Aboard Leia's ship, somewhere in hyperspace...


"I didn't mean to leave you, Leia. Don't have me stand here, leaving myself to beg you to come back into your life again. I never wanted to be gone away from you in the first place."


Leia had never answered, and the rest of the first day of the trip was full of awkward silence.


The second day was much different. Everything that had needed to be said had been said the day before, not to mention... Leia was feeling much better.


By the final day their friendship had rekindled though Leia still seemed wary at times, and they sat eating lunch in the common room.


"Only a couple more hours until we reach the Caprician system... I can't wait to get off this ship" Leia said, stretching. Amalia suddenly looked up, a confused expression evident on her face. She had initially set the ship on a course to Bonadan... Leia had never mentioned a course change.


"We'll be getting back only a couple days before the wedding. I've got to get back home, handling the wedding planning alone has to be driving Tyscio insane" Leia explained as she pulled a brightly colored flimsy out of her pocket, similar to the one Tyscio had given Vinda. The coloring still irked her... she'd wanted white and gold. "Speaking of which, here's your invitation."


Leia smiled and placed it on the table in front of Amalia, and then rose and headed for the cockpit... there was a long list of preparations to be made for their arrival.


***


Capricia


Leia keyed open the door to the apartment, and tripped over a stack of crates as she entered the foyer.


"What...?" Curious, Leia leaned over the crates to examine them more closely. They smelled of... swamp?


She heard something squish under her, and as she looked down she found that the smell was coming from some sort of ooze that had leaked out of one of the crates and saturated the carpet. The puddle of ooze was wiggling too, were those... worms?


That man was in trouble.


"TYSCIO!!!!"

"Paddington, I have bad news." the crash of lightning and thunder sounded in the background.

"What is it, baby?" came the nonchalant yet inevitable reply.

"The child is not Highbacca's." such news may have moved lesser men but not Paddington. He simply waited for the rest. "It is yours!"

The fat sidekick of Paddington, nicknamed 'Wheels' since he subbed as Paddington's aircar driver as well, gaped and turned to his wide eyes to his hero, Paddington, wondering just how the Man of Myth would get off of this emotionally-charged pod-racer. Wheel's dumbfounded stare should have ended with his exclamation, "Holy Horny Hairy Bastards, Paddington! What will you do?!"

Unfortunately for Paddington, the question did little to upset Wheel from being a vision of total idiocy.

Our hero sighed and turned a calm eye to the luminous lipped Lola. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, baby, but I've been sterile for years!"

Wheel's lost his grip on gravity and fell to the floor.

"LIAR!" screemed Lola. "I know the..."

"Somebody's been leading you by your pierced lip." Paddington was coming into his full now as he was beginning to put all the pieces in place with his highly unlikely but ultimately correct suppositions. "Boss CK-1 tricked you with a false sensor DNA match testing method telling you the child was mine so that you'd be more favorable to sleeping with Highbacca!"

"Why, Paddington? Why?"

"Because baby, once the child was born and seen to be Highbacca's, Boss CK-1, as official guardian of the child would incur Highbacca's life-debt and all the benefits of Highbacca's office and protection!"

Lola was not to be deterred as her confused little mind (bless her confused little mind) tried to cope with the reality that slammed into her like blaster bolts from a DL-44.

"But why would Boss CK-1 become the child's guardian?"

"Because baby," Paddington patiently responded as he pressed the emergency release for the highrise room's window. The glass panel slid open and the wind roared over Paddington's next words.

"He laced your hormone centers with nano-explosives!"

"But.. But.." Lola was crying now knowing that it was too late for her but not really. "Why are you leaving?"

Paddington grinned as he turned to Wheels. "Because baby. Boss CK-1 is a droid. What does he know about women?"

His flashy smile twinkled secure in the secret knowledge that he as a man possessed over Boss CK-1.

Overcome with emotion, Lola wailed, "I love you!"

Paddington had already picked up Wheels and shoved him out the opening. Hopefully the repulsors would catch on and slow his sidekick's descent.

As Paddington began to slide out the window, he flashed her one of his famous Devil-may-care grins and she felt weak at the knees.

"We'll always have Bonadan.." he whispered and jumped.


"PADDY!! PADD---"


*BOOM*


Lola Legheart blew up the twentieth floor of the Etti-IV Economic Summit Building but it was nothing like the blow Paddington felt in his heart.

Lola was special.

Just like all the other hundreds of women he had slept with.

He remembered every one of their smiles and took solace in the fact the Lola would join the Pantheon Halls of Homage in his mind.

He would never forget her.





Wheels slammed into an Azguardian tour bus that carried religious zealots intent on looking for the ruins of Tweed, the Azguard God of ...

Well, hell...

Love.

Figures!

Just as Paddington's heart was undergoing massive reconstruction due to Lola.


In a rather fortuitous set of circumstances, Paddington landed on the back of the open airbus. Finding a seat that was recently vacated by zealots who had gone forward to deal with the interloper, Wheels, he settled down.

And what did he find when their scaley skins moved away but a tiny, blonde librarian pushing her glasses against her nose. She was looking at the information and as Paddington turned toward her he noted the title of the article, "The Joys of Erotic Massaging by Strangers".

She looked up, startled by his sudden presence.

Paddington flashed his infamous grin and quipped, "Hello stranger."









Tyscio's mind only have on the holonet program as he delicately and quietly opened the large box.

It was all he could do to keep his excitement down as the butterflies had arrived. That he could get them boxed and shipped to him was somewhat of a surprise but who was he to question Providence?

The white creatures sported a delicate gold wing that glittered in the home's lighting.

He glanced up and grinned an evil grin, "You will not get these!" he hissed to the ceiling.

He never heard the security chimes as they were deactivated by a key code.

Tyscio was gently putting the cover back on when a loud crash was heard and the Caprician let out a startled yelp.


"TYSCIO!!!!"

"NOOOOO!!!!" He shouted in response but it was too late. The shrill voice of the newcomer startled the butterflies and their glittering wings took flight. Tyscio might have been overawed by their sparkling movements if Leia's shout had not wakened the tiny swamp bats hanging from the ceiling.

Her shout had broken Tyscio's concentration and his tiny force-compelling of the bat's sleep cycle and he felt the last bits of control slip away. The bats let out a snarling squawk at having their slumber interrupted only to find a feast of white/gold butterflies dancing under their noses.

With a joyful shriek they took flight chasing the pretty little insects.

It was utter chaos and Tyscio gave up trying to control it, simply walking over to his newly arrived fiance.


"Everything's pretty much like you left it.." he started and then grinned, adding: "Baby."


Before Leia could react to the dying butterflies and happily munching swamp bats a high-pitched squeal filled the room and Tyscio went red, "OH, PADDY!!!"





"How was your trip?" the Caprician asked innocently.

A delicate white and gold butterfly landed on Leia's shoulder, its’ wings quivering as if in great distress.

"Ooh..." she breathed, distracted. "It's beautiful."

The commotion in the living room quickly recaptured her attention and she tried to look in, but Tyscio was blocking her view.

She knew that innocent expression he was wearing all too well... the last time she'd seen it, Tyscio had been trying to explain why exactly he had been playing with her lightsaber and her underwear in the bathtub of all places.

Leia kicked off her boots so she wouldn't track worm slime into the apartment, and gently cupping the little butterfly in both hands she shouldered her way past Tyscio; who reluctantly yielded.

In the living room the feeding frenzy had subsided, and the now content bats had returned to their ceiling perches for an after dinner slumber. Several dozen golden butterflies still fluttered aimlessly around the room, and Leia felt relief radiating from her fiancee.

On the holonet display, a woman and a man were having bumpy sex in the back of a bus. Leia's face contorted in distaste - she hated soap operas - and again the Caprician turned red.

It was a good thing Amalia wasn't here; while Leia stopped by the apartment, Amalia had chosen to run a few personal errands. Thank the Force for small favors...

"This isn't what it looks like..." Tyscio was saying, and Leia cleared off a space on the sofa to sit down. Probably drawn by the sense of calm she was somehow still projecting through the Force, several more butterflies landed on her.

"They're traumatized, poor little things. They say some bad man has been feeding them to scary monsters."

Butterflies of course, could not talk... even to Jedi Masters. But it still took several moments for Tyscio to figure out she was messing with him, and Leia used that time to locate the remote and turn off the holovid.

The remote was splattered with bat poop.

Disgusted, Leia tossed it aside and pointed emphatically at the ceiling. The butterflies clinging to her fluttered around before settling again.

"I'm sorry Tyscio, but your little friends up there are going to have to go." <o>Bat poop splattered on the sofa less than a foot from where Leia was sitting, almost as if the creatures were saying 'take that back or next time we won't miss!'

Leia glanced up at the chronometer on the wall.

"Let's go out for dinner. We need to talk, and there's someone I'd like you to meet. I'll help you clean up this.... disaster later.

Translation... if she had to stay here, she wasn't going to be calm much longer.

Leia helped Tyscio chase all of the surviving butterflies into the bedroom, where they could be safely closed off from the bats.

"The trip was horrible" Leia finally answered as Tyscio locked the apartment door and they set off down the hallway. "The Order disbanded, there are Jedi scattered everywhere. And I get the feeling Vodo wants to kill me..."

Leia sighed, and took Tyscio's hand.

"It's like things have come full circle. The Jedi have fallen, the Empire rules the galaxy... but at least Amalia is back."

She squeezed his hand tight enough to make him wince.

"How are the wedding preparations going?"
</o>

Tyscio threw a concerned look Leia's way as she spoke, the edgings of despair clearly evident.

"Vodo wants to kill you? Whatever for? Because the those of the Order cannot get along? Because the Empire reigns and you are being blamed? You gave everything in fighting Emperor Palpatine and his minions and successfully, I might add. You helped the people create the Republic anew! Where was Vodo in all this? Where were any of the Jedi you see now? And NOW? Now, because this new chance you and the Alliance gave to the people in the form of the New Republic fell and the Empire capitalized on that fall you are being blamed for their advances? Where is the justice in that?


It seems to me that perhaps darkness may have hardened the heart of this Jedi Master.


But as for the Jedi Order, your members are not dead. They have gone their separate ways because each feels strongly regarding their own particular choice in how to fight evil. Some have gone over to the Coalition, some may go elsewhere...who knows, some may come here. But each one is still engaged in the fight in some form or another.


And as for the Empire.."


Tyscio grinned, putting his arm around his fiance, "They do not rule most of the galaxy. And they do not rule here."


"But I am glad your friend is back. It also means there is hope for Vodo. I remember meeting an Amalia Braska on Tatooine a while back.."


Tyscio's thought drifted off but he knew he couldn't shake the one practical question she asked. The wedding!


"The gobs of invitations have been sent out, the ceremony and reception locations purchased... just working on the color coordinating of the theme. We've started receiving gifts which are being routed to our new house, which is coming along nicely, I might add. The Engineering Corps is finalizing all your Jedi do-dad hook-ups to make it an appropriate location for a Jedi Master to make her home."


Truth be told, Tyscio had been thinking about the future while Leia had been gone. His own training, while slow, had been improving but it was not so much combat technique that interested him for there were many ways to fight and many ways to win at fighting. Winning at fighting did not always ensure that 'right' prevailed.

In Tyscio's studies, it seemed to him that to have 'right' prevail, in the world of force users, it was not the desire to use the Force as a slave but the ability to have the Force as an ally that ensured such an end.

And it was that kernal of truth that helped Tyscio define the Light side and Dark side within his mind.

In truth, Leia's training and instruction has helping to open his mind to the potentials of having the Force as such an ally.


He also wondered where Leia wanted to eat.

~


Tyscio's speech concerning Leia's life of political toil merely underlined how close her efforts were coming to being in vain... causing her to wince.

As he moved on to the topic of the Jedi, a name forgotten during her trip to Naboo suddenly resurfaced in her thoughts: Natalya Vinda, Force sensitive daughter of Seth Vinda.

Leia couldn't put her finger on it, but she knew the girl was important...

For that matter, so was Seth. It still aggravated Leia to think of Simon Kaine and his snotty Imperial entourage wandering freely around Bonadan enjoying the best the CommonWealth had to offer, but the results of the Imperial visit to Bonadan had proven that Vinda had both the skill and wisdom necessary to protect the only notably successful democracy left in the galaxy.

She respected him... and she had to find his daughter!

And what about Tyscio? Amalia? Dolash, Irtar and Zark?

Tyscio was right, all was not lost... yet.

~

"I'll be fine" Leia assured quietly as Tyscio slipped an arm around her. Free of the batcave, the Caprician's natural charm was already breaking her foul mood.

It suprised her to learn that Tyscio had met Amalia before. Small universe...

"Amalia came back with me from Naboo, I promised to meet her at that little cafe down the street for dinner. She's been following me around like a Wookiee with a life debt..."

~

They reached the cafe a little early, and with no sign of Amalia yet they picked a table and ordered drinks to pass the time.

"I finally got ahold of Luke while I was gone, he's coming to the wedding. He's researching something on Elrood now, I think... whatever it was he sounded excited."

Leia frowned and restlessly stabbed at the ice in her drink with a straw.

"Talking to Luke made me think about how things could have been different. If I had dedicated myself fully to politics, and left the Jedi business to Luke... he was the better Jedi, politics was always my strong point.

The idea of having the infallible Jedi Master/Chief of State/Rebellion war hero Leia Organa Solo lead the Republic was great for publicity, but the way I had to juggle my duties made me ineffective. Hell, the Republic fell while I was here playing Jedi."

A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

And falling in love... with a scruffy bat farmer!

On the subject of bats...

"Tyscio... you said you were going to work on some Force techniques while I was gone. Please tell me that doesn't have anything to do with the bats in the living room!"

Tyscio raised an eyebrow towards the Jedi Master and his soon-to-be wife. Face it, ol boy, she could probably drink you under the table and still be able to battle Rancors, Sith Lords and Imperial Emperors...

He frowned as a great concern suddenly overcame him...


But will she still be able to rub my feet and scratch my back?


"Well first, I had to convince myself that force techniques were worth learning? I mean, it is great and all to raise stuff off the ground without carrying them but to what practical use? Training to use a lightsaber was tough as hell and I am far from mastering it, but I still ask myself.. to what end? The most basic application of all this force know-how is for fighting.

But then it hit me and I had to acknowledge why others were the Jedi Master while I am simply a pada...err.. apprentice. All these exercises help me to discipline my mind and keep my focus on where it should be. Therefore, in keeping my mind on where I was and what I was doing, I found that I could raise bat droppings from the floor cleaner than a vacu-droid. But it still left me with the age old problem that has plagued Jedi Knights and Masters alike for centuries: once you've raised bat droppings off of the floor, what do you do with it?

What I ultimately did with it may not have been the best decision for all parties involved. But then, that's the question that always captures our imagination isn't it?

What if...?

What if I had made a different decision? What if you had made different decisions and our lives had turned out differently?

We will always be plagued by such doubts because there is always going to be another decision or action we could have taken but did not with everything we do.

So, my Jedi Master fiance, worry not about the paths you've already chosen and worry about the path you are about to choose."


He frowned as a menu was handed to him.


"Like what the bloody heck are we going to eat here?"

"Like what the bloody heck are we going to eat here?"
<o></o>

“I’m having the soup and salad” Leia declared, setting her menu aside. <o></o>


Training to use a lightsaber was tough as hell and I am far from mastering it, but I still ask myself... to what end? The most basic application of all this force know-how is for fighting.<o></o><o></o>


“The most basic application of the Force is not fighting or levitating bat droppings” Leia said sternly, easily shifting from the role of the advised to advisor. When it came to Jedi training, her fiancée received very little special treatment. She loved his sense of humor dearly, but she occasionally found herself frustrated when Tyscio didn't appear to be taking some aspect of Jedi training seriously enough.

“A Jedi draws on the Force to pursue knowledge and understanding. Even in war, the primary role of Jedi is not always fighting on the front lines.”<o></o>

In truth, Tyscio had really ever only seen her fight; they had both spent most of the Caprician war on the front lines. Leia had done other things, such as manipulating the Force to influence morale, and practicing Jedi healing techniques in between battles (typically when she was in some hospital tent recovering from her own injuries), but those deeds were not noticed as easily as anything involving a brilliant green lightsaber.

If Tyscio stuck with his training, he would make a fine Jedi... eventually. Even if he couldn’t find a better use for his skills than levitating bat droppings or their occasional training sessions just yet, he was making progress. Greater understanding would come with time and practice…

As Leia offered her fiancée a warm smile, a new Force presence registered in her peripheral Force sense… Amalia.<o></o>

Leia’s gaze drifted to the door in time to see the fellow Master enter the cafe.<o></o>

“There she is…” Leia commented softly.

Amalia… Bella… held a sense of maturity and self control about her that had not been present before her disappearance. She no longer tended to assume a subordinate role in Leia’s presence, and it had become clear that she had fully grown into her place as a Master.<o></o>

The only thing that really bothered Leia was the Force presence. The Dark side did not seem to cling to Bella as if she embraced it, but she no longer had the vibrant light side presence Leia recalled from the past. Even the Rogue Jedi had Force presences that could still be described as ‘Jedi’… Bella had clearly become something else entirely. <o></o>

“So this is the nerfherder you’re marrying?” Bella asked as she reached their table and claimed the extra chair. “I still can’t believe it…”<o></o>

“Ooh, me either” Leia agreed playfully, turning to face Tyscio. “Well, I guess you’ve met Amalia, my matron of honor before… Hey! Does Seth still need a date for the wedding...?” Leia feigned thoughtfulness.

“Cut it out!” Amalia chided, elbowing her.

"So change in plans, you two."

In a gesture that appeared anything but ladylike, Amalia sat facing the back of her chair, arms crossed with her elbows set casually across the framed support piece of the chair.

"We're not eating here."

She looked to and fro at her two companions, grinning slyly. Her pose broke as she lifted her left hand only to gesture to with her index finger to signal to wait.

"Well - at least you two aren't. There's this nice little place just down the road from here. Normally, it's not open at these hours, but I pulled a few strings, sold my soul, you know - that sort of thing. Anyway, let's get going, the owner will have my head if we don't show up at the time specified."

She stood up by swinging her leg out and away from the chair and then swung her seat back where she'd found it. Brown orbs that were almost on the verge of impatience took note of the couple staring back at one another, no doubt lingering on apprehensiveness.

"What do I need to do?? Speak another language perhaps?? I said let's go! So c'mon!"

Amalia enthusiastically waved her hands up and over, signaling for the couple to get up.

"You're going to like it, I promise! Now hurry up!"

Not bothering to wait for them, she made way for the door, checking her chrono as she pushed open the door.

"Hey! HURRY UP!!" The female shouted across the way, realizing that they only had five minutes to the intended destination.

Trying to savor the best sort of patience she could, Amalia half wondered in silence if she should have also signed herself up for a spa package. Both intensely independently driven individuals, trying to get Tyscio and Leia to do anything, and together at the same time, at that, was like pulling teeth!

"You're going to like it, I promise! Now hurry up!"


Tyscio frowned as he saw the serving droid making its way through the tables towards theirs. On it he saw the drinks that were ordered and Leia's soup and salad.

Obviously, the intent here was to ensure that the Jedi Master still fit into her wedding dress come wedding day. Or she was trying to fit into a dress she'd seen on the "rack" in some expensive store. Not a reason he would voice out loud for he loved life and enjoyed the prospect of it's continued existence. But women were strange creatures when it came to either their weight or their age.

"Always go with the lower number" was a Caprician Male proverb and one he took to heart.

"He pulled out a credit chit to pay for the things they would not be consuming annoyed that Amalia had decided to wait until after they ordered to skip out.

Women!


Leia's friend and Matron of Honor seemed to be on the verge of popping a blood vessel as she shouted from the restaurant door for them to hurry up.

The increased anxious temperament caused the server to mess up with running Tyscio's credit chit causing the machine to spit out a series of beeps and bips.


"Hey! HURRY UP!!"


The chit was run in record time, the machine spit out that Tyscio's credits were drained of the appropriate amounts to cover the dinner and drinks not consumed (well partly for he did reach out and take a glass of some liquid and downed it much to the serving droid's consternation of how restaurant guests were supposed to act) and they were on their way, out the door and following Amalia to Jedi Grand Masters of the Past knew where.


The fact that Amalia mentioned selling her soul to get this new place (whereever they were going) mollified Tyscio as a thought sprung into his head, Am I going to have to pay at this place too?


Another Caprician male proverb also came to mind:

The more you tighten your grip on your wallet, the more credits will slip through your fingers as your wife spends them.

He glanced at Leia as they followed Amalia.

I heard she looked good in a gold bikini.

He blinked at the thought.

But did it have to be gold?

Then he grinned.

I am beginning to become a tightwad.

"Where are we going?" he voiced out in a complaining manner as they dodged an air car coming in for a landing.

"2 MINUTES!" Amalia shouted.

He turned to Leia who was keeping pace, "Something tells me they won't have soup and salad where we are going.."

By the time they arrived, the spa owner had already lost hope, but smirked upon Amalia's dynamic run into the resort.

"You promised me five minutes."

Amalia shook her head up and down smartly while glaring, speaking with irritation through gritted teeth.

"So I did, but I cannot exactly work miracles. Do they get the package or not?"

The man, looking downcast at Amalia over the orange rim of his glasses, had already well enough made up his mind, at least until he caught sight of the married couple to be. The man's eyes widened at the sight of seeing Leia, dumbfounded by the sheer sight of her. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out as he fumbled for words. To this, Amalia could only roll her eyes, accepting the display as somewhat tiresome. Since he couldn't get his eyes peeled away long enough to answer Amalia, the woman was forced to take matters into her own hands.

"Okay then, so I'll just sign them in - take the key, and we'll be out of your way."

Energetically yet swiftly plucking the key out of the young man's hand, Amalia signed them in with a sarcastically smug manner, mumbling something intolerable under her breath, altogether annoyed by the man's inability to function coherently. Scrounging up a figurative map from the lobby desk, Amalia briskly walked toward Leia and Tyscio, handing him the map, and Leia the key to their suite.

"So, there you are - I'm sure the man would welcome you properly, but he cannot seem to, so.. if you hadn't guessed by now, it's a private resort and spa. You owe nothing, courtesy of me and that babbling fool over there, whose name happens to be Luca. I was going to tell you that he could probably answer any questions that you might have, but the pamphlet has a frequently asked questions menu on it, along with a map, it'll tell you just about everything you need to know about the resort. Have a good time.."

So as not to take up too much more of the couple's time so that they could go off and enjoy themselves, Amalia gave them both a quick hug, promising to see them both again soon. It was upon her fifth or sixth step to the exit that she paused to turn and look at the couple.

".. and yes, they have food and beverage - just go all the way through the lobby, and to the left, you'll find the eatery."

Finally, as uptight as the woman had been in trying to make it there on time so as not to ruin the nice gift she had established for them, Amalia offered them a flourishing smile, waving as she escaped through the lobby's double doors.