All This For A Drop of Blood

All This For A Drop of Blood
Date of Scene:	02 April 2026
Location:
Synopsis:
Cast of Characters:	159, Navi

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Athena (159) has posed:
It's raining in the Gorge.

Not like it had before -- just a light sprinkle, but enough to make that damned fog sweep in again and obscure nearly everything from view.

Navi had likely been out scouting, but the weather would make it harder her for her to do anything, really. Dusk is falling anyway, so the young Sephi girl may decide that it's about time to pack it up and head back to the colony.

By now, reparations to the Temple had progressed - the dojo had been restored, and the archives were nearly complete as well. Most importantly, a sturdy path with stairs built of adobe and synthetic stone had been constructed, leading from the colony down to the Temple.

Navi will need to find her way back to this path - it's the best and safest route back to the colony. But it's dark, and the fog--! She won't be able to see three feet in front of her.

Her commlink is pinging. Somehow, she's still getting signal down here...

Navi has posed:
Navi draws her retractable staff and extends it to serve as a walking stick, and for testing the ground in the fog. "Swell," she murmurs, strapping on her mini headlamp and switching it on. "This is the perfect kind of weather to pull a Cayde in the dark. Extra care is definitely warranted."

Just then her comlink pings. Carefully plucking it from her belt, she checks the screen and answers the call. "Deputy Marshal Navi. Go ahead."

Athena (159) has posed:
The spot she's stepped on suddenly gives way! She'll have to be quick to avoid slipping downward.

It's Xera. "I thought you were stopping by tonight," she says pointedly. The timing is poor, but maybe she'd make it back to the colony before it got too late?

Navi has posed:
"Oh-!" Navi cries, leaping instinctively forward with the help of her staff as her rear foot slips. Somehow she manages not to fall. Looking back, she looks at where she'd just been. "Close..."

"I'm sorry, Xera, but I'm going to be a little late. I was scouting the flooding in the Gorge, and now there's a heavy fog on the ground. I'll be back up top as quick as I can," she replies, as politely as she can while she's still breathing fast from her close call.

Athena (159) has posed:
It could have been worse ... but it certainly could have been better. There's a bush there just below the ridge she'd slipped on -- not thorny, but the branches far from a soft bath loofah! Her clothing might have torn. That would have been just her luck!

"Fine," the woman says, and then ends the transmission.

Just as Navi may be about to resume her search for the path back up to the colony, a rope tumbles down to her from above! She'll sense a familiar presence nearby.

Navi has posed:
Navi winces at the sight of the bush. "That could've been another Tuesday's wardrobe malfunction," she murmurs. "Thank the Force for my old friend, Mr. Staff."

The rope startles her, and she takes a step back with a little gasp. Followed by a sense of a familiar presence... "Looks like I'm gonna owe you again, Mr. Whatever Your Name Is This Week..." she murmurs, giving the rope a good tug to ensure it won't break loose under her weight. If it holds, she starts climbing carefully up the cliff...

Athena (159) has posed:
Miraculously it does not, and surprise! No wardrobe malfunctions on the way up. Thank the Force.

When she reaches the top, she'll see Zealot, wearing his marauder attire. A brief look around will reveal to Navi that she'd been here previously, and she'll remember that the path is nearby, just due west a hundred meters or so.

"Navi," he says softly. "Are you alright?"

Navi has posed:
"I'm good. Thank you for the rope. As usual, your timing was excellent," Navi replies quietly. "What brings you out here in the fog?"

Athena (159) has posed:
Navi will have already sensed that something was bothering him. He was... afraid.

"I just came from the Temple," he says, "Rykard has been gracious to allow the Disciples from the Convent to stay there until it's restored or we find better lodging in town."

"You know how it is down here, and I'm sure you can feel it too. The Force is so strong there, and I'm worried about Cayde. Since all the Jedi have decided to temporarily stay there to help with the scouting until it's time to leave for Coruscant, he's been in the Gorge since last night, and he hasn't been very well. And you know what that's like."

Navi has posed:
"And you're worried it's going to turn into another hallucinogenic house of horrors?" Navi asks softly. "That's a good reason to worry. He should be staying up in Aklyrr Bend, since he has lodgings there and the bulk of his duties as Co-Deputy Marshal are centered there anyway. Has no one thought to suggest he go back to town?"

Athena (159) has posed:
"Well, yes," he says, "I was already experiencing some just now, at the Temple."

"It was discussed," he says to Navi, "But Rykard and Reza must stay in the Temple for now. They have to accompany the scouting party. If they send Cayde back alone to Aklyrr Bend or Kublop, he'll be upset. And that's perhaps worse."

"Perhaps it will be alright. You'll all leave for Coruscant in a few days, won't you? He just has to stay in control until then."

Her commlink bleeps with another text transmission. Xera's asking where she is.

Navi has posed:
Navi sighs quietly. "That's asking an awful lot. He's among Jedi, which should make keeping control easier, and yet he's already having trouble, you said? If that's true, he needs to go back to town. And since you won't get anywhere near town in that getup, I guess I'll need to escort him back."

Athena (159) has posed:
"Rykard has already agreed to escort him back to Aklyrr if it gets too bad," he says.

Softly, he says, "They're trying to avoid making it seem like he's incapable. That'll make everything worse. I don't know that that's the answer, but if it's not, I don't know what is."

Now her commlink is ringing, and buzzing disruptively! Xera's calling her. The woman has no patience, apparently.

Navi has posed:
"I'll leave it in Mastery Rykard's hands, then. Half the time Cayde won't listen to me anyway," Navi observes wearily. "Rykard just needs to remind him that he's still a Padawan, and it's not wrong to acknowledge that he's not ready for some challenges yet."

And then the comlink starts buzzing /and/ pinging! "I'm sorry, but I've got to take this..."

"Deputy Marshal Navi, how can I help you?" she asks politely.

Athena (159) has posed:
"Where the kriff are you?" Xera asks impatiently. "Shouldn't you be back in Aklyrr already? I prepared refreshments, it's rude to let them get cold."

"I see you're wanted," he remarks to her, seeming amused. "But I'll be seeing you. I'd like to see you off to Coruscant. I'll miss you, of course."

Navi has posed:
"My apologies, Xera. I'll be there momentarily. Should I wear something nice?" Navi asks over the comlink, offering Zealot a thumb's-up and a firm nod to his request.

Athena (159) has posed:
"No, don't bother," she says, "I had Avi bring in the shipment I purchased from Coruscant earlier. I thought you might like some of the pieces. You should try them on at the very least."

Navi won't find it difficult to make her way to the path that leads back up to Aklyrr, the fog isn't as bad in this area. Soon, she'll be back at the colony.

Navi has posed:
"Thank you, Xera. That's so sweet of you. I'll be there in a few more minutes," Navi replies, ending the call as she walks into the colony proper. One look down at her clothes decides her. "Ick... as soon as I clean up a teense..."

She bolts into the ionic shower inside her habsuite, then changes into fresh clothes. Her hair she leaves generally loose, with her forelocks drawn around in back and clasped to keep her heavy pale blonde mane out of her face. A minute later she's at Xera's hab-megasuite.

Athena (159) has posed:
The door opens immediately, and she'll find herself being greeted by Xera's protocol droid. "Greetings, Deputy," he drones. "Do come in. But please remove your shoes once inside."

Then it totters in the living area, and gestures to a velvet couch adjacent to a small parlor table, decked out with a tray of sweets and a pot of tea.

Navi has posed:
Navi leaves her shoes just inside the door as bidden, then follows the droid to the couch in her sock feet and takes a seat. "Wow, this looks wonderful. Now I feel doubly guilty for keeping her waiting." Only partly true, but her feelings for Xera are complex. Love lurks at the heart of them, but it's hardly alone.

Athena (159) has posed:
A few minutes later, Xera appears. She's dressed like she's going to some kind of gala, but she's clearly not, Tenoo is far too backwater for that. Avi trails her, looking sullen.

"There you are," she says to Navi, "you're so late. You know that's a very bad habit of yours," she says, "not showing up on time. Have you tried any of the refreshments yet?"

Navi has posed:
"Not yet, Xera... I've only just arrived. Duty keeps a very harsh schedule. With the new Senior Deputy, I'm hopeful that my workload will be lighter," Navi replies, in a mix of contrition and politesse.

"You've chosen such a lovely outfit, too. Color me impressed all over again," she adds, choosing one of the sweets and taking a dainty bite.

Athena (159) has posed:
"Thank you," Xera says, but there doesn't seem to be much gratefulness in her tone.

Xera watches her take a bite of one of the morsels.

"That's a caramelized mini jogan fruit tart," she says to the young Sephi girl. "What do you think?"

Navi has posed:
Navi finishes chewing, swallowing the bite. "Nice. Sweet, smooth, and just a bit tart," she replies, before popping the rest into her mouth.

Swallowing after a moment, she breaks one of the treats in half. "Share one with me?" she offers warmly, offering one half to Xera.

Athena (159) has posed:
Xera smiles and takes the other half of the tart. It's hard to tell if she's being genuine or not, but she eats it all the same and seems to enjoy it.

"Now," she says, "you'll have to see the dresses. There's fifteen of them. I'm sure one of them is your size." She gets up and heads for the master bedroom, beckoning for Avi to follow her.

Navi has posed:
Navi eats the other half, remembering her manners. The tarts are delicious, and she hopes Xera's smile is genuine.

"Shall I join you?" she asks, as Xera and Avi move to leave the little parlor.

Athena (159) has posed:
"Of course," Xera says, but she doesn't look at Navi.

Once in the bedroom, she'll see all the dresses laid out on the bed. They're beautiful... and look terribly expensive.

Navi has posed:
"Oh, my goodness... they're so gorgeous!" Navi cries softly, deeply impressed, moving to study each dress thoughtfully. "And one of them is mine? You're so sweet!"

She hadn't missed Xera not looking at her, but she hopes it was just her being in a bit of a rush. She also hopes she doesn't know better...

Athena (159) has posed:
Xera tilts her head thoughfully, looking at each of the dresses, her expression pensive.

"Well," she says after a moment, "There's this one." And she points to a white shimmersilk one that comes with a lace bodice and corset. The back is open, and the top of the dress converges into an open halter neckline that doesn't have a clasp in the back. "I think this one could look good and may fit you," she says, "but it comes as a set, with a necklace. Avi will have to fetch it."

Navi will sense ... blood in the very near future. An accident, and a supposedly annoyed Xera. A very small amount of it, on the back of her own neck. But whose it is, she will not be able to discern.

Navi has posed:
"It's so lovely... I don't think I've ever worn pure white before. Shall I undress?" Navi asks softly. After all, Xera had insisted that she must try the dresses on.

"Oh, please be careful," she adds, as the brief vision claims her attention. "Avi, Xera, do be careful. I feel like someone may be about to be cut, or pricked with a pin or clasp..."

Athena (159) has posed:
"The bathroom is over there," Xera instructs.

She then hands Navi the dress. "We'll have the necklace once you finish putting it on."

Navi has posed:
"Thank you, Xera. I only hope I'm worthy of your generosity," Navi replies softly, accepting the dress and stepping into the refresher booth. It's a large deluxe model, and she's grateful for the extra room as she begins to undress...

A few minutes later, she emerges in the dress. "I /think/ it fits, but I've never worn a Core-styled gown before," she admits softly. "Xera, could you be a dear and look it over and see if it fits properly?"

Athena (159) has posed:
"Oh, yes," she says, "that looks like a good fit. Of course, I've never been one to fail when it comes to good taste," she offers proudly.

"However..." she peers at the corset. "Well you didn't tighten it at all. No wonder it's sagging a bit," she says, "and Avi has the necklace for you here. Now, sit down. The necklace will have to be clipped to the dress and then fastened. You'll have to hold still. The jewelry is a delicate thing."

Navi will notice that Xera's right. It is sagging a little, she likely hadn't noticed because it had only just now started very slowly to droop now that Navi has been standing for longer than three minutes. And of course, the neckline hasn't been fastened, so that isn't helping things.

Navi has posed:
"Oh, dear... I should have known I'd forget something," Navi replies, blushing faintly. "I'll hold still, promise," she adds as she takes a seat, as bidden. She'd forgotten that someone else usually has to lace up a corset, especially if the laces are in back.

Athena (159) has posed:
Xera will start lacing up the corset. It doesn't... feel nice. She'll feel like she's getting suffocated. But at least it will look good, right?

Then Xera starts to clip the necklace in place. The jewels on it are heavy, but the clasp is a tiny needle point that fits into an equally small device with an even smaller hole.

"It's a very fine thing," she says, "Avi will you take care of it? Your hands are smaller than mine," she says, and backs away.

Navi might have sworn that she heard Avi grumble, but the girl's dress rustles as she moves into place to take over Xera's task. She starts to try to put the clasp into place, but then suddenly!!

Navi will feel a sharp and deep pinprick in the back of her neck.

Navi has posed:
Navi holds as still as a statue, partly aided by the tightly-laced corset. She actually enters a partial meditation trance to do so. She is indeed as steady as a rock, something that will be obvious to all...

"Ow! Avi, please be more careful with that!" she cries as she feels the needle point sink into the back of her neck!

Athena (159) has posed:
"You twitched, you wicked little brush mouse!" she insults Navi. "If you'd just held still..."

Xera huffs, sounding disgusted, "Well she's bleeding now! Clean her up."

Avi grumbles, and complies, going over to a drawer and taking out some gauze and alcohol. She wipes the blood away, complaining to herself.

Then she places the gauze with the blood on it aside, on the beside table.

"Look," she says to Navi in a sour tone, "now you've made a whole mess!" She fetches a small rag, and starts wiping at the chair. It must have dripped.

But then Xera starts fussing. "Avi, you can't leave that bloodied gauze there! Take care of it, already..."

"My lady, there's a bloodstain on the velvet chair..."

"There's the droid for that," Xera says, sounding irritated. "Dammit! Where is that droid...!" She exits the room, calling for the protocol droid who'd greeted Navi earlier.

"Don't just sit there," Avi says to Navi icily, "I can't very well clean the chair while you're sitting in it!"

Navi has posed:
"I did /not/ twitch, Avi... I even went into a partial meditation trance to ensure that I /could not/ twitch," Navi retorts, with only minimal heat. She stands, adding, "Really? If you hadn't stuck me with that pin point, there wouldn't /be/ a mess. And didn't Lady Graf say to wait for the droid to clean the chair?"

Athena (159) has posed:
"You did twitch, you just hate to admit it," she sneers.

"Don't tell me what to do, you're not -her-!" Avi snarls. "Now get -out-. The droid is obviously not here, so who else is going to clean it in the meantime? It can't sit, that will worsen it!"

Avi might have been lying about Navi twitching, but she's not lying about the droid, sadly. It does not appear to be anywhere in sight. Xera had gone off to find it, but so far it would seem the lady of the habsuite has been unsuccessful.

Navi has posed:
"You always were a liar, Avi," Navi replies. "Perhaps out of regret that your name lacked a first letter, to make it legitimate." She leaves the room, looking for Xera and the droid.

Athena (159) has posed:
Avi doesn't say anything, but she glares at Navi as she leaves.

Navi won't find Xera, but she will hear the droid in the hallway where the other bathroom is.

But as she walks she will find the dress sagging even more. The necklace hadn't been clipped, so now, when she walks, it slides down a little with every step! Just her luck that she's having a wardrobe malfunction now. At least it isn't in the woods.

Navi has posed:
Navi sighs and draws the back of the dress up behind her neck, then turns and goes back to the refresher to slip out of the dress. With the way things are going, she'll wrinkle or tear it.

She emerges from the refresher in her underwear, a comfy and modest two-piece set in white cor-cotton. After all, she's going to try on more dresses, most likely.

She hopes Xera will understand.

Athena (159) has posed:
She's probably about to head back down the hallway to Xera's bedroom, when she'll likely be startled by a hand reaching out gently to grasp her wrist from behind!

"... Navi!" comes the urgent whisper from shower.

It's Thaarin. He's clothed, partially, at least. But he's all wet, and the sleeveless shirt he's wearing is somewhat soaked. So are his trousers. He seems amused.

"What happened?" he asks.

Navi has posed:
"Thaarin? It's a long story that involves trying on dresses and Avi pricking me deliberately in the back of my neck with a clasp pin and throwing a pathetic fit," Navi replies, blushing faintly. "Sorry to intrude... I'd no idea you were in the shower stall."

Athena (159) has posed:
He offers her a faint smile. "I heard," he says, "The ventilation shaft that runs from here to the master provides decent but not excellent insight into what's happening in there," he says, "I thought you were Avi and couldn't figure out why in light's name she might leave the master just to dispose of a bloodied gauze. You two have nearly identical gaits."

"You're one to talk," he says cheekily, "I'm not the one in my underwear."

Navi has posed:
"Almost identical names, too... I suspect she's just jealous that hers lacks a first letter," Navi muses. She blushes a little more at his cheeky comment. "I didn't see the point of putting all my clothes back on when I'm going to be trying on another dress. There's nothing more or less to it than that."

"Anyway, you'd probably better get back to your shower. If Xera sees me talking to you, she's likely to become terribly jealous," she adds gently. "Also, would you say that Avi poked me deliberately with the clasp pin? In your opinion, I mean."

Athena (159) has posed:
"Probably," Thaarin jests, seeming even more amused.

"I suppose you're right," he says, "but I don't see any harm in that," he once again adds, mischief in his scarlet eyes. Then his expression grows solemn. "I think it was very deliberate. And odd--"

And then there's footsteps. Thaarin's brows furrowed. "That's her..."

And then he reaches to tug Navi into the shower stall with him, shutting off the lights. "We should see what she does..." he whispers.

Navi has posed:
Navi enters the shower room with him, but not the stall itself, as she has no desire to get soaking wet. But she does tune her ears to the ventilation duct, as Thaarin had done, and this girl has got /ears/...

Athena (159) has posed:
Stall or not, they're standing very close together, and Navi will suddenly be acutely aware that standing this close to him feels a bit like being too near to a boilerplate. It's uncomfortable, to say in the least.

But she can't comment, or make a sound. Because Avi is coming down the hallway, with Xera in tow.

"Navi?" Xera calls out. "Where -did- that girl go..." she mutters. "Navi??"

But Thaarin puts a finger to his lips, and leans near the barely cracked open shower room door. His body heat nearly roasts her like a nuna hen in an oven.

Navi has posed:
Navi holds absolutely still, barely daring to breathe. Whatever comes next might be world-shattering, or it might be nothing at all. Though she does find it interesting that Avi is leading Xera... wasn't she supposed to be cleaning the chair?

Athena (159) has posed:
Avi comes into the bathroom, sure enough.

Xera peers into the bathroom, but then turns around and goes back out, still calling Navi's name.

Avi stays though. She reaches into her pocket and takes out the bloody gauze from her pocket, and then reaches into the cupboard to take out a small bottle. What is she doing??

Navi has posed:
Navi ducks into the shower stall just in time. A mere second later, the bathroom door opens, and Xera peeks in, and Avi comes in. Xera leaves, but Avi stays...

Navi probes her surface thoughts, and finds the idea of preserving the gauze with Navi's blood on it in a little bottle. Avi doesn't know the reason why, but she does seem to know that it has to do with the Arkanians...

"Don't do it, Avi," Navi says, emerging from the shower stall. "You're getting tangled up in a bigger crime than you can imagine."

Athena (159) has posed:
As soon as Navi emerges, Avi shoves the bottle and the gauze into one of her pockets. "Do what?" She looks Navi up and down, and frowns in disgust.

"Is this where you've been all this time? You should be ashamed of yourself! Lady Graf has been looking for you!" She glares at her. "You've been a most disrespectful guest. We prepared food, drink, and even gifts for you, and what gratefulness have you shown? You made a mess, and then disappeared without warning. What kind of guest treats her host this way?" Then she turns to leave, looking annoyed.

Navi has posed:
Navi grabs Avi's shoulder. "Give me the bottle, Avi. The Arkanians want that blood because they are conducting illegal cloning experiments, and they are very interested in the blood of Force-sensitive sentients. That's why they want my blood."

Athena (159) has posed:
"I've no idea what you're talking about! Let -go- of me!" she screeches, trying to wrest away from Navi.

"Lady Graf...!" she calls out. "Navi is -hurting- me!"

There's the sound of running footsteps, then.

Navi has posed:
Navi pushes Avi into the corridor. "I can /read your mind/, Avi... did you really think you could hide what you were doing from me?" she asks.

Athena (159) has posed:
And then suddenly Xera has appeared. "Navi!" she scolds.

"What are you doing to Avi? This is out of hand." She frowns at Navi in her underwear.

Navi has posed:
"My apologies, Xera, but Avi has become entangled in a terrible crime. She's saved a sample of my blood, which is why she stabbed me with the clasp pin of the necklace. The Arkanian scientists somehow persuaded her to do so. They are conducting illegal cloning experiments, and have been actively trying to get samples of genetic material from Force-sensitives and Mandalorians," Navi explains. "Also, I'm not hurting her. Just keeping her in place."

"There is a small bottle in her right-hand skirt pocket, if you could please take it, Xera? Maybe Avi hates me, but I'd rather not see her in such severe trouble as this. If she is willing to surrender the sample and testify against the Arkanians, I may be able to save her from prison."

Athena (159) has posed:
"Oh," Xera says, looking relieved. "well of course. Avi, give it here. Navi is the Deputy, after all."

Avi wipes her eyes angrily, and hands the bottle and the gauze to Xera. "Now don't worry about it at all, I'll have this taken care of." She then turns to leave.

Navi will be able to tell that Xera knows about this, but only that. Does she know because Navi just told her, or did she know about it from before? Navi won't be able to tell.

Navi has posed:
"I'll need the sample, Xera. It's evidence. This isn't just about a single blonde Deputy Marshal... the Republic Security Bureau is peripherally involved at this point, as is the Jedi Order. As of months ago, the Arkanians have absconded with medical and scientific equipment from this colony... they have deserted their duties to this colony and to the Tenoo Colony Initiative as a whole," Navi explains.

Athena (159) has posed:
"No, you don't," Xera tells Navi pointedly. "I know all of this. You're forgetting, I'm the coin purse of this project, and therefore pull all the strings. Rykard can say he's Marshal, that doesn't change anything. I'm telling you, -I'm- taking care of it. And I will."

"You made a promise to me Navi. That you'd keep my secrets, and in exchange, I'd let you see me whenever you wanted. If you break your promise..." she shakes her head. "I'll never speak to you, ever again."

She means it. And she has lots to hide. She knows about the Arkanian's project, perhaps not all the details, and doesn't know where they are currently, but she doesn't care to know. She's willing to support them, as long as they earn her pretty credits.

Navi has posed:
"Xera, you don't want to be involved with these people... they've proven repeatedly that they can't be trusted, and they're engaged in the most illegal and unethical medical research possible under Republic law. It won't matter if you're the purse strings of the colony or not if the Arkanians roll over on you to try to save their cowardly skins. Then my keeping your secrets wouldn't matter a bit," Navi pleads softly, a tear sliding quietly, almost beautifully, down her pale cheek.

"I love you, Xera Graf. And I don't want to see you in that kind of trouble. Do the wise thing, the safe thing. Tell us what you know about them, and what they're doing. In return, we can save you from prison, and save your reputation and fortunes. We will catch those Arkanians. That's not even in question. If you cooperate before we do, we can help you. If you don't, the odds against you get a lot worse. Don't go down with those monsters."

Athena (159) has posed:
"Cloning isn't illegal, it's only illegal if cruel and unusual experimentation is involved," Xera says coldly, "And you cannot prove that they are engaging in cruel and unusual experimentation. Why, the clone of that Baron turned out just fine. He didn't harm any civilians, and no one died or was hospitalized because of him. Nor did he have any report of being mistreated at the facility." She dusts her dress off, looking annoyed.

"Save their skins?" she says, "Please. If anyone needs saving, it's -them-. They need saving from -me-. Without me, they're nothing, and if I tell them to come back right now and confiscate their allowance, their project will end. That's that."

"I assure you, they will come back. When it's time, they will. After all, I could tell them to come this instant and they'd have no choice but to obey. You can't say they've absconded if I'm fully aware they're not in the colony, and am certain they will return when the time is right."

"There's no catching to be done, Navi. If I wanted to know where they were, I could. But it's not important. What's important, is that this Initiative succeeds. One of the five main goals was medical research, was it not? A breakthrough, something revolutionary that would change the galaxy forever. And if they need to be away to do that, then so be it."

"I don't need your help, Navi. You're the one who so desperately needs me, emotionally, financially, physically. So you're in no position to make any sort of bargain. If I decide this Initiative was a waste of time, I could leave and the colonists here would be stranded. The Republic and the rest of the investors don't have the funding to supply them with what they need to live here. They'd all have to go back to where they came from, and pay their own fare back to whatever dirt poor planet they're from because the Republic's colonial interests budget can't afford that either. Or, they could try to scrape by here. It would be hard, and perhaps some would die over the next winter, but if one can't pay the fare, then what choice is there?"

"You're forgetting, Navi. Credits can't buy happiness, but they can buy power, and power is all that matters. Now, if you're not going to cooperate, then get out."

Navi has posed:
"You've forgotten about taking genetic samples without consent, which is most certainly a crime," Navi says quietly. "And so is using such samples for research."

"I told you I love you, and I meant it. But I can't help you with something like this. If only you could see how wrong you are..." she whispers, turning to step back into the shower room.

Athena (159) has posed:
"A good lawyer can redefine consent," Xera says, "but if it really bothers you so much..."

She tosses the gauze and the bottle into the trash in the refreshers. Then she glances down at the dress that Navi had taken off, and examines it before picking it up. There's a very small spot of blood on halter neckline, where it had touched the puncture wound right after Avi had stabbed her. "If you loved me, you'd do what I ask. And you wouldn't leave stains all over my belongings, either," she says. "I haven't even the slightest reason to believe you love me, Navi. You're just infatuated, which is to be expected, but it's pathetic, really. Because the moment I become even mildly inconvenient to that damned conscience of yours, that so called love you have for me evaporates. How two faced of you!" Then, clutching the dress and the necklace to her chest, she sweeps out of the refreshers and back out into the hallway.

Thaarin's still there, hiding, spying, or both. "I suppose she's kicking you out," he says to her softly.

Navi has posed:
"If I didn't love you, I wouldn't have tried to protect you," Navi replies quietly. "It's like I said... you can't see how wrong you are. And if I didn't love you, that wouldn't be so hard to say..." Her voice breaks at the last, and she hurries into the shower room and closes the door, sobbing.

"She is..." Navi whispers through her tears, as she begins to try to get dressed again. "She doesn't... understand what she's gotten into..."

Athena (159) has posed:
The woman isn't listening. She's gone. Back out into the hallway, straight to her master bedroom. The door to the bedroom closes behind her, and Navi will be able to hear it seal shut.

Thaarin helps her get dressed, helping her pull the jacket she usually wears snug around her shoulders. "Perhaps one day she will," he says softly.

After she finishes dressing, he embraces her gently. "I know it's hard to not take it personally, but would it comfort you to know she treats me the same way..."

Navi has posed:
"Not really. It means she's as manipulative as I feared," Navi replies sadly, returning his embrace. By now she's mostly stopped crying, except for the occasional sniffle. "I do love her, Thaarin. Somewhere, deep down, she loves me, too. I've seen it. She just can't see it for politics and powermongering. I can forgive her for that. But I can't save her."

Dressed, she kisses his cheek lightly. "You deserve better than the way she treats you. We both do, I suppose. Is there anything I can do for you?"

Athena (159) has posed:
"Then I supposed you have the biggest heart of us all," he says, "no one else could love a woman like her..."

When she kisses him on the cheek, he seems mildly charmed. He kisses her forehead, but Navi might get a sense that he had been briefly tempted to kiss her elsewhere. "If you really believe that, then the favor you can do for me is to take a break from her. I will, too, I suppose. She exhausts me. Then perhaps when we're both less tired, a way around her opaque politicking and powermongering will present itself."

Navi has posed:
"I hope so. I'm so tired... I wish I'd never come here. But I've wished that a lot. The Force isn't always kind. But it's always right," Navi replies quietly. "More's the pity."

She hugs Thaarin. "Take care, Thaarin. I suspect a break will do you more good than me," she observes, opening the shower room door and entering the hall. "I'm going back to my little cubbyhole tent-thing to get some sleep. Maybe I'll feel better in the morning."

She doubts it.

Athena (159) has posed:
"I understand that," Thaarin says softly, "but at least you saw me, and we had some peace and quiet, despite everything that's happened lately. We must learn to find the silver linings in the fog sometimes," he says.

When she hugs him, he runs a hand through her hair gently. "Don't say that," he says, "because I suspect you need the break more than I do. But you know that if you ever need anything, I'm here for you. To be a friend, a listening ear, even physical affection if you desire it. It doesn't have to mean anything, and can exist solely to to provide you comfort if you want it. I know you like it."

Then he opens the window and starts to climb out of it. "Goodnight, Navi. Rest well... and I'm sure I'll see you soon."