Fighting the Past

[Zhin Zondaar]

[member="Lucia Nox"]

The day was just starting. A familiar ringing was soon stopped when Zhin smashed the dismiss button on his alarm. He struggled to get out of his bed as he walked slowly to his bathroom. When he made it in he washed his face and stepped in the shower. The heavenly sensation of the warm water hitting his skin was enough to wake him up. As he left the shower and began to put on his clothes for bartending, he started to feel the beginning of a headache. Rarely did he get these, usually it meant trouble but he forgot about it trying to live peacefully without remnants from his past messing it up.

Zhin entered his kitchen to grab some wine before he left. He filled up a glass, downing it soon after. The next thing he grabbed was a pill. It was something that helped with his ptsd minimizing what triggered it. Swallowing without water, he nearly choked getting his final object. It was a switchblade, for safety of course. And with that, he was out the door of his apartment.

The bar wasn't a very far walking distance from his home so that was his way of getting there. Calling an air taxi would be a waste of money anyways. Zhin loved this life. Everyday it was the same routine but he didn't have to worry about anything. Well, the bar having to be repaired every now and then could be considered a worry but other than that, none. He had friends at this place some that would cover him if he did something really bad, and others that just needed someone to talk to every so often. It was a good life.

Almost at the cantina, Zhin's headache seemed to get increasingly worse. Again, he thought nothing of it and continued walking. At the door the stench of drunken men was strong. He loved this smell, probably because he was a drunk too. Zhin opened the door and seen one of his friends working.

"Hey Floyd. We working together this shift?" he asked. Floyd grinned and waved. "Unfortunately, it appears so." he answered. Zhin grinned back and chuckled. "Ah, don't make me be a hellion." he joked heading towards counter. "Hey man, grab me some of that new whiskey that just came in will ya." Floyd asked. Zhin exhaled and nodded. "Hey, thanks."

When he got to the storage room, he grabbed a bottle out of a crate near the front. Shiny metallic objects under some books caught his eye. Just when he was about to grab one he remembered what they were and picked up a certain one. It produced a memory he wasn't fond of so he place it back down and put it back. He teared up a little before wiping his eyes.

He sat down there for a moment holding the cold whiskey.

 

[Lucia Nox]

Lucia Nox was not attending her lessons this morning. Her long brown robes--so distinctive of her place in the world as a Jedi--were folded neatly in a drawer miles away from the entertainment district where she now strolled, bumping shoulders and rubbing elbows with lifeforms of every size, shape, and color. The name of today's game was 'blend in and don't get caught.' At twenty-three standard years of age, Lucia was given clothes to wear that were supposedly the trend of young women in her age bracket, and although she looked the part of a normal civilian, she certainly did not blend in. The crowning glory of her molten blonde hair was free from her habitual braided knot, bouncing down her shoulders fetchingly, and the slender curves and valleys of her body were liberated from the shroud of her usual robes. Today, Lucia felt free. It was intoxicating.

'Don't get carried away, my very young apprentice,' Her master had cautioned before she left, looking her up and down with the kind of displeasure one might expect from a father watching his daughter leave the house looking a little too grown-up. Master Venn was not her father--Lucia was an orphan, by all accounts--but he was the closest thing to it, and, much to his chagrin, Lucia spent a great deal of her time disobeying him as a real daughter would. Today was no different. 'Remember your objective,' were his last words to her that morning. 'Track those bounty hunters, see who they're working for, and nothing more. No detours. This your first undercover assignment alone--don't make me regret it.'

Famous last words. As far as Lucia was concerned, what Master Venn didn't know wouldn't hurt him. She'd been tracking all morning as instructed, and she thought it was time for a quick diversion.

The entrance to the bar slid open in a clean, metallic whoosh. Lucia stepped inside. All at once, she became acutely aware that every eye in the establishment had turned to fixate on her, and she couldn't help but wonder what so many men were doing slumped over their drinks at this early hour. As the stale, sickly sweet aroma of alcohol permeated her senses, she realized that most of them had not left from the night before. Alcohol was a cruel mistress.

Lucia seated herself at a barstool in the far corner. No sooner than she did, a particularly pungent Rodian male slid into the barstool next to her. "What's a lovely thing like you doing in a place like this?" He slurred, leaning in a bit too close for comfort. Lucia rolled her eyes heavenward, inhaling deeply. "You don't want to hit on me," She murmured without missing a beat. "You want to go home and apologize to your wife."

The Force had a particularly strong effect on the weak-minded. The Rodian, falling under Lucia's mind trick, nodded and responded as if under a spell. "I don't want to hit on you," He said robotically, standing and walking toward the door. "I want to go home and apologize to my wife."

"Charming," Lucia remarked, watching him leave before turning her attention back to the bar. Her brilliant blue gaze fell on a small bell--'ring for service,' it said--and without further thought or hesitation, Lucia outstretched one slender hand and gave it a pleasant ding. "One mimosa, please."

[member="Zhin Zondaar"]

 

[Zhin Zondaar]

[member="Lucia Nox"]

Zhin stood up exhaling as he left the storage room. Just when he was about to close the door he felt something, it was a force user. Though this didn't worry him too much since he had protection against most mental tricks, the thought of one being in his bar was just unsettling. Of course as per usual he tried to not get bothered by it.

The walk he walked was slow, his eyes stuck on the whiskey's label for a moment. He stopped looking and went on his way. As he got to the bar a very beautiful young lady was sitting at the bar. Floyd seemed to be making her a drink. Zhin got close beside him to talk after smiling at her as he walked by.

"Got your booze." pausing, he set it on a shelf. "Who's the pretty one over there?" Floyd grinned. "Why you wanna know?" Zhin didn't answer but punched him lightly instead. Floyd continued his grin. "Don't know dude. I just started making her a mimosa as she ordered." Zhin was about to speak when he was cut off. "Hey, be careful man. A guy tried to hit on her and ended up walking out like a robot." Floyd said this with a serious tone but Zhin laughed at him. "Oh whatever. You're probably drunk if you're seeing stuff like that." he said this but knew a force user was near. He wondered if the source could be her. The drink was now done, Zhin offered to take it. "Shall I take this drink of delight to our maiden of witchcraft?" he laughed as he asked this. "Ya know what man, you don't have to believe me. Suit yourself." Zhin was worried his joking was too far but he carried on.

The choice of drink was an interesting one. He approached his new visitor with the cold drink, setting it down in front of her. "I wasn't the one who prepared it, just the delivery boy." he said smiling. Zhin stood there analyzing her beauty. Staring probably wasn't a good first impression. "Are you here drinking on any occasion?" he didn't really know what to say after that, so he started asking the usual questions. Hopefully he didn't end up like the other guy. Zhin didn't know what to think of it though. He trusted Floyd so he held on to the tiniest chance that it was true.

 

[Lucia Nox]

Lucia snapped to attention at the sound of a glass clinking onto the bar in front of her. "Talk about quick service," She murmured, more to herself than to anyone else, but as she lifted her gaze and reached out to claim her drink, she abruptly paused. A swarthy young man was smiling down at her from across the bar, and for a fleeting moment, Lucia simply returned his stare. Her clear blue eyes were as tapered and calculating as a feline's, but beneath her cool exterior, she was not immune to his broad, charming smile. There was something else there, too--something about him that Lucia could not quite pinpoint. The energy around him felt warm, complex, and somehow familiar; Lucia thought she could sense faint traces of the Force on him, inhaling it from his close proximity to her as if it were cologne, but she dismissed the thought as quickly as it came.

"I wasn't the one who prepared it, just the delivery boy," He said, interrupting her thoughts. Lucia lifted an eyebrow, but now she was smiling, too--a small, almost secretive smile. "Who will I know to tip, then?" She replied, quick as ever, raising her glass in the air as if to toast him. "Here's to you, delivery boy." With that, she tilted her shining blonde head and took a small sip, savoring the flavor as if it were forbidden fruit--given that, for a Jedi apprentice, it was--all while keeping her gaze on him. She wasn't accustomed to acting like this--that is, like a normal woman her age--and the longer she played the part, the more she found she was enjoying her temporary freedom.

"Are you here drinking on any occasion?" Delivery Boy asked, and Lucia's sharp mind immediately launched into an imaginary dialogue that went something like, 'Oh yes--I'm a poorly behaved Jedi out tracking a gaggle of bounty hunters and needed a drink, what about you?", but something told her that wouldn't go over very well. Instead, she simply replied, "Just here on business."

Little did Lucia know, that 'business' was catching up to her, and catching up to her fast. She heard the sound of the bar's entrance whoosh open behind her, and without turning around, she could sense that there were three large figures who were stepping inside. They made themselves at home in a shadowy corner across the room. Lucia's ears pricked up. "Can you believe the Jedi?" one gruff voice rumbled in a low, quiet growl. "Meddling fools, the lot of them!" another deep voice agreed. "They've had one of their own out tracking us since daybreak," A third one said, and this made Lucia's blood run cold. "A blonde, little thing. You'd think they'd send someone bigger." The trio laughed. After a moment, the first one piped up again, but now his voice sounded nervous. "If they find out who we're working for, it's all over." "I wouldn't worry about that. We'll take care of their puny little tracker soon enough. How about some drinks, boys?"

All at once, a thousand thoughts and feelings surged through Lucia like white hot adrenaline. Stupid girl, she thought. They're here, and they know. It was either fight or flight now, unless . . . unless she could continue acting.

"Actually," Lucia said slowly, weaving a careful lie. "I just broke up with my boyfriend. In fact--" She leaned in closer and lowered her voice to a whisper. "I think he might have just walked in. Do you think you could take me back there?" Lucia nodded toward the storage room behind the bar. "Just until he leaves? He's a bit crazy--the jealous type."

Lucia prayed that Delivery Boy bought the story, but she was running out of time, and she knew it. Reaching out into the energy field behind her, she could feel at least one pair of unfriendly eyes boring into the back of her head--probing into that unmistakable head of blonde.

[member="Zhin Zondaar"]

 

[Zhin Zondaar]

[member="Lucia Nox"]

After taking her drink the young lady returned his stare. While doing this, he really took in her beauty even though it was for only a moment. He let his guard down at this moment, realizing this he looked to the side slightly. Remembering what this woman may be capable of.

When Zhin had let her know he didn't make the drink she asked who to tip. He would begin to speak but stop watching her hand as she raised the glass and quickly spoke. "Here is to you, delivery boy." she said taking a sip of the drink after. He was a little confused. "To what reason do I deserve a toast?" he asked curiously. This didn't happen often at his bar so he was flattered. Not only that, she nicknamed him delivery boy. He found this hilarious chuckling to himself.

Business? Zhin wondered just what kind of business. Every person had a long story in this part of the galaxy, he heard a new one at least everyday. Just when he was about to ask about hers a group of three entered the cantina. They sat down in a corner, saying some stuff about Jedi and tracking and blonde and wait- it all made sense now if he thought correct. He really hoped it wasn't the case though, or it was very possible his work as a bartender could be messed up.

The young lady started to speak, almost immediately after the trio were settled in. She had a request. It was to hide her in the storage room until the men left. Her story was that one of them was apparently her ex and he would probably be trouble if she was seen by him. Zhin walked up beside Floyd whispering something to him. He came back over to the part of the bar across from the lady. Exhaling and nodding it was okay he began his walk towards the room signaling her to follow. When they would make it inside, he would shut the door behind them hoping his fear wouldn't be reality. His fear being that she's the one they were speaking of.

 

[Lucia Nox]

"Thanks," Lucia breathed, following him around the bar and back into the storage room without any further thoughts or hesitations. As the door swung shut behind them, she knew that--at least for the moment--she was safe. However, something else had caught her attention.

The storage room was quite small and made for cramped quarters. Lucia pressed the smooth plane of her back against the wall and studied Delivery Boy's sharp, dusky features. Her clear blue eyes moved from his dark hair, to his matching eyes, to his tanned olive skin. His looks were a stark contrast to her own: where he was rich and golden like the sun, she was light and fair like the moon. Jedi or not, Lucia was neither blind nor entirely resistant to the natural observations of a woman her age. She found him quite handsome.

That's not what caught her attention, though--not entirely. As they squeezed into the small storage room together, the space between them becoming scant, Lucia felt the oxygen in her lungs nearly give way. The energy within that small space--and especially the energy around Delivery Boy--was suffocating. Lucia had never felt anything so strong in her life, but she recognized it instantly for what it was: the Force. It burned hot and oppressive through the air between them, as if it were being stifled but still managing to escape, coursing through the atmosphere and beating against Lucia's skin in invisible steaming waves.

It was possible for a Jedi to produce that much energy on their own if they were nervous or frightened enough--but somewhere deep within the pit of her stomach, Lucia knew that she was not producing this on her own. It took her breath away. She peered into the young man's roguish face with freshly searching eyes. "What's your story, Delivery Boy?" She ventured, masking her swiftly racing curiosity with casual conversation. "Do you have a name?"

Lucia breathed deeply. It was really growing warm in there. She reached around to the nape of her neck and grabbed a fistful of her long wheaten curls, holding them up off her shoulders with one hand so fresh air could hit her skin. Her brilliant gaze flashed to the door, reaching beyond it with her mind and sensing that the three thugs were still there. She didn't know how much time she had. Her blue eyes snapped back to the man. "My name is Lucia--Lucia Nox," She said, extending one slender hand for him to shake. "But some people call me Lucy."

By 'some people,' she really meant only her master. It was a pet name of sorts, and she wasn't entirely sure why she felt comfortable sharing it with Delivery Boy now. Lucia was not prone to trusting strangers. Perhaps it was all a part of the act, or perhaps the high energy in the space between them was clouding her head. In either case, she didn't have much of a choice--it was trust this man or face the goon squad outside. Lucia didn't have to think too hard about whose company she preferred.

[member="Zhin Zondaar"]

 

[Zhin Zondaar]

[member="Lucia Nox"]

The room may of felt cramped to the young lady but this was his place he needed to relax while on the job, and to get the needed materials as well. Maybe it was the presence of his friends lightsaber in the room alongside with his own weapon. Though he knew those didn't help with his mental stability if he tried to hold one. It could have been the large collection of booze so close to him too. Either way, he felt calm and at home in this little space.

The force was quite strong in the atmosphere around them while they stayed in that small space. For a moment he was confused until he remembered. This girl was somehow linked to the trio of men which meant she was most likely a Jedi. Plus, this much energy was overwhelming so it added to his belief. He ignored that though so he wouldn't have to reveal he was formerly a Jedi if she asked. There was no way she wouldn't feel his presence, hopefully he could figure a way to explain that.

Zhin didn't look at the young lady the whole time as he sat down on an empty crate. People could seeing lying through a lot of body actions, eyes was probably the best way to see on Zhin. So he didn't make a habit of looking at her. Instead, he looked at the two metallic objects he noticed earlier. The young lady asked about his story as well as his name, he inhaled before speaking. Not that it required a lot of air to tell. "Well, my name is Zhin Zondaar. Grew up here until I joined the military. After a few years I seen something very horrible and ran off ending up here." he paused looking down. "I am a coward but I don't think the military would've been able to use a mentally damage soldier." he paused once more looking back up to the metallic objects. "That's about all there is to it." he said not showing any signs of lying, except for the force energy around him. That's when she probably knew it was a lie. It was true in a away, since he is damaged. Of course he can still fight just not as good, how would that help anyone. Jedi aren't supposed to get attached to a point where it hinders your abilities to be jedi, and that's what happened.

After his introductions the young lady did hers. She said her name was Lucia Nox. "Lucia Nox? Pretty name." he paused repeating it in his head so he could remember later. "I suppose I'll call you Lucy then. I prefer nicknames over original ones anyways." he said standing up and shaking her hand. It was slender, warm, and soft, he let go and sat back down after that. "Let's hear your story if you would be so kind, Miss Lucy. I'm sure it's more interesting then most I hear everyday."

 

[Lucia Nox]

His story held up on the surface, but as he avoided her probing gaze, she sensed that there was more to to him than met the eye. Zhin Zondaar had secrets, and Lucia had questions. "Mentally damaged?" She asked gently, not wanting to offend him but unable to contain the thoughts hurtling through her sharply inquisitive mind. As soon as she asked the question, however, she shook her golden head. "I'm sorry," She continued, averting the blue of her eyes for a moment before lifting them once more. "I didn't mean to pry. War is horrible--I've seen things that have made me want to run away, too."

That was the truth. Lucia had born witness to real world atrocities that made the stuff of dreams and nightmares look tame--not just as a Jedi on the battlefront, but also as a child orphaned in the slums. Her story was not a pretty one. When Zhin asked for it, Lucia hesitated. She wasn't in the habit of narrating her life story to strange men. Besides, there was only so much she could tell.

"'Interesting' isn't the word I'd choose," Lucia began slowly, sinking down to sit on a crate just opposite him. "I never knew my parents or where I was born. When I was a little girl, I liked to imagine that I was from somewhere pretty, like Naboo." Lucia smiled to herself, but it was small and held faint traces of sadness. "I was dropped off at an orphanage in lower Coruscant when I was still a baby. I spent my first few years there--the place was a dump, but I learned how to survive. It wasn't until I was four or five that I was--"

Lucia paused abruptly. That I was taken in and trained by the Jedi, is what she was going to say before she caught herself. She quickly recovered. "--that I was adopted." Phew. That was close. She offered Zhin another smile, but this time it was real. "Ever since then, I--" Lucia paused again, but this time for a much different reason. There was a sudden shift in the Force outside the storage room door. It felt urgent and warning, and all at once Lucia's attention snapped to the door. On the other side, she could hear angry shouting. "I know you're hiding her, boy! Let us through!" Uh oh, she thought. Time's up.

Zing! Crash!

The storage room door came down in a rain of red blaster fire! Smoke billowed through the tiny space, and the hulking outlines of the three bounty hunters faded into view. "Jedi scum!" One of them shouted through the haze.

Instinctively, Lucia pulled a metallic cylinder from its hiding place within her boot and ignited it. The shimmering blue of her lightsaber hummed to life, illuminating her face with its glow. The show was over. Lucia could pretend no more. She shouted over her shoulder to Zhin. "I'll explain later--Run!"


[member="Zhin Zondaar"]

 

[Zhin Zondaar]

[member="Lucia Nox"]

Zhin was relieved when her first response was asking about his mental damage. He would begin to speak but be cut off by an apology from her. "It's fine. I just have PTSD from those bad memories. Nothing major." he explained exhaling. When he heard they had something in common, he was relieved once again.

After some hesitation, Lucia started to tell her story. Zhin sat and listened as she, herself sat down. He glanced over at her and saw a small smile when she spoke of Naboo. The life she had to live, as an orphan, was pitiful. Zhin couldn't relate since he seen his parents after school everyday. He was glad he didn't mention that when telling his. As Lucia continued her story she paused. He didn't know what to think of this glancing her way but waited for her to resume. When she finished that bit, Lucia sent a smile towards his way and he returned it of course.

There was an pause in Lucia's speaking when she started her next part. Her eyes were at the door now. Zhin stood up concerned. "What's wro-" just as he was trying to ask, the one voice out of the trio of men was heard. It seemed her "ex-boyfriend" had found out where he took Lucia. Without time to act blaster fire took down the door filling the small room with smoke. Zhin coughed from all the smoke as ignition from a lightsaber was heard, and within the smoke he could see the weapon held by Lucia.

It appeared Floyd was telling the truth. Dang it Floyd. I told you to keep these men busy. he thought shaking his head. There was no more time to think about this situation. Zhin ran as she said charging right through the men.

 

[Lucia Nox]

"Blast her!" A fresh torrent of red lasers ripped through the smoke and into the storage room. Lucia swung her lightsaber defensively through the air, the humming sound of the azure blade shifting from high to low with every change in movement, volleying each strike away. One of the strikes bounced off the edge of her saber and hit the smallest of the trio--who appeared to be human--bringing him to the ground.

The other two were not so easily disbanded. They were growing closer now, pressing in on Lucia and forcing her back into the shallow depths of the storage room. Even through the smoke of the blaster fire, their close proximity made it easier for Lucia to make out their appearances: one of them was a Weequay, while the other--clearly the leader of the pack--was a mean-looking Trandoshan with scaly skin so deeply green that it almost appeared black. One of his strikes met its target: a blaster burn sizzled into the front of Lucia's shoulder. She cried out in pain, instinctively dropping to her knees. Her lightsaber rolled away onto the floor. The Trandoshan laughed, baring white teeth that gleamed like fangs, as he held up a hand to the Weequay to hold his fire. Both men lowered their blasters, and the Trandoshan knelt down to take Lucia's chin roughly in his hand, tilting her face up towards his own.

"Pretty child," He leered, the yellow of his reptilian eyes flashing with twisted delight. "Do the Jedi value you so little as to send you here to die?" The Weequay simpered, and Lucia could not help herself--she spat like an angry cat. The Trandoshan snarled, tightening his grip for a moment, before he slowly chuckled once more. "There, there, pet," He said, running one long fingernail down the smooth plane of her cheek. "You'd make too good of a bounty for me to kill. I know a few Hutts who would pay a hefty sum for your company."

Lucia struggled, glaring up at him with defiant blue eyes. "We're onto you," She murmured. "There are others who will come after me. We'll find out who you're working for."

This only made the Trandoshan laugh more. "By the time your friends come after you, I'll have sold you half-way across the galaxy," He said. "And we'll be far away by then. Scorza--take her lightsaber."

The Weequay, Scorza, bent down to retrieve the weapon. As he did, something shiny glinted in his pocket. Lucia narrowed her eyes. She would recognize that insignia anywhere--it was a gold piece bearing the mark of the One Sith. Lucia felt her pulse quicken. Perhaps she hadn't failed her mission just yet.

In a flash, she outstretched one palm toward her lightsaber--it flew into her waiting hand. The Trandoshan picked up his blaster to fire once more, but before he could, Lucia slashed a deep mark into the side of his face. The Trandoshan cursed and growled. Gritting her teeth though the pain of her shoulder, Lucia sprang upward and landed her foot squarely into the Weequay's chest, knocking him onto the body of their fallen human comrade as she beat a hasty escape through the gaping hole where the door to the storage room once stood. "Sorry for the mess!" She shouted to the bewildered patrons of the bar as she ran. The Trandoshan and the Weequay barreled out of the storage room and followed hot on her heels out of the bar and into the bustling streets of the entertainment district. Lucia glanced over her shoulder. Blast, she thought. She needed help, and she needed help fast.

[member="Zhin Zondaar"]

 

[Zhin Zondaar]

[member="Lucia Nox"]

Zhin watched it all unfold from a distance. Luckily the men didn't go after him but remained focused on the girl. He felt helpless and wanted to help, that would interrupt his peaceful life however. That's what he didn't want even more than anything. His thinking was halted by Lucia letting out a noise that sounded painful. The humming from the saber was gone. Looking to the side and not watching as things unfolded even more, he was angry. He couldn't help back then and it was happening all over again. Suddenly, the ignition of a lightsaber was heard. Just when I thought you were done for. he thought grinning. Lucia was defiantly a fighter, more of one than him. Lucia apologized to the customers as she quickly left the bar. The two remaining men followed very close behind her. Though he didn't like the situation, he couldn't just leave her. With there being more enemies and her injured, he punched the wall.

The young man made his decision. He walked slowly back into the storage room, pulling both lightsabers to his hand. Floyd met him at the door when he was about to leave. He grabbed Zhin's shoulder stopping his movement. "Holy crap man! I don't know what happened back there but I knew she was bad trouble." he said in his usual friendly tone. Speaking in a calm voice Zhin responded. "You was right man. I'm going to go to the police real quick so I'll be back." Floyd looked at the metallic objects in Zhin's hand. "What are you doing with those? Aren't those weapons used by Jedi?" Zhin looked at him, then back to the door way. "Don't worry man. I'll be back soon" he said smiling though it was fake. Holding these weapons caused him a great deal of pain. It made him angry thinking about the past and the current situation, he left the bar sprinting after Lucia and her pursuers.

Using the force to sense Lucia's location he began to catch up. Skilled in ataru, he leaped onto buildings one to the next following them from above. At the right moment he jumped down in between Lucia and the men. Zhin ignited both lightsabers preparing to fight.

 

[Lucia Nox]

Nothing could have prepared Lucia for the image of Zhin falling from the sky. The mid-morning sun set him aglow like some sort of demi-god, and as he landed on his feet like a big cat, the rush of not one--but two--lightsabers igniting out of each of his fists was enough to make Lucia stop dead in her tracks. "I knew there was more to you, Delivery Boy," She murmured, smiling, but there was no time for pleasantries. The Weequay and the Trandoshan were closing in now, backing Zhin and Lucia into a narrow alley.

"Isn't this special?" The Trandoshan drawled. "The handsome prince has come to save his damsel. I never liked fairytales much myself. What about you, Scorza?"

The Weequay merely snickered and shook his head. It was clear that he was neither as witty nor as clever as his hulking comrade. Lucia had had enough of both of them. "I'm not a damsel," She retorted, but it didn't matter--her words were all but drowned out by the sound of fresh blaster fire from the barrels of the two thugs.

Lucia ignited her own lightsaber and fell into line at Zhin's side, entering the fray without second thought or hesitation. Her golden curls swung wildly with each jumping and twisting movement of her body, engaging with Zhin's masterful fighting style like a fluid dance. She was a fighter through and through, and a survivor to the core--but as the firefight raged on, it became apparent that her shoulder was slowing her down, and the bounty hunters seemed to be wearing thin.

"No Jedi is worth this," The Weequay snarled as the glint of a lightsaber slashed down his arm, the smoke from the blaster fire too hazy to discern whether the strike came from Lucia or Zhin, so seamless was their work as a team. The Trandoshan only growled in response, turning a dangerous yellow eye toward Lucia. "We'll be coming back for you, girl," He threatened, pointing a long gnarled finger in her direction. "Bad things happen to Jedi who know too much."

With that, the bounty hunters turned tail and fled. They were cowards.

Lucia, injured and breathing heavily, fell her to her knees. For the most part, she had accomplished her mission--discover who the stupid brutes worked for--but she had botched everything else with her own recklessness. They knew the Jedi were keeping tabs on them now, and it was her fault. There was nothing she could do now, and the pain in her shoulder made it difficult to think. She doubled over, clutching at the wound, almost more out of anger than anything else. For a moment, she was silent.

"I suppose I should explain myself," She said quietly, lifting her blonde head and fixing Zhin with those indomitable blue eyes. Her gaze flashed meaningfully at the lightsabers in his hands. " . . . but I'm not the only one who has some explaining to do."

Any explaining they did, however, would need to be done elsewhere. The bounty hunters might have been brutish and stupid, but something made Lucia believe the Trandoshan when he promised that he would come back for her. That wasn't a gamble she was willing to take.

[member="Zhin Zondaar"]

 

[Zhin Zondaar]

[member="Lucia Nox"]

Glancing back at her, Zhin smirked. "Unfortunately, now you do." he said returning his look back to the trouble makers. They commented on his arrival and what they said, he found funny. "Yes, yes. The name's Prince Zhin. Now bow before me beasts." he laughed in his mind while saying this. His fun was put to a stop when they started shooting again. Zhin simply deflected it trying to shield Lucia. The blade of her lightsaber was ignited as she joined the fight shortly after. Zhin exhaled when it was finally over relieved he didn't get himself killed.

The lightsabers in both hands shut off when the attackers escaped. He looked over at Lucia who seemed to have fallen to her knees. Then she spoke about both of them having explaining to do. He nodded walking over to her and kneeling, setting the lightsabers down beside them. Analyzing the wound he knew just letting it be wouldn't be wise. Zhin looked to the side when he went to talk. "That probably hurts a whole lot just by looking at you. It's amazing that you are even conscious right now. Most women wouldn't last." he admitted. Looking at her with a straight face he gave her an offer. "I have an apartment not too far from the bar that you just helped destroy." he said laughing. "We can fix you up there if you want. I'll even carry you there since I'm apparently a prince." he said with a smile. He awaited her answer.

Today was one of the stranger ones for Zhin. First, he works with Floyd randomly which wasn't even that weird. Then a very attractive young lady comes inside the bar and asks to hide her from an ex boyfriend. Finally they fight the boyfriend who actually isn't her ex boyfriend, resulting in many questions that need to be answered. It was a pretty odd day in his life, at the end he was tired and needed a drink. Hopefully his friend enjoyed alcohol as much as he does.

 

[Lucia Nox]

"I've had worse," Lucia said quietly, giving Zhin a small half-smile as he knelt to examine her wound. She flinched at the touch of his fingers on her shoulder, like a little animal ready to bolt. Lucia was not quick to hand out her trust--but the energy around Zhin was warm and inexorably comforting. Try as she might, Lucia could not shake the deep, Force-driven conviction that this man was good. He had his problems--Lucia could sense that, too--but his goodness shone above them all and radiated out of him in waves. She felt her tense body begin to relax.

"I have an apartment not too far from the bar you just helped destroy," He said, and this made Lucia release a short breath of laughter. "I'm sorry for that," She replied, shaking her head as if they had both just hopped off a wild rollercoaster. His humor was infectious. "We can fix you up there if you want," He continued, and Lucia merely looked at him with clear, grateful eyes. "You've done enough for me already--you were amazing out there," She remarked, but she knew his words had merit. She had nowhere else to go, and the bounty hunters would be back. "I would appreciate that."

When he offered to carry her, however, Lucia drew the line. "You're very kind, Prince Zhin," She replied, playing along with what had become their little joke. "But I don't think that will be necessary." Lucia attempted to rise, but--much to her chagrin-- her body would not allow it. The fresh, circular mark of the blaster still sizzled and burned in the front of her shoulder, but the pain managed to travel from below her collarbone down to the tips of her toes. She frowned, glowering down at her gimp shoulder with what she intended to be a glare, but in effect it more resembled the look of a petulant kitten. Lucia--fiercely independent to the core--resented the feeling of uselessness. Most of all, she resented feeling dependent on others. As a child, the only person she could depend on was herself.

Now, however, she looked up at Zhin with reluctant acceptance settling into the blue of her eyes--a look that appeared to say Alright, let's get on with it--a silent invitation for him to scoop her up and carry her the stretch to his apartment. She would be a little thing in his arms and no trouble to carry, but Lucia still didn't like it. She didn't say a word during their entire walk there, but subtly--almost imperceptibly--she allowed the full swell of her lips to form the faintest trace of a pout as she curled into his arms. First the botched mission, and now this. Where Zhin was having a strange day, Lucia was quite simply having a bad one.

[member="Zhin Zondaar"]

 

[Zhin Zondaar]

[member="Lucia Nox"]

The bar was the least of his worries, really. It'd be different if they shot a few civilians while they were on their rampage. He shook his head when she mentioned that. As the conversation carried on, she also mentioned his skills. Not something he was ready to talk about but gave a casual reply. "You was pretty good yourself."

She accepted his offer to go back to his apartment and tend to her wound, but refused to be carried at first. Eventually after trying to get up she allowed him to help. Zhin picked up the lightsabers and put them in a pocket. This may have looked weird to Lucia, at least it showed he wasn't a Jedi anymore if she found that much out. He picked her up gently and started towards the apartment. While they made their way there, neither of them said a word.

As they approached the door Zhin got ready to unlock it. The lock was a simple numeric key pad. He input the numbers and a click noise could be heard. "Don't use that password to rob me one day." he joked turning around, pushing the door open with his back. When they got inside he closed the door with his back, then brought Lucia over to the couch and set her down slowly to avoid any more pain.

The apartment had two floors. One the first would be the kitchen, living room, bathroom, and laundry room. On the second was a bedroom and another bathroom. It was a little big for him but he didn't mind the extra space.

They were out of the streets and it was time to treat Lucia's wound. However Zhin was at a stop, because he didn't know what to do about a wound such as that. "I know I said I'd help get you better.. but I haven't ever dealt with blaster burns before. Could you tell me how we should go about tending to it?" he said feeling a little bad about not knowing this.

 

[Lucia Nox]

As Zhin carried Lucia over the threshold, joking with her all the way, warmth flooded her body. She was not in the habit of going home with strange men, but where she should have felt cautious and on edge, she simply felt relieved. Reaching out into the Force, she knew that there was no danger here. His apartment felt like safety and smelled like home. "You have a nice place," Lucia remarked, but her voice was cut short as he gently shifted her in his arms and prepared to lay her down on the couch. She exhaled sharply in pain with the new movement, squeezing her eyes shut and instinctively pressing her blonde head against his chest until the fresh flash of throbbing subsided. Zhin was careful with her, but the wound appeared to be nastier than either of them realized. "Sorry," She breathed after a moment. "I'm alright."

Zhin lowered her down to the couch as if she were a fragile porcelain doll, and Lucia welcomed the soft feeling of the cushions beneath her back. She smiled up at him when he asked her how to treat the blaster burn. "Don't worry--it's basic first aid. If you have bacta, antiseptic, and any sort of gauze, that should do the trick," She said, her tone reassuring. "You'll need to clean and dress the wound. I'll help you as much as I can, but first--"

It was here that Lucia paused. This part was tricky, and she suddenly felt quite self-conscious. "--but first, this needs to come off." She motioned to the outermost layer of her shirt. Pink color might have slowly begun to flush the apples of her cheeks as she averted her gaze to the floor--but she briskly willed it away, and the blush disappeared as quickly as it had come. Lucia had neither the time nor the tolerance for idiotic, girlish feelings of embarrassment. Not when her shoulder required her full attention. This was business.

Lifting her eyes slowly, Lucia looked to Zhin for help. "I can't lift my shoulder and pull it off on my own," She ventured. "But I think we can slip it off this way--" She carefully twisted this way and that, keeping her shoulder low as they worked to release her from the confines of her shirt. Slowly, steadily, all of the fabric peeled away, one layer after another, all the way down to her midriff but no more than decency permitted. The milky white of her skin was exposed now, and Lucia's suspicions were correct--the blaster burn was particularly nasty. As the cool air hit the open wound, Lucia sharply gasped. The lean muscles that were carved beneath her skin tightened and rippled with the fresh burst of pain. She felt like an angry lioness and frankly wanted to scream, but--reaching back out into the warm energy of the Force around them--she found peace. "That's not a very pretty sight, is it?" Lucia murmured, blue eyes flashing up to Zhin apologetically before glimmering with quiet humor. "If you faint, I'm not in any shape to catch you."

[member="Zhin Zondaar"]

 

[Zhin Zondaar]

[member="Lucia Nox"]

The comment on his apartment made him happy. "Thanks. The guy who made your drink helped me get it. Hopefully he's alright." he said this with a voice of genuine concern. Floyd was one of his first friends when he arrived here. Lucia apologized for pressing her head against his chest, he shook his head when she did. "Just take it easy Lucy." he said backing up a couple steps and breaking for a moment.

He nodded as she explained until the last part. Zhin didn't think much of it but it was still awkward to request this. It was clear she couldn't do it herself though so he proceeded to help her. He could hear Floyd when he did this. Floyd would say something like "Come on man. You just met her and you're taking to your home?" and he'd grin probably too. Zhin smiled to this thought. Lucia might have seen it and thought he was a pervert, so he stopped when he realized that. When they got off her shirt he listened to her talk while looking at the damage. He laughed at her joke. "Are you sure, cause I feel kinda sick." he said joking and acting as if he was falling back.

Zhin recovered from his act to get the required materials. He got them from a cabinet, somehow they were conveniently in one place. Collecting them and walking back to Lucia, he placed them on the small table next to the couch. He looked her straight into the blue of her eyes and was honest. "You're gonna kill me after this you know." Zhin rolled up some of the gauze and held it out to her. "It won't taste good but it'll probably benefit your situation." he said waiting for her to grab it.

 

[Lucia Nox]

When Zhin used her nickname--Lucy--and then seamlessly rolled with her joke, any remaining vestige of doubt that Lucia had melted away. It felt plainly good to laugh. She and Zhin seemed to be doing a lot of that here and there, and as her blue eyes watched him move to the cabinet, Lucia smiled. He felt like someone she had known for a long time. Something quite small, buried somewhere deep inside of her, was beginning to question whether their meeting was a coincidence. Jedi were not prone to believing in coincidences.

Zhin returned with the supplies, and Lucia greeted him by mustering the strength to push herself slowly to a seated position. "You're gonna kill me after this, you know," He warned her, but she simply took the rolled up gauze from his outstretched hand and gave him a pointed look. "This isn't my first rodeo," She replied, bracing herself. "Let's get on with it." She inserted the rolled up gauze in the side of her mouth and helped to guide his hand with the bacta to her injured shoulder. Her eyes locked onto his, and he would know exactly what to do.

Lucia cried out in pain as the antiseptic formula of the bacta sizzled and hissed into the open wound, squeezing her eyes shut and biting down hard onto the gauze. She let her head fall back, inhaling and exhaling deeply as she tapped into the energy field around them in a desperate attempt to dull the horrible sting. After a moment, her breathing became more even, and she seemed to settle down a bit, lifting her head and gingerly removing the gauze from her mouth. She gasped and coughed, swaying a little in her seat. "The first part is always the worst," Lucia said quietly as she regained her composure, offering him a smile that she hoped looked brave and encouraging. "The rest won't be so bad--you just need to press it very gently like this." She guided his hands back to her shoulder, showing him how to begin cleaning the wound, before letting him take over to finish the job.

With her wound freshly cleaned, Lucia slowly lowered her fatigued body back down onto the couch. The crowning glory of her blonde curls splayed out around her face like a halo, and she found herself turning one cheek into the softness of the cushions. Her eyes wanted to close themselves, badly, but Lucia's mind was not so easily subdued. From where she lay, she turned her crystal blue gaze back up to Zhin, faltering for a moment as if searching for the right words. The cultured accent of her voice, when she spoke, came out as clear as a bell. "Who are you?" She asked. "Who are you really?" It seemed that the time for explanations had come.

[member="Zhin Zondaar"]

 

[Zhin Zondaar]

[member="Lucia Nox"]

The job was done and it was time to relax, Zhin thought at least. Lucia began to question him, he should have seen this coming honestly. A person can't keep up a lie forever and especially when they expose them self like he did. He started with a joke smirking "Well. I am Zhin Zondaar as you already know, age 25, single, and I love booze." he stopped. Zhin's joking face turned into a more serious one as he went to the bathroom to wash his hands. He turned the faucet on, the sound of water running going through his head as he quickly washed his hands. By the time he was done and faucet turned off he was ready to talk.

Zhin walked over to his kitchen to grab some drinks. It wasn't alcohol this time however. Just water. He walked back quiet as ever holding a bottle out to Lucia, sitting down on the couch beside her but leaving some room in between them. Zhin twisted the top off and drunk about half. The cold water was refreshing. He slouched forward resting his arms on his knees as he looked at the floor. "You know. I only lied because I didn't want anything to do with the Jedi, including you." he paused glancing her way. "But I'll admit I'm glad I was able to meet you, even though you're a Jedi." he said smiling.

He resumed his speech after some silence. "I won't tell you much." he said setting the water on the floor along with the lightsabers he pulled from his pocket beside it. "I just don't like talking about it. I'm sure you have stuff you don't tell even your master." he explained to Lucia. It Zhin's eyes started to shut due to his tiredness, he was exhausted from everything that happened after all. Probably since he hadn't used the force in so long, he used up too much energy during their battle. Zhin stood up stretching his arms and turning his attention to Lucia. "Lucy, I'm sure you're tired. Let's just talk about this later." he said putting his arms back down to his side. "The bedroom's upstairs so I'll carry you up there if you'll let me a be a prince one more time." he said bowing jokingly.

 

[Lucia Nox]

"Well. I am Zhin Zondaar as you already know, age 25, single, and I love booze." Lucia raised an eyebrow, shooting him a look that seemed to say Seriously?, but it was clear from the way her eyes sparkled that she was amused. "Go on," She coaxed, watching him move around the apartment and accepting the water bottle with a grateful, "Thank you." She did not realize how parched she was until she lifted the cool liquid to her lips. Water had never tasted so delicious.

"You know. I only lied because I didn't want anything to do with the Jedi, including you," He remarked after a moment, slumping down onto the couch at her side. Lucia set the water bottle down and met his gaze. "I understand," She replied, and she truly did understand--probably more than he knew. He continued, "But I'll admit I'm glad I was able to meet you, even though you're a Jedi." Lucia smiled, the ice blue of her eyes filling with warmth. "I'm glad I was able to meet you, too," She murmured. "Even though you're a delivery boy with many secrets."

Silence fell over them. The light, teasing air of humor that seemed to lace their conversation style with one another slipped away, and Lucia began to sense the swirl of Zhin's thoughts and feelings churning inside of him. It was a complex sensation that Lucia could not read, but she felt its immense weight as if it were her own. Suddenly, her heart hurt for him. Whatever his story was, she knew it was painful.

"I won't tell you much," He said after a while. "I just don't like talking about it. I'm sure you have stuff you don't even tell your master." That's the understatement of the century, Lucia thought, but on the surface she merely nodded. "It's alright. I have my secrets, too." She paused, averting her eyes downward before lifting them to meet his once more. "Whenever you're ready to share yours, I'll listen. But I'm warning you--" It was here that Lucia smiled, hoping to lift the mood and restore the sense of lightness between them. "--I don't give up so easily."

That was the truth. Even as her eyes grew heavy and tired from exhaustion, Lucia's mind raced. A bartender, strong in the Force, clearly trained in the Jedi arts. It was a strange puzzle that she wanted desperately to solve, but the sound of Zhin rising and stretching interrupted her thoughts. "Lucy, I'm sure you're tired. Let's just talk about this later," He said, and for once, Lucia couldn't argue. "The bedroom's upstairs so I'll carry you up there if you'll let me a be a prince one more time."

Lucia watched him bow, rolling her eyes in good fun as another smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Do you use that line on women often?" She teased, before flourishing her good arm and saying in mock seriousness, "Very well then. You may sweep me off my feet now."

She allowed him to slip his arms underneath her once more, draping her good arm around his neck and settling into the now familiar, comforting feeling of being cradled against his chest. It was a feeling that she--skeptical, skittish, gun-shy little thing that she was--would have hated on any other day, but today was different. As he carried her up the stairs, she found herself quietly admitting, "I don't like feeling so useless."

Whenever he came to lay her down in bed, however, Lucia would close her eyes and sigh into the sheets with an unguarded sweetness-- a sweetness she only displayed when she was too tired to conceal it. "That feels so good," She breathed in relief, almost more to herself than to Zhin, the pain in her shoulder at least temporarily mollified by the comfort of his bed. "Thank you," She said after a moment, opening her eyes and searching for his gaze. "I'm sure this isn't how you were expecting your day to go." She smiled, but this time her eyes had begun to droop, and all at once she found the soft crown of her blonde head melting into the pillow.

She might have given all the impression of a sleeping angel had she not slowly opened her eyes once more, pushing through the thick haze of fatigue that had washed over her in a sleepy glow. Even in sleep, she was a fighter. “Answer one question," She murmured from where she lay, regarding him with tired but intelligent blue eyes. "If you're so keen on avoiding the Jedi, why did you help me?"

[member="Zhin Zondaar"]