The GateWorld Cantina Chronicles

[Commander Jumper]

The two stood at a stalemate. P-90 looking smug and angry, his glare demanding an answer. CJ's head hung, her fists clenched so hard her palms bled. Part of P-90 recalled how close the two had been during their time in the Cantina. How she had always been a weak woman wearing a strong facade. How dearly she cared for her friends. How hard she would fight in order to please those around her.

CJ was thinking along the same track, how much P-90 had always meant to her. He would never ever realise just how much pain she had lived through, watching as he was torn to shreds by her power. He would never realise the burden she carried.

Finally she spoke.

"I do."

Her words were only slightly surprising to him.

She looked up, her blue eyes watering, she smiled weakly, "I may not have suffered a terribly painful death, at least not one that I can remember. But I had to suffer so many emotional deaths."

P-90 cocked an eyebrow as CJ wiped at her eyes.

"You killed me!" She hissed, "You.... you took everything from me! My memories, the moments, everything and everyone I loved, you took them from me! You made me live a lie! You made me relive the day I lost Hideyoshi! You made me lose my mother and my father all over again! And then you gave me back my life from before.... and I had to live through all the painful memories again. I watched him get killed over and over.... I lost Susie again!"

She took a deep breath backing away from him, her fists pulled tightly.


"I wish I could kill you!" She cried, "I want to rip you limb from limb right now! I want you to die! JUST DIE ALREADY!"

P-90 was slightly taken aback by her behaviour. Those cruel words, they felt as if they were directed at a stranger. CJ would never have the courage to say something like that to P-90, "So Chiyo is still in there somewhere?"

"If I had my sword, I would kill you where you stand."

"catch."

CJ and P-90 both looked down the alleyway towards the voice. CJ was greeted by her sword flying her way. She lifted her hand and caught it before flying into an offensive position. She grinned as footsteps echoed down the alley, Chiaki greeting her, slightly out of breath.

"Should I kill him or should you?"

"I thought you'd left," CJ laughed, charging towards P-90, who was still mildly shocked.

P-90 just barely managed to dodge her blow.

"I wasn't planning on returning." He muttered, letting her have her fight.

CJ continued to charge, P-90 constantly albeit narrowly avoiding her devastating blows.

The two were paused as a pounding came from behind the hallowed blue doors.

"90! 90!" came the scared voice of Jenni, "The crate is acting up!"

P-90 grinned and lifted a hand, CJ suddenly froze on the spot, "Sorry love, but I'll just freeze you for a moment. The misses is having problems."

He pulled open the doors and ran into the TARDIS, Jenni speaking very fast and very incoherently about the problem.

A moment later the box was gone, and CJ and Chiaki remained. CJ flew into a rage as she regained control of her body, "BAKAYARO!" she screeched, slamming her hand against the hard brick of the building. She didn't even flinch. She just stood there, fist against the wall, for a moment before collapsing in a heap.

She took a moment before regaining composure.

"I think we've seen the last of him," Chiaki whispered, kneeling beside her.

She shook her head, "You don't know 90 like I do. He won't ever leave me alone."

"Then we'll run away, we'll keep running. Together we can fight him off time and time again," He whispered, placing a hand on her shoulder.

CJ looked up from the ground, rage fueling her eyes, It was then that he saw the darkness in her had reappeared. It had taken over. That was why he had left, the darkness in her was terrifying. But it had changed, and he had faith that he could rely on her, even when her darkness was at it's worst.

"No," she whispered, "No more running." She stood shakily, her legs weak. She used the wall as leverage to keep herself up. She reached down for her sword and lifted it into the sun. In a moment everything changed. She grabbed the length of her hair and sliced through it, laving it just at the shoulders. Chiaki watched as silky blonde locks fell to the dirty rain soaked ground. She looked at her reflection on the blade.

She walked out of the alley, determination burning in her eyes, "I'm not that girl anymore."

[susanne]

Jenni backed off as the doors flung open to reveal p-92. Around them, the TARDIS was beeping, fizzing, wailing and hooting urgently. as though something was wrong. 92 marched up the ramp, ignoring Jenni and flipped a tiny switch hidden in the console, immediately all went dead. 'Now what's wrong with you Old girl?' He purred, pulling the monitor towards him. 'What has you so worked ....Ah.'

'What's wrong with the crate this time huh?' Jenni asked, standing on tiptoe to see over his shoulder. 92 blocked her view before sighing.

'Really now?' He muttered, Jenni caught a peek from under his arm. The monitor was covered in squiggles and circles she couldn't make heads or tails of. Gently, he ran a hand along the console. 'I know things dont feel right.' He purred. 'Something's going on. I'll fix it, don't worry.'

'You know....Jenni smiled at him. 'Talking to inanimate objects is a sign of madness.' 92 glared at her like she had intruded upon something private. 'I'll go and....I'll just....I'll be upstairs.' She finished lamely,

[P-90_177]

Vagabond spun round, sending a flying kick into Dray's hand and knocking her blade to the floor; yet his fast reactions could not avoid the blow she struck him in the chest, sending him flying across the control room. His body slammed into the wall and his body unceremoniously crumpled to the floor, his head stunned as he shook off the sudden sharp pain in the back of his head and struggled to gather his breath.

He suddenly felt her hand grip tightly around his neck as she lifted him back onto his feet and beyond. His hands gripped tightly around her claw-like fingers attempting to pry them away from his neck, yet to no avail. For all of his goading and cockyness in her presence before his strength was no match for that of a Wratih.

As his lungs tried desperately to gasp for air he stared down at her; her eyes filled with rage and hate towards the Timelord.

"Y...You NN..Need me!" he rasped,

She smiled up at him, flashing him that toothy array of predator teeth.

"No," she said calmly, "I need your ship."

With that she once more flung him across the room and once more he found himself flattened onto the floor, this time tasting blood on his lips as he coughed and spluttered painfully.
He saw her at the central console, gently stroking the outward edge of the hexagonal command station.

Gathering his legs under him as best he could he flung himself towards the console, putting it between himself and her and landing upon the controls. He felt another pain as he the hardness of the various switches and levers collide with his ribs yet he had accomplish what needed to be done as he moved them all into place and pulled hard with his full weight on the de-materialisation lever as he once again fell to the floor.

As the TARDIS lurched into life Dray rounded on him once more, standing over him menacingly.

"What have you done!"

-----------------------------------------

Jenni hadn't walked two steps out of the control room before he heard P-92 curse in panic. She sighed as she turned back to him,

"What's wrong now?" she asked, just as P-92 grabbed hold of her wrist and pulled her across the room, knocking her to the ground.

"Ow! What was that fo...."

"Stay down!" he ordered as he got back up onto his feet and ran to the control console, quickly manipulating the controls.

That's when Jenni saw it; a zi-zag of dancing light making it's way through the centre of the ship, starting at the doors and going right through the central shaft of the time rotor, as well as right past where she had been standing just a second ago.
A loud ripping sound filled the room, the sound of realities merging as the TARDIS control room seemed to ripple with light and energy, and before her eyes the whole room seemed to change. Portions of wall seemed to alter, becoming darker and more stone like before returning to their normal state. Pieces of furniture suddenly appeared throughout the room that she had never seen before and the suddenly, out of the corner of her eye she saw two new figures standing on the other side of the control console.

A man, seemingly in his thirties lying on the floor in a heap, his face slightly bloodied as another form grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, bringing him to his felt.
Jenni's heart jumped as she looked upon the other being. A woman, yet not a woman. Mottled bluey-green skin with eyes of malice looked down upon the fallen man.

P-92 looked up from his console and saw them too. Jenni couldn't see his expression but she could tell from the tensing of his shoulders that he was suddenly increasingly paniced. His hands flew across the TARDIS controls, flipping all manner of switches as he tried to ignore the two figures justa few feet in front of him.

The fallen man meanshile kicked out against the creature, followed by his fist firmly conecting with her head, stunning her and releasing him fron her grip.
Swiftly, in her stunned state he grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her around, tossing her across the lightning crack in the TARDIS floor just a few metres away from Jenni herself.

The man went back to the console, working on the controls himself. He suddenly paused for a moment as he looked past the glass of the central time rotor, his and '92's eyes meeting and staring into one another, then just as soon as the brief moment had past, both went back to their respective consoles and a clatter of banging levers and click of buttons could be heard of the roar of the growing crack in the floor.

The crack widened, more and more the space in the floor grew and as it did so the central console slowly seemed to split into two seperate and distinctly different looking devices, complete with two central columns. Suddenly Jenni looked over and saw the other man with his console growing ever more distant before with a whir of the Time engines and a crack like thunder the room snapped back into shape; the walls seemingly flying back to how they should be. The crack had gone and all seemed normal, say for a brief smell of ionisation in the air.

And that.............thing...............

"Well well," P-92 said as he approached the creature, now lying on the floor, "Looks like we have a little stowaway."

He snapped his fingers and a force field appeared around the alien.

"Hello again Draygon...." he said.

[Commander Jumper]

CJ could not fathom why she had stuck around so long, or rather... why she hadn't thought of leaving before. She stood in the centre of the tiny apartment owned by someone she used to go to academy with, or rather.... Chiyo had. In CJ's world... she had known Chiaki briefly. CJ had never attended academy, she couldn't find out how Mapp being plucked from the timeline had caused Chiyo to go to academy, perhaps it was just one of those things that slipped through. Either way, in CJ's world... the man before her had died.

It was almost surreal, and she knew that sooner or later he would die... and violently at that.

She averted her eyes from the man sitting cross legged on the futon. She just continued to pace, trying to think of what to do next. She had no money, no means of transport, and no plan. Just a vague idea of what to do next, She needed to find her sister.

"He must mean a lot to you," Chiaki muttered, flipping through the pages of an old magazine.

"What do you mean?" CJ asked, taking a seat on the futon across from Chiaki.

"You've been walking in circles for three hours now," Chiaki stated, looking at her pointedly, "trying to concoct a plan. So who ever this 'Mapp' guy is you must really love him to go through all these lengths, to lose everything."

"You sound jealous," CJ teased, before turning more serious, "But no... you're wrong... I don't give a rats arse about Mapp."

"Then why on Earth are you so wound up?" Chiaki asked, closing the magazine.

"Because some where out there my sister is waiting," CJ muttered, her eyes filled with anxiety, "She's going to die..."

"You don't have a sister..."

CJ rolled her eyes, "Not a real sister... we aren't bound by blood.. but rather.... by time."

"You talk like a lunatic."

CJ stood up, rolling her eyes, "You need to think outside your comfort zone."

"What do you mean?" Chiaki asked, standing to meet her eyes.

"The humans that live around us... they walk around not knowing we even exist..." CJ stated, looking Chiak directly in the eyes, almost challenging him, "They never suspect a thing... other than perhaps there could be an afterlife."

"Where are you going with this?" Chiaki asked, feeling like CJ was about to reveal some bigger universal truth to him.

"You are like the humans, you don't even know of the possibilities out there..." CJ stated, 'Time travel, aliens, space ships, intergalatic battles.... Right now you and humans are standing at the cusp... the twenty-first century is when the biggest discoveries known to man are uncovered..."

"Are you saying that things like Aliens and time travel are real?" Chiaki asked, giving her a look that seemed to challenge her sanity.

"Yes," CJ stated, "And don't give me that look Chiaki. Because if you told one of the humans... one of the living, that you were a death god.. they'd give you the exact same look."

Chiaki shrugged as if to convey that he couldn't argue.

CJ smiled, "I know that if I find my sister.... before she..dies... then perhaps she can help me."

"She won't even remember you," Chiaki whispered, putting a comforting hand on CJ's shoulder.

CJ stepped away from him, "I won't know until I try..."

"And how are you going to get to wherever your sister is?"

CJ smiled, "Well my handsome friend... I haven't found that bit out yet."

(.......crap post)

[susanne]

Jenni stumbled to her feet, using the wall for support, the events she'd just witnessed made no sense, at least to her. She couldn't work out what had just happened, one minute the crate was the same, the next it was acting almost frightenedly, shifting from it's normal state into something she'd never seen before. The creature! It was by far the most alien thing she had seen! With horror she realised that it was beginning to stir and shake off it's ordeal. '90 What is that thing?'

92 glanced up at her briefly before smirking. 'It's a Wraith. And it's called Draygon.' He dismissed easily.

'How d you know thats its name?!' She squeaked. For an alien the name wasn't all that exotic.

'She's an old friend.' He muttered, grinning as the Wraiths eyes shot open and darted about, finally landing on 92 standing in front of her.

(('m hungover. thats all you get.))

[susanne]

((And now to continue with my other character))

Jacen didn't seem as surprised as she'd have guessed when imagining the conversation earlier. In fact it looked like he'd come to expect it. 'Elle...' He started only for her to interrupt him vehemently.

'I AM useful!' She wailed. 'I can fix virtually anything! I...'

'And what makes you any different then the masses of people in the Alliance, wanting to get aboard this ship?' Jacen asked. 'Elle we get hundreds of requests to join us. I'm afraid you're...'

But she had that look again, the look that his mind gave a flicker of recognition, with the feeling of...Chillyness? Elle's face suddenly relaxed, the look of defeat prominant on her face.

'I....Understand.' She sighed. 'I just wish i could repay you all for your kindness.' She gave him a brittle smile. 'After all i've been such a...well a bit of a douche...' She blushed.

'No, you've been a confused refugee. I can appreciate how you feel at least, no-less than half my crew have felt the same.' Jacen pacified. 'It would be a breach in morals to allow you to stay aboard this ship.'

There was a sudden crash as Tood erupted into the room at high speed, behind him Wedge was struggling to stay on his feet. 'Oi you little...! Sorry sir...' Wedge sighed, clutching his nose. Jacen waved him off.

'Tood. Why in such a hurry?' Jacen said, looking at the adgitated clone.

'She should stay!' Tood argued. 'She's....! Uh....I forgot!' He laughed. Elle smiled at him, glad to have someone backing her up at least. Jacen meanwhile was staring intently at Tood.

'Why should she stay?' He asked. Tood frowned for a moment, thinking deeply.

'Because she's an excellent mechanic, a nice lady, she has nowhere to go and she's....Important!' He finished, a massive feat of reasoning for Tood.

'Important? Why?' Jacen snapped.

'I dunno she just is!' Tood laughed. 'She knows how to make pancakes!' Obviously his deductive skills had not lasted long.

'Important?' Jacen murmered to himself before glancing up at Elle. 'How is she important?'

((Tood?))

[Commander Jumper]

"What exactly are we doing here?" Chiaki asked, as CJ pulled him into the back of a parked truck. CJ grinned and lifted up a tarp and crawled under it. Chiaki rolled his eyes and followed in suit. The truck was filled with produce and canned goods, barely enough room existed for the two of them to lie down and not be noticed by the driver.

"Its called stowing away," CJ grinned, making herself as comfortable as possible, "I used to do it all the time back in the day."

"Back in the day?"

"Well, when I worked with Mapp and everyone... so in the distant future in another reality.. I did this a lot," CJ explained, her tone exhausted.

The two of them had managed to use the last of Chiaki's savings to buy a flight from Japan to the UK, it was only a matter of making their way to Susie's home. With no money the odd couple had resorted to hitch hiking and stowing away in the backs of trucks. Admittedly it wasn't the most glamourous job, and if they failed to locate Susie it would ultimately prove to be a very bad choice. The only thing that seemed to occupy Chiaki's mind was what they would do if they found the Susie CJ spoke so fondly of.

Would they live with her?

Would they protect her?

Would she even recognise CJ?

The questions just seemed to keep piling up and Chiaki felt his world spinning out of control. He had only taken Chiyo in because of what they had been through back in the academy, now he was stuck with a woman with Chiyo's eyes and hair and figure but with an entirely different personality and moral code.

He ultimately felt ripped off.

As the truck drove through the bumpy streets he couldn't help but try and look for Chiyo in the face of the now sleeping CJ. He recalled fondly how wonderful she had been to him when they had been in academy, how she had taken him under her protective wing. She was in a high class, reserved for training Reapers of the highest spirit pressure. He had been placed in one of the lowest classes, for the ungifted sorts. He smiled softly and felt the world drift away from him.

The next thing he knew, CJ was standing over him, and he was lying in a ditch.

"You wouldn't wake up..." CJ laughed, so I had to drag you from the truck before he made his delivery.

Chiaki sat up, feeling very dizzy, "Where are we?"

"England..." CJ stated with a smile, "I tore some addresses from the directory... I found some names that matched hers... and if all else fails... its the weekend... we can search the pubs."

"The pubs?"

CJ smiled, "Susie always loved her booze."

(another crap post )

[susanne]

A lone figure stumbled out of the pub, shaking an empty glass and peering inside of it to see if there were any alcohol left, much to her disappointment. 'Bah.' She scowled, throwing it into an alley in disgust. Slowly, with many drunken false starts, she pulled a packet of cigarettes from her jacket. Ther tip weaved around the small flame as she sought to light it. Finally she gave an appreciative blow of smoke and leaned against the wall for support. How many had she had again? One, another one and some more and....Aw hell she was too drunk for that kind of math anyway. Taking another drag on the tab she gave a shiver, lamenting that she wasn't drunk enough to ignore the cold just yet. Why'd she come out again? Oh yeah.... Her boss was a *******. Yeah that was it. All the girls in the office sucked up to that greasy, overweight plonker. She hoped his next fried breakfast would be his last. Serves him right the fat piggie.

Yeah, getting drunk all weekend seemed to be a good mood lightener, but perhaps next time she'd head to a different bar. The guys in here were far too old and lecherous for her tastes. Jeezus she was going to have a hell of a hangover tomorrow. Oh well.

Susie took one last drag of the ciggie and flicked it into the ally along with the broken glass and turned to head back into the pub when she heard something.

'Heh.'

She stopped and turned back to the alley. Was someone...? Nah.

((She did it! *points to CJ holding a gun against her head* RLY! ))

[Commander Jumper]

((Its not a gun.......... *is holding a sheep* they don't have a gun emoticon on WLM))

She watched from the shadows of the alley way, her heart pounding out of control. She had gone to nearly thirty homes under Susie's last name, none of them registering the Susanne Bresnen she was looking for. She and Chiaki had then split to search the hundreds of pubs in the area, and finally... she had found her.

She had spotted her hours earlier, moaning about her boss at the bar. CJ had sat back idly, watching, too nervous to even mutter a word. It had been years since she had last seen her Sister living and breathing and being the loud person she remembered. Part of her was afraid.

Now she lurking behind Susie, ducking behind bins and phone boxes as she followed. She was in constant fear of being discovered. She watched as the female figure slumped slightly, crashing against a wall, her nightly escapades finally catching up with her body.

CJ figured now would be a better time than any. She sprinted up to the moaning woman and crouched beside her.

"You okay?" CJ asked, putting a hand on the drunken woman's shoulder.

"mmmm fine.." The woman slurred drunkenly, "Just really wasted."

CJ held back the urge to cry and laugh all at once, "Do you recognise me?"

Susie studied her with half lidded eyes, as if searching. There was a pause as her eyes seemed to fall sqaurely on the Key dangling from CJ's neck. Then she spoke, her hand reaching out for the key, "Should I?"

CJ closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to hold back the intense disappointment that swelled within her, "No..."

Susie finally managed to grasp the key in her hands. CJ watched as the girl's eyes grew wide and she sat up abruptly, "But I do...recognise this." and with that Susie collapsed into unconsciousness.

CJ sighed and leaned against the wall, unsure as to what she would do now.

[susanne]

CJ roughly began patting her down, looking for what she knew must have been there. Susie had never left home on a night out without it. Finally she found it, in her front pocket. An ID card. Chiaki appeared behind her as she studied it carefully.

'So this is the mysterious Susanne?' He murmered, hunkering down to look at her. 'She doesn't look like much. She's drunk.' He added Pulling away from the noxious fumes eminating from her mouth when she breathed. She smelled like an ashtray and petrol in one.

CJ slipped the ID into her pocket and stood up, stuffing the dangling key into her dress. 'I know where she lives. Grab an arm, it's not too far.'

'We're heading to her house?!' Chiaki said surprised. 'CJ, that isn't very smart.'

'We have to stay somewhere.' CJ pointed out. 'I've searched high and low for her and im not going to leave her now that i've found her.'

Chiaki shook his head but grabbed a limp arm. 'Alright, you've made your point.'

CJ grabbed the other and, with some effort, they managed to haul her from the floor. Susie groaned in alcoholic hell, immediately CJ took a step back as pizza splattered the floor below her.

'Aw....gohd...' She muttered drunkenly as CJ shifted her hold and pointed to the end of the street.

'That way....I think.'

((hope i didn't screw any characters up ))

[343_Guilty_Spark]

Rik and his squad moved fast. the huge mushroom cloud was still growing behind them. they were headed for the one place in Nevada they knew could resupply them. RIk had already radioed ahead to request resuply and extracyion from the US back to the UK.

[aretood2]

((And now to continue with my other character))

Jacen didn't seem as surprised as she'd have guessed when imagining the conversation earlier. In fact it looked like he'd come to expect it. 'Elle...' He started only for her to interrupt him vehemently.

'I AM useful!' She wailed. 'I can fix virtually anything! I...'

'And what makes you any different then the masses of people in the Alliance, wanting to get aboard this ship?' Jacen asked. 'Elle we get hundreds of requests to join us. I'm afraid you're...'

But she had that look again, the look that his mind gave a flicker of recognition, with the feeling of...Chillyness? Elle's face suddenly relaxed, the look of defeat prominant on her face.

'I....Understand.' She sighed. 'I just wish i could repay you all for your kindness.' She gave him a brittle smile. 'After all i've been such a...well a bit of a douche...' She blushed.

'No, you've been a confused refugee. I can appreciate how you feel at least, no-less than half my crew have felt the same.' Jacen pacified. 'It would be a breach in morals to allow you to stay aboard this ship.'

There was a sudden crash as Tood erupted into the room at high speed, behind him Wedge was struggling to stay on his feet. 'Oi you little...! Sorry sir...' Wedge sighed, clutching his nose. Jacen waved him off.

'Tood. Why in such a hurry?' Jacen said, looking at the adgitated clone.

'She should stay!' Tood argued. 'She's....! Uh....I forgot!' He laughed. Elle smiled at him, glad to have someone backing her up at least. Jacen meanwhile was staring intently at Tood.

'Why should she stay?' He asked. Tood frowned for a moment, thinking deeply.

'Because she's an excellent mechanic, a nice lady, she has nowhere to go and she's....Important!' He finished, a massive feat of reasoning for Tood.

'Important? Why?' Jacen snapped.

'I dunno she just is!' Tood laughed. 'She knows how to make pancakes!' Obviously his deductive skills had not lasted long.

'Important?' Jacen murmered to himself before glancing up at Elle. 'How is she important?'

((Tood?))

Tood wrinkled his forehead shoving deep into his mind. The troubles of a thousand stars began to spin deep within his mind, a chaotic framework of a thousand voices each clamoring for dominance left him lost in a deep sea of confusion. Like a ship lost at see under heavy clouds unable to see the stars nor the moon. The hours pass and the crew wait the sun, but alas it never comes. The golden disk, the key to their salvation refuses to show itself to run it's course pointing the way home.

"Tood?" Jacen dragged Tood back from the abyss of his mind.

"Well?" Elle pleaded every bit interested in what Tood had to say.

"I know it has something to do with the sunrise," Tood spoke solemnly. He stared at Elle with that same deep thought, Tood didn't just imagine that image, it was a story that took place in some part of his mind. A film not of his own, but whose origin was outside of his thoughts. Jacen recognized his confusion, he opened his eyes slightly wider accessing the odds that his premonitions and flashbacks were also transfered to the chaotic mind of his clone.

"You had a vision?" Jacen asked knowing the answer to that question.

"A what now?" Elle inquired.

"A vision..." Tood repeated, "It...I think we are supposed to wait for something, to solve this mystery." Tood stared back at Jacen switching the focus of his eyes between Jacen and Elle.

"What?" Elle asked confused and a little irritable.

"For what?" Jacen asked.

"I don't know, but it'll be noticeable," Tood responded and then opened his eyes wide in an instant, "Noticeable like the sunrise!"

"What is going on?" Elle asked again, this time frustrated at being ignored. Jacen let out a sigh and explained the unexplainable.

"When my mind was transfered from my original body to this machine," Jacen said, "On rare occasions I would go through a vivid flashback or some sort of premonition." Off of Elle's incredulous expression Jacen continued, "They would come true, and the flashbacks themselves were like signs of something important going on now. I think Tood just had a premonition."

"Well," Elle said realizing that this meant that she could stay on the ship longer, "then that means I stay. Tood said that we have to wait for this uh..."

"Sunrise" Tood happily and gleefully interjected

"Right, Sunrise. We have to wait for this sunrise in order to find out what's going on," Elle finished her thought triumphantly knowing that she scored a good point.

"Very well," Jacen said. Tood promptly let out a celebratory "yes!" and proceeded to hug Jacen much to his own discomfort.

"But..." Jaced added, "Since I will go on to this conference with the six governments, you two will have to stay here and read up on diplomatic protocols." Tood's enthusiasm took a nose dive.

"Aww man..." Tood whined and slumped off to the side.

"Thank you," Elle said. Jacen turned around and calmly walked out of the room leaving the two alone.

(I posted )

[susanne]

'Hey!' Elle attempted to cheer Tood up. 'How hard can diplomatic protocols be?' She grinned.

'Baaaaad.' Tood answered from table level. 'Boring and bad.' He slumped further, risking falling onto the floor before Elle sighed.

'Where are the diplomatic-' She began but was interrupted by Tood yelling.

'FOOTSTEPS! Mister meanie who thinks he's a clown is coming!' Tood bounced. Wedge entered the room carrying a stack of things Elle had never seen before. He gave Tood a long suffering look before placing them carefully on the table. He looked to Elle and flashed her a Datapad, it seemed to be a news article. On her. Elle nodded and smiled in thanks.

The stack of 'Diplomatic Protocols' Turned out to be a bunch of...almost computers with files on each of them. 'Oooh Brother's put them on these? He must like you angry lady!' Tood laughed. 'These were in storage for ages!'

'It's Elle, Tood. You know that. And he probably doesn't want me to get too distracted by the advanced stuff yet.' She had grabbed the article at the first chance she could get and was flicking through it. She felt sweat break out when she read through it quickly. 'The Redemption informs us that the cause of the colonies demise has been attributed to a faulty repair. There has been no word on the lone surpvivor, or where he/she may be heading.'

Carefully, she put the article to one side and picked up the Dossier on Krypton J6. After a few minutes of careful reading, Elle went back to the files she had already read. 'What?!'

'What, what?!' Tood laughed from the other side, glad for the distraction.

'This makes no sense! It's stupid!' Elle proclaimed. 'This planet doesn't tolerate some religious beliefs and this ones full of them! And they get on! They should be at war!'

Tood leaned over and glanced at the names. 'They were.' He returned to his own files.

'But...How did Jacen get them in a room together?! Never mind actually talking!'

'He's very persuasive!' Tood grinned. 'And having a big ship that could make lotsa trouble for them really helped.'

((hope that wasn't too sucky ))

[Commander Jumper]

Susie new that from the moment she awoke that she was going to be in for on hell of a hangover. She could already feel her head spinning from beneath her lidded eyes, and god her head was aching.

But off in the distance she could hear light laughter, and two people talking. She could smell eggs and toast being made.

Someone was making breakfast, how kind.

That was when she remembered that she lived entirely alone, and fear ran cold through her veins. She sat up, her dark hair tousled and mangled, make up smeared across her face, clothes in shambles. Her blankets had been throw across her haphazardly, but her room was impeccably clean. Everything neatly organised, laundry clean and folded sitting patiently at the end of her bed to be put away.

It was almost as if her mother had stopped by for a visit.

Susie stood shakily and walked down the hallway, the world turning around her, nearly flipping upside down. It was funny, as she couldn't remember drinking all that much the night before. Then again, the not being able to remember part only solidified the suspicion that she was in fact drinking far too much the night before.

She stumbled out into her living room, the room also tidied up.

She could hear the female and male voices clearer, the two chattering away.. laughing. the woman sounded almost familiar as she recanted tales of distant memories, the story she was telling almost rang recognition with Susie, but alas.. it fell from her mind instantly, like a dream. Susie stumbled her way into the kitchen, ready to kick the arse of her intruders.

she found them plating a lovely breakfast and smiling. The woman, a blonde with shoulder length hair and dazzling blue eyes, smiled softly at her and offered her the plate of toast, jam, and eggs.

"I remembered almost too late that you're a vegetarian... no bacon for you," The woman laughed, untying the bow of her apron.

Susie looked from the plate to the woman and yet the only thoughts she could form were that she never owned an apron, or at least she didn't remember owning an apron.

The woman cocked her head to the side, as if concerned, "Is there something wrong? Does this Susie like meat?"

Susie shook her head, as if to clear away the drunkenness, "no no... this is good.. erm... who are you? and what the hell are you doing in my flat?"

The woman laughed, hanging the apron on a hook, "I'm CJ.. and this is Chiaki," she stated, motioning to the shy man standing behind CJ, "We didn't mean to intrude, but we found you lying on the side walk we figured it would be safer to bring you home than to let you just lie there."

"Oh..." Susie muttered, taking a seat at the dining table, "And you thought it would be nice to stay over, clean my house, and then make me breakfast."

CJ looked upset, "I'm sorry... I hope you don't mind. Its just... I was so used to doing this for you before.... you used to get the worst hang overs and then completely wreck your bunk."

Susie conveyed a look of confusion, "What?"

CJ smiled, taking a seat, "I better give it to you straight then..."

Chiaki placed a hand on CJ's shoulder, "Do you think thats wise?"

"You think its wise just to leave her in the dark?" CJ asked, her tone biting.

Susie looked between the two and then at the glass of water that appeared like magic before her. She dug into her breakfast as the two continued to argue, they seemed harmless enough.

Finally CJ turned away, ignoring Chiaki and smiled kindly at Susie, "Thing is... you are more important than you think you are..."

Susie laughed, "Yeah.. I tell myself that all the time."

CJ reached out, placing her hand atop Susie's, "Have you ever felt like you were meant for something so much bigger...?"

Susie suddenly realised that the strange woman before her was entirely serious. Susie swallowed her food hard and stared CJ straight in the eyes, "Course.. who doesn't."

CJ grinned, "Susie... you were meant for so much more.."

"You're starting to creep me out... you lot aren't recruiters from some freaky cult...are you?" Susie asked, pulling her hand away.

"No.." CJ chimed in, far to quickly to put Susie at ease, "You won't believe what I'm about to tell you..."

"I have a feeling your going to tell me that I'm some sort of Goddess and that I'm meant to be the salvation of the entire universe through self sacrifice..."

CJ looked very uncomfortable, "Well.. I certainly wasn't going to put it in those exactly words.... but essentially that was the gist."

Susie stood, her face stern and angry, "OUT!" she pointed to the door, causing the blonde woman to go pale.

"Sus-"

"I SAID OUT!" Susie screeched, "YOU AND YOUR FREAKY CULT AREN'T GETTING A CENT FROM ME!!!"

CJ stood as Chiaki pulled on her arm, he could feel the despair seep through her bones and radiate through the room. She pulled her away and out the door as Susie followed haughtily, slamming the door behind them.

She quickly turned the lock and the deadbolt before making her way back to her room for some much needed sleep. As she entered the room she noticed the piece of paper folded neatly on her bedside table. She walked up cautiously to the paper and picked it up, feeling the small weight within. She sat down on her messy bed and slowly unfolded the paper, within sat a key. She picked it up, the weight and shape ringing up a subtle familiarity, on the paper beneath, written in neat hand writing was one word.

Fireflies

[susanne]

Fireflies....? She held the key in her hand, feeling the weight and history of it,something so huge encompassed in one of those old Yale locks. For some reason she was smiling lovingly at a hunk of metal. Quickly she dropped the key and the paper onto the table and glared at them.

Innocent little peices lying haphazardly on her bedside table. But they weren't. How long had those two been watching her?! Long enough for the blonde one to know she was a vegeterian. A hangover wasn't the best way to think this through just yet, the breakfast already congealing in her stomach. Wait...Breakfast! Had they slipped something into her food?! A hallucinogenic? Her imagination played short and gruesome footage of what could happen if she had indeed ingested something. The main theme was red. Her stomach lurched violently and she staggered out of her bedroom, towards the bathroom.

Even in here! The gagging smell of pine caused her stomach to lurch Sticking her head down the loo, breakfast made it's reappearance. Some groaning and spluttering later, Susie used her arm as a headrest on the white porceline and breathed deeply. Whatever they'd given her had certainly left her body after that. Now, she was beginnig to think a little more clearly. Obviously, from the conversation at the breakfast table, they'd gotten her address and keys and brought her home. They'd even cleaned the flat for her. 'Probably to disguise the fact they were there in the first place.' A thought whispered trecherously, she ignored it. Why were they interested in her? Because she looked like what they were after? Because she was alone?

Angry with herself for getting so drunk the night before she got up unsteadily and pulled off her top on the way to the bedroom. Perhaps some food that wasn't poisoned would make her feel better. She knew a nice little...

'This is monday the 21st of...' Someone had left the TV on. Monday? MONDAY?! Hells bells! With some panic she dragged out a freshly laundered suit and her bag of make-up. Please! Not late again! He'd lynch her!