Family Found: Chapter Two

The Stolen Star flashed past the Jedi Temple on Ossus. The ship's sweep-backed wing design sliced through the air like some savage bird-of-prey. The sun reflected back brightly off the burnished metal of the spaceship's hull - and from the white marble which made up the base material of the Temple. High above the altitude which the Star flew a few, fat lazy clouds drifted high in the sky.

Noelani calmly banked the ship to port, dropping speed and altitude as she closed in on her assigned landing place. She could feel the large grin which was plastered on her face, and was ecstatic at the chance to actually be flying.

There was something about flight which was freeing, as if the cares of the common world meant less when someone was behind the flight yoke.

She flipped the sublight engines off and the repulsers on with a single flick of her wrist, and the last of her forward momentum was quickly shed as she lowered the ship to the ground. The whir of the landing gear lowering was a nearly inaudible rumble from beneath them. As soon as it stopped, she dropped the final few meters to the ground, coming to a rest to the hissing of the coolant jets.

Still grinning madly, she glanced towards the copilot's seat where Tahiri sat, "So, how'd I do?"

Her Master smiled back at her. "You did perfect. Now, let's get those things you found and take them over to Tionne."

The two unstrapped themselves and walked in silence to the small cargo hold; each picking up a heavy crate filled with datapads and other artifacts which Noelani had found on Rhen Var. Noelani began a stream-of-consciousness discussion about the artifacts as they walked down the ramp, and out into the bright light of Ossus' primary.

Standing a few meters away was a group of three people, Mara Jade Skywalker, her son Ben, and Tionne Solusar. As soon as she saw Ben, her mouth stopped working and silence fell around them.

"Are you all right, Noelani?"

Startled slightly, she could feel her cheeks beginning to burn as she looked up at Tahiri. "What? Oh. I'm fine. There's nothing wrong."

She noticed that Tahiri seems to just watch her silently for a moment, amusement flashing in her green eyes. Finally the older girl nodded her head once quickly, and faced forward to those waiting on them. As they arrived, Tahiri set the box down by her feet, and wrapped Tionne in a hug and then bowed for Master Skywalker.

Noelani watched these transactions, as she shifted the weight of the box around slightly in her arms, a dull ache beginning to appear in the arm that she had broken just a few weeks ago. She tried to keep from staring at Ben Skywalker, but constantly found that her eyes were drawn back to him.

And more often than not, he was watching her.

Giving up the pretense of not staring, she took a nice long look. Today, he was dressed in a Jedi outfit, loose pants and a linen tunic. She noted that he didn’t wear a mantle, and for a second wonders if that's because he spent so much time working with GAG. She looked up from his clothes to find that he had been silently staring at her. Their eyes locked, and Noelani could feel her stomach do a flip, and she adverted her gaze quickly, feeling a slight burn of a blush cropping up on her cheeks again.

Finally, Tionne brought up the boxes which they had brought back with them, by saying, "So, Tahiri, what goodies did you bring me?"

Tahiri's laughter sounded almost like bells. "My apprentice stumbled onto a room which apparently held a Jedi at some point in the past – complete with lightsaber and holocron. We brought two cases of the stuff, and there's more."

Tionne's eyes appeared to light up slightly, joy at having new items for her research. "That is wonderful Tahiri! Thank you! Can I borrow your apprentice to help me carry these things?"

Tahiri glanced towards Noelani once, and then nodded her head. Turning back to Tionne, Tahiri had a wry grin on her face. "I think Noelani would love to help you."

Before Noelani could respond, Ben darted forward and scooped up the box at Tahiri's feet. "I'll give a hand to."

Noelani looked towards him, noticing the lopsided grin he had on his face, and quickly looked towards Tionne.

"Thank you, Ben. If you both will follow me."

The elfin Jedi turned and headed towards the Temple and Noelani and Ben fell into line next to one another. A burst of annoyance came from Mara Skywalker, and both Ben and Noelani glanced over their shoulders to see the Jedi Master staring after them – a stormy expression on her face.

Ben looked towards her again, "Don't worry about her, she's just grumpy."

Noelani can't help but giggle. The thought of someone calling the Jedi Master Mara Jade Skywalker "grumpy" was just too much of an amusing picture for her not to do so.

Noelani looked away and down at the box she was carrying, focusing on following Tionne to the Master's office. Before long they arrived, and the two teens placed their respective boxes on the table which Tionne indicated.

"Thank you both."

Noelani smiled happily for her. "It was a pleasure, Master Tionne."

Ben made a small non-committal comment, and the two fled the room, and began walking around. Neither quite sure what to say to the other.

Finally, Ben spoke up, his voice hesitant. "You want to grab a bite to eat?"

Noelani smiled for him. "Sure!"

She grabbed his hand in hers, and started walking faster through the temple, dragging Ben slightly. Before long, they arrived at the doors to the cafeteria, and Ben coughed to attract Noelani's attention, and then called out her name.

She glanced over her shoulder, one eyebrow cocked in a query.

He glanced down where their hands were still joined. "Uh. Do you think I could have my hand back now?"

"Oh! Sorry." She let go of his hand, feeling a blush creep up on her cheeks once again.

Then she reached out and pushed open the door, and together they walked into the cafeteria. The bustling noise of the place washed over them – the collective sounds of dozens of beings all talking to one another. Noelani grinned; she had forgotten that the cafeteria here was so much fun, with so many people in it at almost any time of the day.

She headed for one of the food service lines, and picked up a meal. Stepping out of the food service line, she looked around, and finally saw a table with no one sitting at it. Working her way around the filled tables she sat down at the empty one and waited for Ben.

Before long he joined her at the table. She frowned down at his selections.

"Are you really going to eat all of that?"

"Sure?" Then picking up and holding out towards her an avian leg, he said, "Why? You want some?"

"No. What is it?"

He laughed and glanced at the leg in his hand, before bringing it to his mouth for a quick bite. "I'm not exactly sure."

She crinkled her nose slightly, and took a bite of her own food.

"So, did you really find that stuff?"

She looked up from her plate, and nodded her head. "Yeah, Master Tahiri took me to Rhen Var to show me a tomb that was there, and while I was exploring I found this hidden room which contained all those treasures. It was astral."

"Really? Was there a dead body in the tomb?"

"I don't think so… it was the tomb of a Jedi, and I think he did that fadey thing some Jedi do when they die."

"Oh. So, how do you like doing missions with your Master?"

Noelani shrugged her shoulders slightly. "It's fun for the most part. Except all the fighting. I broke my arm two missions ago. And we just came back from Rhen Var, which is an ice planet. It was way too cold."

Ben grinned at her. "I think visiting an ice planet would so lubed."

"Ben!"

Both teens looked up and saw Mara Jade Skywalker standing at the doorway, a scowl darkening her face as she watched the two of them. Noelani swallowed hard as she started towards them, and looked towards Ben.

"I don't think she likes me."

Ben grinned for her. "I think she's that way for everyone."

Before Noelani could reply, Mara Jade was standing at their table. "What do you think you're doing?"

Ben glanced down at his half-eaten plate of food and then back up at his mother. "Having lunch?"

"You know you were supposed to meet your father for dueling practice fifteen minutes ago."

"Oh. Sorry mom." He turned towards Noelani. "I've gotta go. I'll talk to you later."

And then he jumped up and rushed from the room. Noelani watched for a moment, and then felt someone staring at her. She turned from the doors and saw Mara Jade still standing there at her table.

She swallowed hard, suddenly scared. "Is… is something wrong Master Skywalker?"

The older woman's eyes seemed to soften for a moment, filling with an emotion which Noelani could not quite name. Then they hardened once more and she shook her head. "No, Noelani. Nothing is wrong."

Then she too was gone, leaving Noelani alone at the table, silently chewing at her lower lip as she tried to figure out what had just happened.