Private Unknown Territory

[Sabine Galen]

She'd managed to pounce on Cassius when he expected it least, and Sabine felt a swell of giddy energy. When he teased about nearly falling overboard, she tipped her head back in laughter. Sabine hopped off her toes, wrapping her legs around his waist as he held her up, further entwining their forms. A soft sigh escaped her lips when she felt his lips briefly against the side of her neck.

Sabine held tight to Cassius when he stepped over to the controls to set a course to nowhere.

His arms around her, and his presence mingling with hers, Sabine gazed affectionately into his eyes. With the cool ocean breeze in his hair, the warm hues of the sun illuminating his features, he was quite... irresistible. Placing her hands on each side of his face, she drew him into another kiss, deeper than the one they'd shared on the island.

As their craft fond its way to the coordinates, Sabine had reached into her bag and unfurled a large beach towel across the little deck. And the two enjoyed a view of the sunset sky, in between kisses, that is. Far less bashful than she'd been during the start of their trip, her hands explored Cassius' toned physique. And she was enjoying this newfound closeness, this new level of their relationship.

Now, she could feel the misty air on her skin, clad as it was in only a bikini.

Unaware of anything but each other, their presences shining brightly together would be like a beacon on the waves. And, connected as they were in the force, Sabine savored the feeling of being melded. A feeling unlike any other she'd experienced, and the sultry smile on her face would say it all.

Cassius Droma

 

[Cassius Droma]

Cassius pulled Sabine in as tightly as he could when she kissed him. The cool sunset air couldn’t dare touch them with the amount of heat they were both radiating being so close to each other. His hand traced up her back and held the back of her head, fingers lacing through her hair. The hovercraft was thankfully steady enough that they hardly wobbled as it moved, keeping them stable.

Later, the hovercraft had lulled to a stop at the coordinates of Cassius’s choosing. The water was utterly calm, and there were no other crafts or people around that they could see. The craft was angled so that the back opening was facing the water, and the two lay between the seats on a beach towel. Pretty much no one could see them… and that was the idea.

A soft smirk was on his lips as Sabine was more handsy than she had ever been - they were moving quite fast, for two people that had barely begun holding hands just a few days prior. He had maneuvered himself so that he was leaning overtop of her, hands on her waist. He kissed her cheek and neck as his hands slid down even further. There, in the dusky glow of twilight, he was just about ready to go even further…

Something shook the boat, and he could feel boots hit the deck. The simple movement completely snapped him out of the moment. Looking up, he saw a man in all black, silhouetted against the setting sun. His arm cocked back, holding a vibrosword that had been activated, jittering with red energy. Reaching his hand out, Cassius called his lightsaber to him, the cold metal slapping against his palm. The green blade sprung to life just in time to block the downwards blow that would have assuredly cleaved him in two.

Sabine Galen

 

[Sabine Galen]

Sabine's eyes fluttered closed as she felt his lips against her neck. And as she felt his fingertips along her bare skin, her lips parted to whisper his name, “Cassius.”

Then, the boat shook and her eyes snapped open. Suddenly, she was no longer lost in the sway of the enchanting sunset, the lull of the hovercraft on the waves, or Cassius' warm embrace. A shocked gasp escaped her as Cassius drew his saber just in time to defend himself against the mighty swing of a vibrosword.

Scrambling to her feet, she drew a breath – and drew the force to her. Unlike Cassius, she hadn't even thought of bringing her saber. She might have even called him over-prepared sometimes, but not now... definitely not now.

A craft – much faster than their own – was on the water, circling them.

Another black-clad man sprang for the bow of their hovercraft. Sabine's palm shot out and projected a partial force shield to block him. The man smacked against the little pilot's shield, and as he moved to thrust a dagger towards her, she used the force to push him clear off the boat and down into the water. However, a little 'clink' signaled that he'd dropped the little blade. Glancing down, she spotted it near the edge and grabbed it up.

It wasn't a saber, but it was better than nothing. And with the quarters as cramped as they were, two sabers might have been a bit dangerous – though the two of them were fairly good together when it came to fighting. Their mysterious enemy's boat was coming around to the port side, another assailant ready to pounce on them... but her gaze shifted over her shoulder to make sure Cassius was doing alright.

Cassius Droma

 

[Cassius Droma]

The black-clad attacker bared down on him with unexpected strength, and Cassius brought his left hand up to support his lightsaber as he made a hefty push. It was enough to make the attacker stumble backwards, and the young Jedi did a Force-assisted kick-up to get back on his feet. Before another thrust could be made, Cassius lashed his hand out, sending the man around twenty meters away into the water.

He looked to check on Sabine, and found she had managed to dispatch yet another attacker and retrieved a knife. With the boat approaching, Cassius flung his lightsaber into the chest of the third man just as he was preparing himself to make the jump between the two hovercraft. Turning, he reached his hand out to their hovercraft’s throttle. It shot forward, and Cassius and Sabine’s hovercraft began to accelerate. The green lightsaber found its way back to the Jedi’s hand.

Some fifty meters away, he could see two more hovercrafts start to turn and approach. How had they been snuck up on so easily? Was it truly because the two Jedi were so focused on each other? Cassius didn’t have much time to think about it now - the craft were coming in fast, and he could see they had retrieved long blasters and were aiming them.

“Here,” Cassius looked to Sabine and lightly tossed his still-ignited saber. Then, he moved past her to sit once more at the helm. He needed to find a way to override the possible speed limit of the craft, or else they could very well be out here all night defending against who knew how many attackers.

Sabine Galen

 

[Sabine Galen]

Sabine stood up straight, catching sight of two additional hovercrafts moving their way. Attuned to Cassius and his presence in the force, her hand automatically reached as he tossed her his saber. She watched him over her shoulder for a brief moment, as he took his spot at the helm. Their craft was moving, but it wasn't going to be fast enough to outrun the enemies that were already catching up.

Bathed in the green light of the saber, she focused on defending against the hail of blaster bolts that soon came their way. With graceful, fluid movements, she deflected any bolts that came close enough to pose them a threat.

And as the first craft came closer and closer, she was able to bat one of the bolts at the dark-clad helmsman. The deflected bolt hit him square in the chest, and he fell overboard into the water. His craft and companions didn't wait or even give him a second thought. The hovercraft veered off course for a few moments, as the next man scrambled for the controls – long enough to fall behind the two advancing.

“Faster,” she murmured, aiming a glance at Cassius quickly and then turned to block another couple of bolts. As the enemies continued to tail them, Sabine focused on the closest craft. Letting out a small grunt, she shot her free palm towards it – sending a pulse wave through the force. It was just enough to knock the driver from his post momentarily.

The bolts didn't stop coming, either.

Sabine then projected a force barrier to protect them – but she wouldn't be able to hold it forever.

Cassius Droma

 

[Cassius Droma]

With the throttle pressed as far forward as it could go, Cassius bent down and removed a panel from under the console. He knew this thing could go faster. Hovercraft like this could easily reach much higher speeds, as well as get a little bit more height, if needed. Their attackers were in boats that were not as addled, which was why they were able to gain on them so quickly.

Sabine was doing a good job protecting him and the craft, but soon they’d be overwhelmed. Cassius combed through loose wires and sockets… it had to be here somewhere… there! A small device was connected to a wire that ran to the throttle - that had to be it. Unplugging the wire, the hovercraft groaned and began to slow down, the throttle automatically pulling back.

“Hang on!” he yelled, knowing that it probably seemed counterintuitive to make them go slower. He unclipped the device and tossed it over his shoulder. The other boats were catching up quickly. Fingers fumbling slightly, he plugged the cord back into the correct socket, this time without the device hindering the connection. Sitting upright, he grabbed the throttle and slammed it forward, shooting them across the water. Now this was the correct speed.

Now with more speed and maneuverability, Cassius began to weave the craft back and forth, creating wakes that would make their pursuers slow down if they went over them.

Sabine Galen

 

[Sabine Galen]

Sabine let go of the force barrier when Cassius shouted for her to hang on. Standing with feet planted steadily as possible, she deflected a bolt sent their way with the saber – and then grabbed hold of the back of the driver's seat as their craft took off. The wind was definitely in her hair now.

And with Cassius' driving skills, the wakes created by their craft crashed against the enemies.

Squinting, she saw another couple go overboard, leaving one hovercraft without anyone behind the wheel. This was good. Then, Sabine stepped to the middle of the deck and reached her hand out towards the captain-less craft. Grabbing it with a telekinetic grip, she let out a grunt as she turned it into the enemy ship still in pursuit. The bow crashed into the other ship, causing it to fall far behind.

A quick sigh of relief escaped her, and Sabine extinguished Cassius' saber.

Backing up until she reached the driver's seat, she put a hand on Cass' bare shoulder. “I think we'll be okay,” she said, still keeping watch. For now, the blaster bolts had ceased – and the shadows on the horizon were growing smaller and smaller. If they managed to outrun the enemy, they'd definitely be in good shape. For the time being. But, Sabine wasn't able to let her shoulders relax just yet. They didn't know who these black-clad people where and exactly why they'd been attacked. However, Sabine had her suspicions... and Cassius probably did, too.

“I guess the vacation is over, isn't it?” she said, glancing to the side at him.

Cassius Droma

 

[Cassius Droma]

While the waves knocked their pursuers off-balance, Sabine managed to finish them off with a clever Force technique. Cassius stole a quick glance over his shoulder as his hands still gripped the controls. His jaw was clenched, eyes hardened - it was like being in the cockpit of a starfighter once again.

When Sabine signaled they were clear, Cassius adjusted their heading so they were on their way back to their little bungalow. He let out a deep breath, but not in relief - in slight agitation. He was asked if their vacation was over, and Cassius solemnly looked up to the brunette woman, clasping her hand in his as a frown painted over his features.

“Looks like it,” he said before looking back ahead. His eyes darted back and forth on the console, not particularly focusing on anything in particular. The two had no doubt made enemies over the years - Cassius alone could think of Klatooian gangsters, Hutt slavers, the Sith… it could be any of them. However, something told him that this all had to do with the little statuette they found in the mysterious vanishing tent.

Eventually, as the sky was turning from a deep blue to pitch black, they made it back to the island. Small torches lined the coast, providing a soft orange ambience. He docked the hovercraft at their little dock and stepped out.

“I suppose we should just… grab our things,” he said. “We can sign out with a datapad while we leave.” It was disheartening, to say the least. Was there no place they could go? Was the Spectre Melody their only source of refuge?

Sabine Galen

 

[Sabine Galen]

Sabine cast a wary glance or two over her shoulder before letting herself relax slightly, releasing some of tension built up between her shoulder blades. With Cassius’ hand holding hers, his eyes looking up into her own— they really didn’t need words. Though, she gave his hand a squeeze when he confirmed their time here was short. As Cassius guided the hovercraft back to the bungalow, Sabine stood silently at his side.

By the time they returned, night had fallen. As they walked the small porch and entered the breezy island bungalow, it was clear that the room had been cleaned while they were away. The luxurious sheets and blankets had been folded neatly around the bed, cloud-like pillows fluffed to perfection. Too bad, but the bed would remain neatly made tonight. There was even a small arrangement of island fruit waiting in a basket, marked “a gift for our guests!” It was still every bit the perfect place, but it seemed different. Here, the two of them had shed their awkwardness and found closeness, they’d even shared their first kiss here.

Good memories, Sabine mused silently as she stepped over to pack her things. And mixed in with those memories were new worries. Her furrowed brow might have hinted at the thoughts happening in her head.

“I’ll be right out,” she said, stepping into the bathroom to change clothes and gather the last of her things. Once she was dressed in a pair of comfortable trousers and loose-fitting sweatshirt, she scooped her things into her arms. But she paused to glance in the mirror, where her eyes lingered on her reflection for a long moment. How far could they run? How long could they keep it up?

Her eyes narrowed.

No. They had to get to the bottom of this. Heart fluttering, she emerged. “Cass,” she started as she zipped up her bag. “Those… guys, do you think it has to do with the idol?” Sabine asked, looking at him. “It’s just… too weird.”

Cassius Droma

 

[Cassius Droma]

Cassius changed into simple cream-colored pants and tunic while Sabine readied herself in the restroom. He also put on his utility belt, clasping the metal in front of him. His lightsaber now hung on his left side instead of being secured at his back like before. A small prayer of thanks went out to the Force as he glanced at the weapon - something had told him he’d need it.

When Sabine came out of the restroom, Cassius was finishing putting the rest of his things in his duffel bag - it wasn’t like he had gotten much out to begin with. He looked up as Sabine spoke. Pensively, he looked down and eventually nodded before glancing back up.

“I do,” he said. “It’s not mere coincidence we found the idol and then they came after us. Plus… I can feel it.” Looking over to the datapad for the bungalow, Cassius pursed his lips for a moment, thinking. He shifted his mouth to one side, chewing his lip.

“You know what? Let’s figure this out,” he looked back to her. “We’re Jedi Knights. We can handle ourselves.” They’d already handily done so, with minimum equipment and minimum clothing. He put his duffel bag back on the ground.

“Let’s head back to the Spectre and grab the idol,” he said. “If they want it… they’ll have to come get it.”

Sabine Galen

 

[Sabine Galen]

Sabine released the breath she was holding, relieved to know for sure that Cassius had the same suspicion and that she wasn't just being paranoid. While he felt into thoughtful silence, she lifted her bag and placed it on her shoulder. And when he spoke again, a soft smile formed on her lips.

Yes, they were Jedi Knights, after all.

Moving quickly to Cassius' side, Sabine's hand instantly found his as they left the bungalow. Sabine took in as much of the island as she could during their brisk walk back to the Spectre. The breeze, the sun, the ocean – despite the feeling that they'd lost some of their luster after the attack... Sabine had some very good memories to cherish. And a small, thankful smile flickered at the edges of her lips as they prepared to leave it all behind.

She felt at home back inside the ship, but the presence of the idol put her on edge. Even before they reached the room, Sabine could feel it pulsing with dark energy. Was it... stronger than before?

“The idol must have somehow alerted them,” she said, thinking out loud. “They must be able to feel it, too.”

Perhaps the idol had been idle until they'd found it at the bazaar. And if they could indeed feel it, it was only a matter of time before they found them here at the space port. A sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach told her to be prepared.

Cassius Droma

 

[Cassius Droma]

Cassius kept his head on a swivel as the two of them walked back towards the spaceport. He was tense, now, in contrast to Sabine’s nostalgic thoughts. Despite this, he did absentmindedly stroke her hand with his thumb, as he felt more comfortable with her now than he ever did before they arrived. They had been somewhat of a team before, but now they were more so.

The idol was right where he’d left it, in the converted crew cabin. The metal drawer hissed open, and Cassius retrieved the pouch where he’d stored the statuette. For a moment, he held it in his hand, dangling it by the leather straps, his gaze hardening. Soft whispers seemed to float through the air, either too hushed to be identified, or in an alien language not heard for quite some time.

“It calls to them,” Cassius said to Sabine as he stood to full height, “just like it called to us.” He slung the pouch over his shoulder and secured it to his belt - they’d have to get very close to take it from him at that point.

Looking up, Cassius could sense something else. Walking back towards the cockpit, he looked out of the transpirasteel window. Just over half a dozen men and women of various species and sizes stood in a semi-circle down below, clothed from head to toe in black robes and head scarves. Above, a small black starship hovered, weapons trained on them… no doubt to ensure they didn’t try to escape.

“They’re here,” Cassius muttered, although he was sure she could sense them too.

Down below, Cassius walked down the ramp, his lightsaber still clasped to his belt. He stopped around ten meters away from the group of assassins, planting himself firmly in the ground.

Sabine Galen

 

[Sabine Galen]

Sabine nodded, watching as Cassius slipped the idol into the pouch. Part of her wished that they'd never found the strange little thing. But there was a definite mystery to solve. Her eyes still on Cassius, she noticed the subtle change in his expression – he sensed something. She did too.

She reached out to squeeze his arm before he moved past. Now armed with her own saber, she wasn't far behind him. As Cassius stepped down the ramp, she remained in the middle. Her hand hovered by her belt and Sabine drew a deep breath. Her gaze flickered to the group of black-clad assassins, and she pulled the force in tightly around her.

Brushing against Cassius with the force, she let him know that she was ready – she was right there with him. While Cassius was closer than she to the assassins, she decided to take advantage of this fact and try to catch them by surprise.

Crouching, she pushed off with her back foot and landed just to the side of Cassius – her palm outstretched, sending a pulse in the force that would hopefully push their enemies back. Some had stood their ground, but others fell to the ground, and two of them collided with nearby equipment.

Sabine didn't waste any time, her blue saber already humming through the air as the fallen attempted to get back to their feet.

Cassius Droma