Just as Hobbie and Sylvana were about to leave Face's office, her eye caught something strange seated on his desk. At one corner sat a prosthetic hand, so much like the Adam's Family 'Thing' that Sylvana couldn't help but chuckle. It wore a bright orange glove, the squadron symbol for the Wraiths drawn on the back. "What the-?" she picked it up curiously and looked to Hobbie for an explanation.
He shrugged, "You'll have to ask Face about that."
"I think I will," she said with a half smile.
Hobbie palmed the door open and she followed him through to stand before the secretary desk where Face sat with his feet propped up. He looked over the top of the datapad when she set the prosthetic down on the desk, then put his feet on the floor while he chuckled.
"I see you've met Flight Officer Mister Right."
"Mister Right?" Sylvana chuckled. "I'll bet there's a story behind that one."
Hobbie smiled from where he stood just behind her. "I'd like to hear it myself."
Face looked back and forth between them, and shook his head with a chuckle. "No, you really-" he cut himself off as his comlink called for his attention. "One moment." He spun the chair's back to them, and pulled out his comlink.
After a few moments of low conversation, Face turned back to them and spread his hands apologetically after he stood. "I've got to go take care of a few things."
"That's all right, I was just going to take Sylvana out for some supper."
"Will I get to see you again before I leave?"
Face nodded, "Of course. I'll come by the ship before you guys leave, I wanted to talk to you real quick, and that'll probably be the only time."
She nodded, "Okay, I'll make sure I'm back by the ship half an hour early, how's that?"
He chuckled, "That's just fine, Vanni. I'll see you later," he moved forward and gave her a quick hug then left.
Hobbie put a hand around her waist, "Ready to go eat?"
She nodded.
Face shook his head as he left the med-bay, the picture of young Agent Sharr floating still in his mind. I swear, that kid ends up in bacta almost as much as Hobbie. This makes it twice in one year....
His thoughts trailed off as he almost ran into two people walking in the opposite direction. He looked to see Wes and Shalla, both with towels draped around their shoulders, both sporting a few bruises on their cheeks, Wes with a bacta patch stuck on his forehead. "What the-" he stopped, "No, I don't want to know," he chuckled.
Wes grinned, "Weren't planning to tell you anyway," he stuck his tongue out at the Wraith Leader.
Face shook his head, "Well, you two just get yourselves cleaned up before someone with a sense of responsibility sees you."
"Will do!" Shalla flashed a grin as she headed off.
"One sith of a sparring partner," Wes said as he watched her walk away. "One sith of a sparrer...." Face heard him mutter as he headed off himself.
As he headed down the corridors, Face looked down at his wrist chrono. He nodded to himself, he should get to the landing pad in more than enough time to get a chance to talk to Sylvana about her twin. Now, if he could figure out just HOW to do that, he'd be king of the galaxy.
His comlink called for his attention yet again. He sighed and brought it up. "Captain Loran."
"This is General Cracken. I want you in my office. Ten minutes ago."
"Couldn't it wait just a little bit, there's something I-"
"NOW." Static came over the comlink as it was disconnected.
Face put the device back in his pocket with a sinking feeling.
They had finished eating, and now sat back against a huge tree. Sylvana hadn't spoken much during their meal, which concerned Hobbie for he hadn't known her to ever be quite so silent. Now as they sat, he gently held one of her hands in his as they looked out over the park where there were some children playing. Her other hand played with the exposed root of the tree, occasionally stroking one of the blades of grass shot up around it.
Hobbie was hesitant to break the comfortable silence between them, but he knew it would likely be a long while before they saw each other again. And there was something he wanted to say, he just didn't know how. Instead, he pulled a velvetish pouch from his jacket pocket, and placed it in the small hand he held in his.
Sylvana turned her head to look down at the gift, then up into Hobbie's eyes. "What's that?"
He smiled softly, "Why don't you open it?"
She pulled it to her lap, and carefully undid the bag. She pulled out what was inside and studied it.
It looked like a small disc, cut from a branch of some rich looking wood, and on it was the design of a tree, its roots and branches tangled in a delicate, willow-like beauty. From either side came woven, leather-like straps tipped with small wood carved beads.
She smiled, "It's very pretty, but I'm not sure what it is."
Hobbie chuckled. "I'd tell you what it is, but the Wookiee word for it doesn't really have a Basic translation." [1]
"How do you say it?" she quirked an eyebrow. "Like a Wookiee, I mean."
Hobbie blinked, and when she motioned for him to go ahead he shrugged and did so. It sounded like a genteel sort of roar, warbling a bit like a purr at the end.
"Let me try?" He nodded, and she did a fair imitation, though it differed slightly.
Hobbie blushed crimson, "Okay, teaching you Wookiee-speak might not be such a good idea, not this time around anyway," he smiled. "It's an amulet, sort of a good luck talisman. You see," he reached over to touch pieces of the the pendant and laces as he explained how it worked, "you can wear it as a necklace, or an armband or bracelet, even like a crown. All you have to do is weave this band through here like this...."
Sylvana watched as he showed her how it worked. Her smile grew, "It really is amazing, where did it come from?"
"That's classifed," he winked. "But I can say it came from Kashyyyk, and that the pendant's Worshyr wood."
She looked down at it once again, "I love it. Thank you." She looked up at Hobbie, "How should I wear it?"
"May I?"
"Sure," Sylvana handed the pendant to him.
Hobbie got up to his knees and placed the pendant to where it rested just above her left ear, then gently placed the band around her brow, threading it beneath her blue and black fringe, and clasped it to where the beaded loose ends of the seven-strand braid would drape down behind her ear.
She lifted a hand to touch it, then smiled, turning to look up at him. "Thank you."
He sat back down beside her, "Just don't disappear on me again, okay?"
"I can't promise that," she frowned.
"Well, try, then," he pulled her close so she was cuddled against him.
"Same goes for you?"
"Same goes for me. I really do care about you, Sylvana... a lot."
"Then I'll try not to disappear again." She looked up and smiled softly, almost sadly.
Hobbie couldn't help himself, and he leaned down to claim her with a gentle kiss.
The Watcher had readied himself to head back to Terra. He sat at the small desk in his sparse room, now, looking at the old still-holo he kept there. Face had gotten a copy of it from his family when he'd returned, so he might have something to remember them.
How could I not have known? he shook his head to himself. I suppose there is something to what they say about the power of the mind. To think, recognition was blocked by belief. He ran a hand down the frame, They made it... they all made it.
With a soft smile he set the still-holo back in its place, and he pulled the ornately carved box forward. He tapped his fingers on the lid a few times before opening it, revealing a cylinder made of a shining grey coloured metal and silverwood entwined. There was a switch halfway down, and at one end it was charred and melted some. He wondered how long it would be before he would be able to repair it, and he wondered whether he should take it with him, in hopes there would be some time he could concentrate on it.
Finally, he decided to leave it behind. There were ways he could get it brought to him, should he be unable to return for a long while. He gently placed it back in the ornate box, then placed the box back to where it lay under guard of the still-holo on his desk.
Taking his bag and slinging it over his shoulder, he commed Phaanan and let him know that he was on his way. It was time to return to Terra.
Sylvana returned to the main area of the quarters the agents of Terra Group were assigned to, a small travel-pack in one hand, the borrowed uniform she'd been wearing folded in the other. She pulled a plastic shopping bag, the words 'The Dollar Tree' inscribed on it, from the pack then put the used clothing within. "I'd wash it before giving it back, but I haven't time nor do I know where to go for that," she said apologetically.
Hobbie moved forward and took the bag from her, "I'll give it to Wes and let him explain to the owner why it's soiled."
"I guess that'll work," she said quietly, looking down at her feet.
"Hey, don't do that," he tipped her chin up. "It won't be a problem, I'm absolutely positive."
She half smiled at his assurance, then nodded. He lowered his hand and held out his arm to her, and she took it.
"Let me take you to your ship?" he asked with a smile.
She nodded, "I'd like that."
They spoke little on their way to the landing pad, both comfourtable in their silence. Hobbie wondered whether he was right to give her the, slightly modified, gift - but rationalised it that as a member of Terra Group, she would likely need it eitherways. Sylvana thought about how much her life had changed in just one day. Part of her wanted to stay there on Coruscant, to stay with Hobbie, and reacquaint herself with Face; most of her just wanted to return to Terra and find a nice tree beside a stream to sit and think under for a long while.
They reached the Gaia roughly twenty minutes before it would be time for her to leave.
"Promise me something?" Hobbie asked as they stopped at the foot of the ramp.
"Not without knowing what it is I promise," Sylvana replied softly.
He nodded, "Point. Would you wear that talisman always?"
She tilted her head as she thought a moment, "I can try to. May I ask why?"
He spread his hands to either side, "For luck?"
"Luck hasn't always been my strong suit...."
"So you don't forget me then."
"I couldn't do that, but I promise I will endeavour to always wear it. Does that make you feel better?"
He nodded. She smiled. Then she looked down at the ground, "I guess it's time to say goodbye now."
"You don't leave for a little bit yet. I could stay...."
She shook her head, "No, I hate long drawn out goodbyes." Sylvana looked up at him then, "Or rather, goodbyes in general."
"How about, 'until we meet again'?"
"I could do that." She looked down, words coming unbid from half remembered things, "Tenn' enomentielva," she whispered. [2]
He smiled and set the bag he held on the ground, then took her pack from her to set beside it. Then, he held both her hands in his as he looked intently into her dark, almost troubled eyes. "May I be so bold as to steal another kiss before we part?"
"No."
"No?"
"Not when you ask like that, no," she said firmly. At his look of shock and confusion, she laughed and tilted her head as she looked up at him. "Don't you know that you don't have to steal something that would be given freely?"
He raised an eyebrow, "Is that a yes?"
"That's a 'don't bother trying to steal one, just kiss me already', Major," she smirked.
He leaned down to where their noses nearly touched. "Please don't call me 'Major'," he said quietly. "I'd like to think we were closer than that."
"So would I," she whispered back.
"Then it looks like the rumours are true," he told her - then kissed her before she could reply.
"Once all three of you are on planet, we will discuss, in a calm manner, just what you three thought to accomplish with this stunt the three of you cooked up."
"Yes sir," Face nodded, then glanced up at the chrono. Five minutes until the Terrans were scheduled to leave. "May I leave now?"
"You've looked at that chrono every five minutes since you got here, is there something else you've got cooked up?"
"No, sir," Face shook his head as he stood. "But there is something I need to take care of immediately. I request you release me to do so."
Cracken sighed and waved a hand, "Go then, but you must return as soon as you're called, she should be back on planet shortly."
Face half saluted and ran from the office, looking at his wrist chrono as he left. "I hope they're delayed," he muttered to himself.
Sylvana sighed from where she sat with her feet dangling off the edge of the Gaia's boarding ramp. Sci had just called down that they were leaving, and Face hadn't shown up yet. She hoped it was just because he was busy, yet she felt bad about leaving without saying a proper farewell.
She hopped down, and jogged up the ramp for departure. She glanced over her shoulder as she palmed the switch to close the ramp, noting something rather peculiar.
His heart sank when he reached the landing pad and the Gaia was not there. Face made his way over to a bay-tech to ask when they'd left, and was informed it was about ten minutes earlier.
Great, he thought to himself. I didn't get to say goodbye, nor did I get to tell her her brother's alive... and he's not around to tell that I hadn't the chance to tell her.
His comlink buzzed. "Captain Loran," he answered.
"This is General Cracken. I want you to escort Agent Fel from landing platform 23 Isk to my office, immediately."
"Yes sir. I'm on my way." He turned off his comlink and shoved it in his pocket as he made his way to the other landing pad, almost at the other end of the bayline. "I think I caught Vanni's headache," he sighed.
~FINI~