaching and leaned over to ra with a giggle as she spoke quick

looks like a handsome one!

She turned to him as she gave him a once over then looking at the bottle as she was curious what he had ordered but shrugged as she nodded sliding her glass up

I'll definitly take a glass if you don't mind

 

[Rashae]

As he kept speaking and offering her strippers those ice blue eyes would become lighter and lighter till they where a pale white blue lightning color. Her fingers strummed a steady rhythmic staccatos she looked the man right in the eyes with little to no fear. The 'scent' increased the angrier she got.

There was a long light inhale of a breath and an even longer exhale of a breath. She snapped her fingers as all four body guards came to attention to ensure the strippers new quite plainly not to step closer to the lady in white. He then continued to talk about his mother in her younger years. Rashae had heard stories about her mother's wilder days but for all she knew they were stories. The woman gritted her teeth at the uncouth account of such tales. This did not sit well with the Doctor and Scientist with a refined sense of propriety, honor and especially manners. What he thought of as manners was barely acceptable.

“You do not have anything that I dream of, Mister Justice. I assure you whatever these individuals you employ have would scarcely do the job. I have a man who can. Now IF we can move past wild stories and get onto business, Mister Justice.” This came as cold icy words, ice that would burn like fire.

When James Justice asked her about the raven haired lady's age, there was an explosive exhale as if, again something that had absolutely nothing to do with business. She needed his shipping. The rage and anger didnt leave her eyes as with a bit of a strain of control she replied. “twenty five almost twenty six. Now can we move on, please.” The please was said between clenched teeth.

She drank the whole glass at that point and refilled it. Even the complete savage treatment of his droid just added fuel to the fire till the droid put data in her hands. Those elegant fingers moved over the datapad looking at the data. “Thank you.” She would say to the droid as she gave the data a good once over. “This is more than dooable. I shall put you on the research and development list as well as long as my product reaches their destinations on time and intact. We could continue the details of this on the Padme. I will be in orbit for about three days give or take.” She said absently as the ordered data cooled her off a tad.

[member="James Justice"]

 

[Fen]

"Oh," his lips twitched upward as he tried to stifle a smile, "right."

The bouncer requested Naomi's I.D., which would not have been unusual if this were a legitimate establishment. However, it was not. Ryan frowned. There could be any number of reasons why the guard wanted to see her I.D. None of them seemed particularly favorable. Ryan noted the butt of the death hammer pistol jutting from the bouncer's waistband. Best not to take any chances.

Holding two fingers out, Ryan moved them slowly in front of him. "You don't need to see her I.D."

Glassy eyes stared back. "Uuuh, I don't need to see her I.D."

"You want to let us inside."

"You can come inside." The guard stepped aside.

Ryan raised an eyebrow, then nodded to Naomi.

[member="Naomi Carolina"].

 

[James Justice]

Being a Zelton meant being empath and a telepath. James Justice's telepathy had always been low grade at best, but his empathy was dead on 9 times out of ten. That came in real handy with gambling. When he felt her flare of anger, it was familiar. Too familiar. Almost like looking in an emotional mirror. Goddamnit. For a second, James became oblivious to the hedonism around him. He became unaware of the booze in his system and became stone cold sober, the smoke in his lungs became all but dead, and the music itself, that had been booming was like nothing. The math added up, and he could know the Zeltron smell anywhere. Sure, it wasn't as strong as a pure blood's but, it was irreplaceable. And it smelled way too much like his own to be an accident. But the world couldn't be that small... could it?

"Dammit," he muttered aloud. He glanced at the bottle, no this stuff wasn't that strong. He sniffed his light, nope, just tobacco. He was less buzzed now than he had been at the battle of Roche against the Mandalorians. And that had turned out ok.....ish.

There was, after all, only one way to find out after all if what his gut was telling him was real. He slammed the bottle down on the table and threw his arms wide, accidentally smacking Bethany on the face. She let out a small Ow but otherwise acted like nothing had really happened.

"Ye know what? Ye are right, I'm the sorriest I can be," he said winsomely, "My bad, this ain't the place for a lady like ye. How about ye come check out our hospitals? The general hospital is just across the street so ye can know what ye are really dealin' with, eh?"

[member="Ryan Korr"] I [member="Rashae"]

 

[Hemlock Karrde]

"---So, the Hutt then says, 'I didn't know she was my sister!'"

The corner booth erupted into laughter. The round table was full of many people in various states of inebriation/drug use and Hemlock knew none of them. It was a motley crew of weirdo individuals, but that was kind of how Hemlock liked it.

A Weequay was guffawing and slapping the table. A strung out Bothan raised his head, opened his bleary, bloodshot eyes from a pile of spice, laughed weakly and then fell back asleep on his powder pillow. The female twi'lek next to him had this most annoying, nasally laugh; kind of like a nightcore Elmer Fudd. But, hey, she was a 7 out of 10 and the best looking at this table, so he tolerated it for now.

Even the she-male wookie had stopped to listen and laugh next to their booth, although hir laughter sounded like a mix between a war cry and giving birth...

He continued his little comic routine by saying to the Bothan,

"Hey, Trendle. Knock knock."

The Bothan raised his face again, slowly, and his eyes creaked open. He didn't respond; just stared. Hemlock was about to repeat himself when the Bothan started cackling tiredly and let his head drop back onto his pile of drugs.

Some laughter sputtered out in response to the oddity and the Weequay reached over to whump the Bothan playfully on the back. The Bothan's lungs wheezed out air from the force of the blow and spice billowed up from either sides of his mouth. This caused more laughter to erupt from their corner.

He continued by turning to the Twi'lek female and said,

"Knock, knock."

"Who's there?"

"Stormtroopers."

"Stormtroopers who?"

With a huge smile, Hemlock delivered the punch line.

"We'll ask the questions here, rebel scum!"

The table howled with laughter. Hemlock was feeling good about himself and he let the table conversation turn natural to whatever anyone wanted to say at that time.

He turned to the twi'lek female and thought he'd try his luck.

"Hey...babe? You want to dip out and come over to my place?"

"Um...", she replied. "I'm totally a guy, so...not a babe."

Damn. That explains the laugh.

Hemlock turned and smothered his face into the seat cushion behind him and yelled in a muffled manner,

"I want to kill myself!"

The confused Twi'lek MALE replied, "I'm sorry, but what did you say?"

"Nothing," replied Hemlock. "I'm just going to go order the house special, Bleach on the Rocks."

With that, he dipped under the table, crawled over everyone's feet and left the table. He went to the bar and ordered something a little less suicidal. Upon recieving a glass of something or another, his visor eyes scanned the bar to see what there was to see.

[member="James Justice"]

 

[Rashae]

James Justice expressions shifted. There were moments she actually thought he was serious and then it was gone. Rashae was attempting to acquire some sort of balance albeit an irritated balance. The second bottle finished, she debated on rather she wanted a third bottle. One could observe she was still relatively lucid and coherent. The data before her was nicely ordered and appeased her sensibilities as she manipulated the data around to a better format.

That pretty little head would nod at the data she was reading in the moments it took James to reach his decision and asked if she would like to see the hospital for a better assessment. That was how she read what he said.

One nicely sculpted arching eyebrow slowly rose elegantly as that glacial expression looked dead at him again. There was an equally elegant incline of her head. “That would be nice, thank you. “ She said in a more genteel sultry contralto.

One of her bodyguards would put a hand out to assist the lady up to standing. Rashae balanced on her heels expertly and with a grace few possessed. The doctor waited for James to exit his side of the booth as her body guards wordlessly stationed themselves around the two. The woman gave an artform in walking and going over data. When I mean walk, there was an inviting figure eight to her walk that caused a pause. Rashae didn’t hurry her walk but there was a purpose and strength to it. At one point, she put the datapad lower before handing it to a guard to store with her other devices.

“Shall we, Mister Justice?” She said as the procession began in earnest. If he offered his arm she would place a graceful hand just inside his elbow and walk with him, not led by him.

[member="James Justice"]

 

[James Justice]

She bought it. Of course the best snares were the ones baited with the delights the prey loves, or so his dad used to say. The spacer rose with a little wobble, the man had been pregaming since 9 am. Of course it probably wouldn't be considered pregaming since the man did that every morning and lived under a near constant state of inebriation. He plucked the lit cigarette from Bethany's fingers as she bound to her feet eagerly. The spacer wagged his finger at the eager young stripper, "Ah, ah, ah. Stay here, and wait. This be serious business."

"Aaaaawwww," she whimpered giving him a pair of compelling pouting brown eyes and lip. "Please? But I was having so much fun."

He shook his head, "Sometimes, there are things James gotta do by himself."

James, unfortunately, did not come from the side of the galaxy that offered their arm to a woman unless they were for sale. And his mommy and daddy weren't around long enough to teach him the right way to treat women when he was growing up, as was probably most apparent by his own day to day activities. With a bottle of booze in one hand and a lit cigarette in the other he sauntered into the lower levels of the Angel's Den. Here the debachery was nearing its peak, it wasn't as high as the lower levels, and it wasn't as intense as the lowest levels, but it was as close as beings could get without going to full-on horizontal hula. The music blared at levels that all but promised hearing damage, the strobe lights and laser show peppered the smoky air with a petulance that promised retinal damage. Most everyone was high, drunk, or both, as the mass of beings grinded on each other in a pit of pure hedonism. The spacer stopped near the entrance, taking a second to drink it all in, to the brim.

He let it fill him up like a fresh breeze fills the sails of a boat on the waves. Flecks of darkside energy cackled in his eyes and along the spacer's fingers, leather lapels, and resonated off his being. The crime lord became the grounding rod for the total ecstasy for the room and it could be physically felt around him as his aura was charged with nothing but delight.

It helped him forget for a little while longer how much he hated to exist.

The spacer stepped out into the crowd, grinding and weaving his way through. It was a long process, but one he savored. By the time he reached the door at last, James' eyes were filled with fresh wildness. He spied a man near the doors who had just come in and was by far too sober for anyone's good. It was like a thorn in his side. It was hell. And the girl with him was too sober too.

Within a moment he was right beside him. Uncomfortably close where the smell of cigarettes, pheromones, booze, and the shockwave of illicit delight was unmistakable.

"Here ye go, mate," James said with a wide grin, shoving the bottle in [member="Ryan Korr"]'s hands, "On me. Drink, smoke, get high, and enjoy all the delights, on me!"

With those few words he led Rashae to the nearby hospital. Outside things weren't much better. Beings were still getting high, drunk, and hooking up like flies. All the citizens of the city had descended into vice. It was a world of heaven for this empath. Pushing along the streets, which were surprisingly clean, James led Rashae to the nearby hospital. There were a few patients already admitted, some who just didn't know their limits. Most were off worlders. Stuff like this happened every day in Dal'Bor, it was the City of Vice for a reason.

The hospital was a bit on the older side, fifty years by the judging of the flooring, paint job, and ceiling. The place was kept in good enough shape, but it was clear that the contents there of were not exactly the razor of the cutting edge. Medical droids that traversed the halls were beginning to show their age, despite the best efforts of the maintenance staff.

James pulled himself and Rashae over to the desk, where one such droid was waiting.

<<Hey, I be wantin' ye to give us a paternity test, keep it quiet-like, now,>> James said to the droid as he motioned to [member="Rashae"], <<Prick her 'and, ye got me blood on sample.>> He gave Rashae an appologetic shrug, "Old bird, only speaks Bocce, some kinda broke communicator. But he were on sale at Dantoowine and he do his job well," It was a lie, but it would do for now, "He need a bit of blood for the security system and all, we got some restricted areas where we keep bio hazards and all, can't have just some jackwagon going through stealing it."

That was a bigger lie, one that was more bold faced. He wasn't sure she would go for it, but he was a long time student of Mind tricks, and a low grade telepath. With a gentle nudge from the Force, hardly noticeable at all, he helped it sound just a little more believable. Come on girl, ye know ye want to believe me he whispered to her subconscious as the purple energy of the darkside flickered within his iris.

 

[Naomi Carolina]

[member="Ryan Korr"] [member="James Justice"]

Hazels stared daggers at her Jedi Master and his twitching lips. It wasn't funny! Had she lied about her age to join the fighter squadron in the GA? Sure. But she was only two years shy from legal!

And HE certainly didn't know that.

Sharp elbow was about to nudge Korr when he did his trick. Coppery-brows shot up. She managed to keep her mouth shut as they walked past and into the club. "That's...amazing. Will that work on everyone?" Seemed like a neat trick to make the squad boys give her first dibs in the communal refresher in the morning.

"Wait. You've never done that to me, right?" Girl was a bundle full of steely grits and fire.

Mouth hung open a bit as a man marching the description of their target waltzed by and handed Korr a drink. Freckled-nose crinkled against the pungent smells wasting off him in waves. Hazels watered a bit.

Ugh. Gross. Worse than cleaning the exhaust intake to her fighter.

 

[Rashae]

It could be said the doctor was a rather difficult woman. Its not that she was difficult, but that she has very exacting specifications of how to be treated. Reasonable requests are met with grace and a polite demeanor. She walked in a slow movement with her body guard keeping people away from her. James did not provide an escorting arm as she would have expected; however, considering the previous actions and attitudes of the man, she had to give a bit of patience. A man who owns this dreadful place of hedonism probably didn’t understand those sorts of manners.

The four body guards kept the thick throng of people half nude and doing just about everything and everyone at a two foot distant radius all around. She was clean, smelled very good and was in prime form. To some who actually looked at her, was way out of their league. To the brave and foolish who would approach during their walk, they were provided a resounding no by said body guards, if necessary, forcibly a no was provided.

James had stopped to give someone a bottle and his magnamous invitation to partake in everything. Those ice blue e yes looked at the man as his attire seemed a bit similar to some she had seen and they were sober! Rashae had provided a polite incline of her head to both the man and the sober girl with the man. They would in turn see a fairly sober woman who did not smell of smoke, alcohol, spice and sex. She stayed within the protective circle of her body guards going over a datapad, studying its contents.

When James justice moved, the woman and her protective bubble moved with him, out and across the street to the hospital. She snapped her fingers and the guard fanned out and ensured the place was secure and safe. There was a nod from one of them as she entered the facility. Rashae could tell it was a little dated but not as bad as clinics in lower Nar Shadda. She would provide her medical and scientific credentials to the droids. The woman noted several maladies already amongst the infirmed.

Security and protocols she understood. All hospitals had them, even before he employed the mind trick to soften her further, she was already leaning to what security measures needed for her to tour the hospital and look into what they would need.

“Oh, of course. “ as she turned towards Justice and his droid. “Should get that fixed. Communication is very important in medicine. Tell him to watch the manicure, please. “ she said as she handed her left hand to the droid. Her head turned as a system went off due to abnormal heart rates. The doctor in her had to be suppressed as this was not her facility. She ran a much tighter hospital than he had here.

It only takes a drop of blood. The procedure doesn’t take much to run a paternity test or even a full DNA spectrum. She took her hand back as she went over to where the abnormal readings were going off and the medical droids were providing medicines. Most of them were high, inebriated and side effect consequences of all sort in between. She didn’t bring her mixes or the ability to do so with her to provide a dose that would in effect, cure their condition. It would also make them very sober. Oddly she doesn’t think anyone here wants to be sober. There was a bit of a sigh as she looked over common medical items used. It didn’t surprise her that some items were used to treat STDs. Taking the datapad provided she started making notations. Rashae scrolled through more data and made more notations. It could be surmised the other hospitals were similar.

“You have any trauma units in any of your facilities, Mister Justice?” She asked earnestly looking up from the console she was busily studying. The two bottles she had consumed that had her a tiny bit relaxed, was starting to fade. Which was fine on her end.


[member="Ryan Korr"] [member="Naomi Carolina"] [member="James Justice"]

 

[James Justice]

She bought it. Thank the Force, this was going over easier than he expected. He was halfway to Taris now, as his father used to say. The spacer listened as Rashae gave him a slight correction over his fib. The droid spoke like 5 languages fluently without issue, the spacer just--well he was sure she didn't speak Bocce.

"Oh of course, of course," he said, his head nodding with absolute solemnity, "I do understand ye on that. I'll get upt and tell maintenance to head that up the moment they can."

James looked over the plethora of beings who were in bad shape. He shook his head with a sigh, "I tell ye the truth, miss, the majority of folks we got problems with ain't who ye'd expect," he leaned on the table, idly fishing in his left pocket for a cigarette that wasn't there, "Folks on Soceras been partyin' since afore I took the helm. They dun't never stopped. Crime lords pressed em down hard and feirce afore I took the helm, I just gave 'em freedom. Pure freedom," his hand waved at the windows behind him, "All ye see, now that be legal. All of it. It be my town, and that be my rules."

He shrugged, settling down again on the faux granite counters, the elbows of his leather jacket digging into some piles of paperwork under him, "But that be aside the point. Folks come 'ere to vacation cause they can do it all and not get a single legal action against 'em. It ain't too bad a tourist deal. But I tell ye what they dun't do?" he jabbed his finger at the air with his following words, "Know their limits. Folks here know 'ow far they can push themselves. Ain't a problem--"

His monologue was interrupted by the droid offering him a slip of paper that finalized the results. The spacer looked it over. There was no denying that level of a match, it wasn't some accident, or some happen stance. That did explain the strange feeling he felt around her this whole time.

"Well gods damn," James muttered shaking his head. "Gods. Damn."

His eyes looked back up at hers, offering [member="Rashae"] the slip of paper, "Ye gonna wanna see this."

 

[Riamah]

Ra observed the approach of Enzo to herself and Nisa with a distant look. He offered them drinks which her companion accepted but she did not already having the drink she wanted. Turning to her and taking a sip of her drink, she raised her eyebrows.

"Yes, indeed. Careful he doesn't eat you."

She could sense the dark around the man and it was the only words of advice she would give Nisa. If needed, Ra would intercede, but right now she would allow her to have fun. If the fun turned dangerous...then it would be Ra's turn.

Looking at Enzo, her eyes boring into him, she would nod to him.

"Thank you for the offer...? Call me Ra."

[member="Enzo Carpathia"] [member="nisa luma"]

 

[Rashae]

If there was one thing that could be said of the doctor/scientist Rashae Lovous was that she was a determined and tenacious woman when it came to what she wanted to know. The acquisition of knowledge and using it to find an answer to a problem, to find solutions. She was nodding to James monolouge in as much as she was looking at the data before her. He didnt answer her question directly about a trauma unit. While a bit irritating, the flow of data from the console she was working on, appeased her sensibilities.

That elegant silken hand reached for the .. paper? She looked at the paper and at James. It was rather archaic to use paper, but she glanced her eyes down at the document. The changes of expression on her face was rapid and distinct. It went from focused, to furrowed, to eyes widened and then to a what the frak expression.

“I want the dna spectrum and genetic compilation to this console, Now!!” She said to the droid.

Rashae actually forgot the droid wasnt supposed to speak basic, but when the data got to the console. She glared at James before shaking her head. It took a m inute for the data to reach the aged computer but she got it up and rotating both sets of dna. To others, it looked pretty and cool. To the genetic scientist it told her a great deal.

The raven haired lady expression became fixed on martyred consternation and confusion. No fraking way! Then to.. yes fraking way! Her father was a crime lord. Not just any crime lord, one of the top ones. She very slowly and gingerly sat down as she looked at the slowly turning dna spectrums side by side comparison as she highlighted certain tall tale markers.

What do you say in a moment like this? The Count was never a good parent, not even to her brothers. Not that mattered now, he was dead. What does she have to look forward to? More nerf herder behavior. More greed and power struggles that she has to be dragged into? To be completely ignored because she was a woman who's only value is to be married off as an asset to the highest bidder?

Rashae rubbed her temples lightly as she continued to look at the data in front of her and put hand on her forehead as she leaned the elbow on the counter. What now? The shocked woman hadn't even said a single word to James up to this point. That perhaps might be the most disconcerting. Then the nails started a slow tapping rhythmically and methodically as the intellectual started thinking.

There was a huff of a short sigh. “You know. There were anomalies in my dna that I had thought were mutations of some kind. There they are right there. Belonging to someone else instead of being a freak of nature. “ Her fingers stopped the staccato tapping to trace the dna markers she pointed out between hers and his.

“So.... Father.. what now?” There was a bit of a coldness with the word Father. Though her voice was even and silken, the cold word Father was something that has been said before to another. She had to know what was expected.

[member="James Justice"]

 

[Fen]

"Of course not, I-"

Few things could stop Ryan Korr mid-lecture. One of them was the suspect waltzing over, slapping a bottle in his hands, and telling him to join in the libations before strolling off again. Ryan's jaw hung open for a brief second before clacking shut. He raised one eyebrow imperiously, gray eyes watching the man's retreating figure.

Korr handed the bottle to the guard he had bamboozled, motioning for [member="Naomi Carolina"] to follow as he tracked [member="James Justice"] through the crowd. He spoke in a voice just barely audible above the crowd, soft, but stern as steel.

"I tricked that guard's mind. A power that only works on the weak willed. I will show you how to do the same, later, but you must remember that our connection with the Force allows us many abilities, Padawan. Using them for selfish gain is a path to the Dark Side."

 

[James Justice]

The droid didn't waste any time obeying the woman's request, even though it wasn't supposed to speak Basic. But, since the ruse was over and he got what he needed, the man didn't sweat his little lie getting found out, it had bought enough time.

An antiquated printer buzzed softly as it printed up the full data over a few different pages. While the spacer waited, he pulled a cigarette from his pocket, lit it up and waited. So he was a father--again--huh? He didn't know why this stuff still surprised him. The first time he had been shell shocked, the second time he had been totally overwhelmed, the third time he had been surprised but not totally overwhelmed. The fourth time? His boat was hardly rocked. But this time?

This time he felt more guilt than he did anything else. He took in a deep drag from the cigarette between his lips, but there was no savoring in the smoke. Yes, guilt. It was the cold, hard steel that gripped his soul and seemed to root him to the floor. He just didn't seem to have it left in him to forget. The other times it was different. Jessica, Calvin, Matt, and Brook had all still been children. He still had some time with them. But Rashae? She was an adult. There was nothing left. No time. He didn't have anything he could offer her, anything he could give her. What good was he to her besides a donor to her genetics?

It burned and bit down deeper than anything else had. Frustrated the man flicked his cigarette at the droid that bore the bad news, a little extra Force ump was behind it. Instead, the man pulled a flask of hard liquor from his coat and took a few gulps.

Father. The way she said it was colder than any other had been to him. He had screwed up. She knew it. He knew it. They both did. His two daughters--well younger two now--had been so grateful to have a dad now. But this one was angry and bitter. He didn't blame her, if his mom showed up now he would have hated her with every fiber of his being. He would probably shoot her.

The man offered the flask to her. "I think we both need a few stiff drinks, an I think it'd be nice to get to know each other a lil bit more, eh?"

He snapped his fingers, a few of the other beings standing around disappeared out the door to get more booze. The man sighed, running his fingers through his hair as he leaned against the wall, "I should start by bein' honest about what I do, eh? Ye da started out as low leggin' smuggler. I just had me own da's junk freighter, a busted blaster, an a lotta charm. I worked my way to the top. An' a lotta times I still like to make the runs meself. I got lucky, I got smart, and I just ended up bein' in the right place at the right time over time. I made a business, I took over a planet--then another--and another. I put up governments, I helped fight the Mandalorians at Roche, I helped bring down the Galactic Republic, I fought pirates, I became on meself. I fought slavers, I freed slaves and made em a home here."

The man stuffed his hands in his pockets, stopping himself. He was rambling, he knew he was. The man lowered his eyes, and sorrow covered him. A sorrow of memory. His empathy kicked in and it was tanglible for everyone around him. One of the women sitting in the waiting room began sobbing without warning. A father hugged his son, tears streaming down his face.

"I got married," James said at last, his voice low and thick with emotion, "I lost 'er. The only real woman I e'er really loved who e'er really loved me too. She died and I been running from that ever since. I loved, I lived, I fought so much to try and make the world better--now I dun't care. I just wanna take care of the people who need me."

He shrugged, looking up to [member="Rashae"] again, his dark eyes a swirl of emotion, "This is who I be."

 

[Rashae]

Rashae listend to what he had to say in silence. She took a pull from the flask as she looked at it and back to him as she made a face at the taste. The woman took another pull from it regardless as Justice was right. They both needed it. Once the booze got there, someone thoughtfully brought a glass for the lady. The glass was filled for her before she took a drink of some proper whiskey. That fore finger tapped the glass as he continued to give the cliff notes of his life.


Many things circled her mind. Why her mother would keep this a secret so long? What drove her to do this? Scratch that question. Thinking about Count Lovous, she knew why. Man was an insufferable jerk. Rashae could think of other unkind things, but lets keep it clean like that. Rashae wasnt getting any answers to that set of questions from the scientific data in front of her.

“I was born in afluent society. “She began. “Nobility and the rich. One would think that a child would have nothing to want. They would say I had an easy life. “ There was a huff of a pained yet soft chuckle. “I was groomed and taught to woo rich men. To be married off to the highest bidder of prestige, pedigree and wealth. Thinking was not accepted in fact they didnt want me to think. My feelings were not even considered. I was due to marry one of the richest son's in the galaxy. My 'father' at the time was salivating at the prospects. Instead I turned down the proposal and went to the Academy of Medicine and Science. See I excelled at school even athletics. I excelled at the Academy. Head of my class in medicine and Genetic science. Garnish a prestigious position with the Galactic Coop in their Research and Developement sector. “

The woman took a long drink. “Most parents would be proud. Not mine. I cost 'father' millions and millions of credits. “ Rashae went through her own flash backs of pain and torture as she gritted her teeth. “The pharmaceutical industry is quite competitive. I was betrayed and set to take the fall for corporate espionage of one of their top projects. A bio weapon involving transgenics. Over two years in their private prison. “ The look on her face might be enough to understand what she went through. She didnt elaborate. “your escapades with the Galactic republic came down on my head on Denon. I got out with the republic exiles. Shortly afterwards I managed to get investment to start Gentech and become Minister of Medicine for Alderaan. “

“Afraid my story gets a bit more complicated, Father.” She downed the rest of the glass as the pained expression deepened. “Count Lovous's involvement in corporate affairs of the Galactic Coop almost got me killed and my mother. Count Lovous is dead and mother was burned over 20 percent of her body. She is on the Padme in orbit over this system. There is probably a lot more but that is the nut shell.“ Rashae looked right into his dark eyes. That cold detachment fighting with her tumultuous emotions. An odd stark contrast but something she developed to deal with these sets of trauma and tragedy. Without both, she would long had went insane. Is it exactly healthy? Perhaps not, but its better than the alternative.

“Would you like to see her? I have made her comfortable while I grow new tissues for her to repair the burns. “ She said as she gave the olive branch.

[member="James Justice"]

 

[James Justice]

James felt the intense pang of irony that continued to beset his life. He was nothing if not a man of intense anarchy. Not anarchy in the sense that most people thought, but anarchy in the sense that he didn't feel government did anything for people. He grew up on the underbelly of the galaxy, he saw people crushed under the boot of big government and an uncaring system. The weak were crushed, and the privileged continued to only get richer.

"Ye know I waged a war against those of privilege?" James said with a sad smile. He waved his arm at a nearby window that overlooked the city, "All that ye see has been built and run by common folk just to spit in the face of royalty time an' time again." he let out a sad chuckle, "I hate the rich. I hate the off-lu-va-vent," he grabbed the bottle of whiskey and took a gulp, offering her the bottle back. He didn't use a glass if he could ever help it--and he never left the bottle with a drop in it if he ever could. "But I 'a found the kids from the off-lu-va-vent oft be the ones who want the most."

When she mentioned she had been in prison James couldn't help but give a proud chuckle. He gripped her shoulder with an affirming, firm grip, "Ah, prison eh? If there e'er be any doubt ye be me kin, that'd settle it. I spent more 'n me fair share of time in pens and under the whip," he gave her a wink, "I could show ye some scars, I promise ye."

His escapades. He took a sharp, deep inhale with a pained wince. "Oi, bout that," he grabbed the bottle and took a quick sip from it to drown the bitterness of his following words, "Sorry. I never meant to catch any 'o me own in it," his dark brown eyes showed with the truth of his statements, "I ne'er meant to hurt ye. Or anybody really. I dun left a lot 'o dead bodies in me wake all the time. An' it ain't them I feel the worst for, it be the ones who lived." he spread his hands open, "I be sorry. Truly."

She offered to let him see her mother, his co-conspirator in her creation. A big part of him was certain she wouldn't recognize the man. She was pretty intoxicated and laced with her own drugs when they had their dirty weekend. But, by the same standard.... James' dirty weekends were pretty unforgettable.

"Uh, sure I can go see the old ha--uh ba----uh lassie," the man said stumbling over the words, "If ye want."

James offered his arm to Rashae and led her down the street to one of the nearby spaceports. He waved his way past the security, who gave the man a respectful nod and Rashae a polite smile. The man extended his hand without looking towards the pegboard with the ship keys stowed on them. A random pair leaped to his fingertips in joyous obedience.


"Let's see here," the spacer pressed the "unlock" button on the key set. A nicer, heavily armed darker, polished ship boo-beep, "Eh, the Nestis it is today." The man led her up the loading ramp into its incredibly luxurious interior suite. The spacer began pressing on the console, hardly paying attention as the ship began to rise off the ground, "Alright, 'ere we go."

[member="Rashae"]

 

[Rashae]

The whiskey made it there. It was surreal as the spacer and the debutant passed the bottle of decent whiskey back and forth. Someone had the foresight to garnish something a bit nicer than well stock. It would do. There was a bit of a huffing chuckle at him mentioning waging war against the priviledge.

“Well, some privileged need a kick in the pants. Some are not too bad. A handful do what should be done. May want to consider this when you wage.. war. “ Those ice blue eyes were like a cold fire. Shivers up your spine but a sultry heat that was hard to turn away from. It was calculating and it was analyzing.

She laughed even harder when he said something about seeing his scars. “I seen enough scars to write several medical journals on. “ Then the smile turned sardonic, even wicked. “my scars are on not on the outside, Father.” The look went hard again and that blue fire grew hotter. “Almost got the damage healed. Mind probes, electric shock treatments, more. “ She took a long swig when it got to her. There was a pause as she still got nightmares as she swallowed hard. “I was wrongfully accused of stealing and selling a formula. “ She laughed a bitter one. “a formula I eventually made my own to shut them up only to end up almost being killed and … “ She gripped the bottle as she thought of throwing it before she handed it back white knuckled.

The four security personnel that was around the room were on alert as the comings and goings of the people into the hospital. They had RMIA identifications on them, special forces if anyone knew their particular insignia. When they moved on to Denon she shook her head. “Well to be fair I was a bit out of my mind at the time. Galactic Coop just dumped them there fresh. It was a bit of a blur but I understand there was more to that conflict than just what you may have done. “ It was the stark truth. Hard as it was she could hardly blame him. The whole ordeal was one huge cluster frak hell of a conflict that had too many hands in that particular puzzle.

His attempt at keeping his words civil as it may have been interesting in its verbage. She shook her head as she did take his arm. Her left hand went to the com at her ear as she spoke in distinct orders. Two of the RMIA soldiers moved to get her ship back up to the padme. The other two stayed with the Minister. Rashae would provide polite nods in return to the smile as they passed. She was more than good with allowing Justice to drive. She looked at the various pieces of hardware on the ship as she passed with an eye for detail but she sat in the cockpit settling back and touched nothing.

She crossed her legs delicately as they lifted off. It was indeed a very nice ship. Rashae would provide vectors to the Padme's orbit location. Then at one point before they got too close she then touched the controls as she would answer the com and enter the codes necessary for entry. The Padme on the outside was a typical Nebula frigate. On the inside it was a top notch mobile hospital. Once the two of them exited it was her turn to get through security.

Her security was a bit more rigid. The two special forces soldiers moved off to debrief as she acquired more plain clothed soldier escort. After a few particulars and reassuring Commander Cantalos and the intel/ops crew had initials on the man for electronic and computer accesses if any. A long graceful finger curled in for him to follow her as she went to a private lift with her escort. Ever since the incident with Xander, Ardgal insisted on additional security. RMIA was training what few military she had as well as provide extra cover. As they went up the lift, she adjusted the two rather lovely bracelets on each wrist.

The woman nodded to the security, nurses and doctor that was in attendance. Rashae would speak to them briefly before returning to Justice. “This is an antisepsis field. We have to keep everything around her clean to avoid infection. “ She handed him a pair of gloves. “I will announce you. What ever you do, when you see her do not let what you see affect your voice. “ The look in her eyes was stern and fierce. Rashae put on her set that was well out of place with the white suit she had on and then through the antisepsis field, then into the room.

Rashae put on that painted smile she was known for. “Mother. How are you feeling?”

“Rashae, they wont let me have a mirror so I can fix my hair. This is insupportable. “ it was slurred and garbled as she was under pain killers.

Rashae went about taking a look at the burned skin. She was doing a series of gentle debridements so good tissues would be encouraged. This would aid the installation of her new skin. She looked raw and like she was chewed up by a trash compactor and then set afire. Though a lot of the tissue was getting pinky. The nose was missing and so was an ear.

“Mother. I have a few questions to ask you. “ Rashae sat down on the edge of the bed. “There are some anamolies in my genetics. I am not sure count lovous … “

her mother groaned a bit then laughed. “Rashae. I know. “ She patted her hand with her bandaged one softly. “They wouldnt give me the titles till I married. Your father was low enough rank but was greedy. He liked being Lovous. After the marriage. We discovered he was.. sterile. “ She laughed. “He made a deal with his brother to father my children. Your brothers was the result. “ She smiled a half smile as much as possible.

“The best time I ever had in my miserable life. I remember it like it was yesterday. James was his name. It was a total fling” she laughed again. “you was the result. Your father thought I had a thing for his brother. “

Rashae patted her hand back and nodded. “Mother I have a visitor for you. Dont worry about the estate and Lovous industries. The boys are handling that. I am handling you. Anyway... “ Rashae had gotten up and motioned Justice through the antisepsis field. When he came in the woman on the bed gasped softly as she saw James Justice.

“james... “ A pump delivered more medicine to her. “I.. never thought.. in a million years.. “

“Father. She is under a lot of pain killers and other medicines. Don't stress her, please.“ She said in a low even tone. One she used on patients to avoid stressing them. She moved to the side so they could have a word

[member="James Justice"]

 

[James Justice]

James hated tedious things, he wasn't really a patient man. He had always been a man based around the here and now, the very immediate moments that could ever be anything. He was glad to have the bottle of alcohol with him to while away the boredom.

The man nodded, setting the bottle of booze down as Rashae spoke of the antiseptic field. He slid the gloves on over his hands. It seemed a small thing to him, reacting about what he saw, he did it all the time, part of that was the alcohol speaking, the other part was his sheer bluntness. But he could hear in her voice and see on her face how serious she was. Deeper than that, he could feel how important it was to her. So he gave a willing half shrug and a nod, "Aye. Sure, lass, I can do that for ye."

When it was his turn he stepped through the stasis field. The sight that greeted him hit James in the stomach like a hammer. Her mother looked nothing like he had remembered. It was only her presence that was even vaguely recognizable.

But deeper than that, it took him back to decades ago. For a fraction of a moment he wasn't standing on his recently discovered daughter's ship. He wasn't looking at her mother, a rich woman he somewhat remembered. He was standing in the hallway of a penthouse on Chandrilla. He he could smell the smoke all over again from the burning of his appartment. He could see the firemen walking out of the door and others trying to hold him back from the carnage. The spacer could see her again. His wife. What was left of her mangled charred body being pried off the ground. He remembered they had to pull her up in pieces after the damage from the speeder's impact. Half of her lay splayed across one side, the other half was twisted in the opposite direction. She'd never had a chance. They'd told him that his Leighlah hadn't suffered, but the man could still feel her screams echoing through what was left of the building.

James...

The voice of Beverly brought him out of his vivid past like a neck-breaking jerk. He gripped the nearest object, struggling to control his breath. A cold sweat had broken out over his face. Alcohol. He needed alcohol. And he needed it now. The man desperately groped in his pockets and fished out a small bottle of heavy liquor. With trembling, desperate hands he unscrewed the bottle and emptied it. It burned like hell, and it didn't do anything to take away the roaring screams of his wife's death.

I.....

He fished in his pockets again... Desperate. Desperate for something. Anything. Anything to make the pain go away. In his coat under a box of cigarettes he felt a familiar rock-like lump.

I never thought......

The man pulled the small rock of narcotics up to his nose and gave a quick snuff. He felt the drug hit his blood instantly. Then it all stopped. The pain. The memory. Leighlah's screams, her pain was gone. He closed his eyes as a trail of blood made its way down his nose. He could feel the panic subside at last. When he opened his eyes, James was composed again. Relaxed and in control.

In a million years...

The man wiped the blood coming from his nose off on the back of his hand before he offered Rashae a winsome smile, "Ye know I won't, lass. I'll take good care." He moved in to Beverly's bedside. The high euphoria still lingering tingling in his mind from the hit he took. James took her bandaged hand, gingerly.

"Ay there, sexy," the man said with a sly tone in his voice. "I bet ye missed me eh?" he gave a knowing smile and chuckle, "Ye worried about ye hair eh?" James looked at Rashae with a look of mock scolding. Even under the influence, he was coherent enough to know what he was looking at. He could see her mangled mess. But he was also a man with a bluff that few could rival. "Ye daughter told me I ain't allowed to do what I did when we met. Too bad too. The way ye look now I'd consider givin' her a sister."

It seemed to be just about all that James could make.

"Bev," what did you say to a woman you knocked up and left? He'd never had this problem before. All the other mothers died or left too, or their kids had already moved on. He licked his lips. This was his chance to make it right, to give it a second shot.

"Ye done good," he began, "Ye raised a girl to be proud of. I'm proud 'o 'er. She ain't like me. Not in the bad ways. But she be like me in the good ways," he gave a pained smile, "I dun e'en know if thar be any 'o those. She smart. She pretty like her momma. She done good for herself and made somethin'. She made somethin' to be proud 'a, somethin' that makes a difference," he scratched his face, "I ne'er knew somethin' this good could come from someone like me. But I be guessin' she got that from ye." James shifted his weight. The high was wearing off. He could feel reality beginning to pound back down on his head. He didn't have too much time left before what he could manage of happiness and bliss was all gone again and he had to scrape up another form. But he had enough time to try and amend some things if they weren't too far broken.

"I sorry for all I done that caused pain," he continued, "I sorry fer leavin', stickin' ye up, fer not being there when I shoulda, fer not takin' me responsibility, fer not puttin' in me part. Fer all the lives I hurt with what I done, I'm sorry." His vision flicked from [member="Rashae"] to her mother and back again, "I dun't deserve any forgiveness fer what I done. All I can hope is that somethin' good come from it."

 

[Rashae]

Rashae handled trauma differently and deeply difficult emotional issues were no exception. The lady had a few of her own. She went cold, dead cold. It wasn't any better than what James was doing. She watched him with a cold detachment as she was sure he was going through something, some memory but remained the cool customer. She saw him pull the rock of narcotics out to ward the pain off. Pain. The both of them dealt with keeping it at bay but in different ways. While he talked to Beverly she went to the side and got a gauze swab.

She went to his hand and nose while he spoke and took a wipe of the hand at least if not the nose too. The doctor moved to the side as the two spoke as a quick analyze of his blood told her what was in his system. Problem was the extreme highs came with extreme lows. The drug needed a stabilizer. It took her only a second to work silently to the side to mix a few things to stabilize the drug he sniffed and last longer with not the crash he was used to. Rashae even reran the calculations, the result was a mixture that was put into a hypogun.

Beverly smiled her half smile at James initial play on words. She knew it was a play on words but accepted the flattery anyway. The next had both Rashae and Beverly paying attention. The Doctor in the raven haired woman watched James as he gained some control.

“James your a scoundrel and a flirt, but good to hear.” She said in her slurred speech of a drugged woman. He was a charmer and so engaging. “Maybe when I'm out of this joint.” She chuckled hoarsely.

She listened to his very passionate words of how he felt. Beverly patted his hand as she shook her head. “James.. I'm not sorry.”

She started. “I did what I wanted for a change, with you. It was the best damned weekend of my life. When I found out I was with child, it wasn't because I was supposed to and when that child...” she pointed to Rashae. “was a girl. It was because I wanted it. Not by some mandate or creed or edict. She happened just because. No.. Not sorry not one damned bit!” She said a bit more lucid as she actually showed some emotion other than surface.

Rashae thought 'great, now I'm some happy accident.' but she finished putting the combo into the hypogun as they continued speaking. She came beside James and gently with a no nonsense approach and no warning put the hypo to his neck and sent the drug into his system. What it should do is take the high that was plummeting and even it out. “you shouldn't be crashing about now. “ She said in his ear as she patted him on the back. Rashae turned to her datapad to notate down the formula for improvements. Her father may want it in the future.

“James. I would have told you but.. I couldn't find you. “ That was the only look of regret. “Even still I couldnt tell Boris.” She laughed. “He thought I had a thing for his brother. “ she shrugged her shoulders a bit. Her eyes closed briefly as if that expenditure of energy was all she had.

“Do not sell yourself short father. No one acquires a conglomerate like you have by being stupid. You haven't seen everything I can do. “ There was a slight wicked smile as she gave him a side long look. That slight hint of dangerous that most miss.

“Rashae, can I have a mirror now. “ She insisted with a huff as she suddenly came awake again.

“mother, no. you don't want to see this. You had a melt down the first time you did. Tomorrow we can finish the debridement and get your tissues ready for reconstruction. Please, be patient. In six months, you wont even see any of this. “ The first time she saw a mirror after the burns she had a break down. “In nine months you will be good as new.”


"Still need that shipping father. " it was said in a quiet voice. Rashae didn't really want to bring up business around her mother. The raven haired doctor put a hand on his shoulder. "She needs to rest. "