Lacrimosa

[General Dan]

"She was a special prototype, built by the Empire's special projects division. Not quite just any droid. That's nine million credits worth. There's not even any metal in her. All carbon/silica composites and synthetics. She eats, breathes, hell, even bleeds."

At the mention of Tak's full name, Dan got a wistful expression, his eyes looking distant for a moment.

"That's a...good name."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"I thought so too."

At Dan's further explanation of the droid though, s'Il couldn't help but be impressed.

"She sounds like quite a... woman. May I ask how you came across her?"

[General Dan]

"She crossed paths with some of our old guard. Leia Organa, Lando Calrissian, Luke Skywalker, some time before Endor. After that she went off the reservation, until about a year ago. She sought us out."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She took in the information with a nod.

"Then I suppose you are lucky she has chosen to side with you."

Knowing the layout of Dan's rooms well enough, the Lupine helped Tak slide to the floor. A whispered request, and the little girl cast a suspicious look to the old man before padding her way across the room and into the bedroom before shutting the door.

A moment of silence followed, and s'Il turned her eye from the closed door to Dan.

"Don't be mad at me."

[General Dan]

Dan stood up and crossed his arms.

"Please, tell me what I'm supposed to feel? I get confirmation that I have a daughter, and then you ask to cash in a favor so that we can risk her life over, what exactly? Over why you're able to get pregnant? Do you look gift banthas in the mouth often, or is this just a novelty for you?

Teagan can get captured, or even killed. That's an awful price to pay for this question you have to ask, and I can't in any honesty tell you to go to hell for it, because I'm sure as hell lacking in father credentials. I'm two and a half decades out of practice."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Even if he'd risen to his feet, s'Il could not do the same.

She looked up at him.

"Than keep her here with you," her voice remained calm - a far cry from the girl so long ago who had been quick to anger, "... you say you're 'out of practice'? You can learn again; if she stays here she'll be safe, and you can start being her father.

"I can bring the Imperial back."

[General Dan]

"I..."

It took the air out of Dan's sails, and he knew immediately it was the right answer. He wasn't prepared to tell Teagan the truth, but to keep her from being endangered, he could find the will to be prepared.

"...okay."

And that was that. Dan clasped his hands together.

"That's a good idea. I'll watch Teagan. You, get your Imperial and bring him out of there. And you stay safe."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

It was the most that she could ask for, really, and the Lupine slowly rose to her feet. One hand went to rest over his clasped hands, and she dared a thin smile.

In many ways it felt as though a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. For so long she'd kept the secret to herself, and even though he'd only seen her for the first time after the fight with Decepis, it had still eaten away at her from the moment the girl had been born.

"I wanted to tell you so many times, I truly did.

"But, I couldn't risk him knowing who you were; if neither of you knew one another, than the both of you were safe."

[General Dan]

"We've had a really rough past. Hell, the present isn't all that smooth either. I don't hold a grudge on your for the choices you made. Maybe I wish they were different, but I would've done the same thing. Maybe I remember more about being a father than I let on."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"I would think that being a schoolteacher would be a hard thing to forget. One doesn't necessarily un-learn how to deal with children.

"She has a temper, I will admit to that."

The Lupine turned away from him then, taking a few steps toward a framed picture that hung on the far wall.

"The other Jedi; I must tell you. She is old. She... " At this she faltered slightly, but pressed on. "She is the Arbiter; when the Lupines left Schwartzweld, they turned to the Jedi for help. They were sent someone who helped to mediate among the Houses and help to decide upon which planets to inhabit."

This was history that she'd told him before, but felt for some reason the need to tell it again.

"k'Vik. Milivikal k'Vik. She is at the very least a millenia old."

[Eluna Thals]

Bored.

It happened too easily. When one can process information at the speed of an android, yet contain the emotions of a sentient, it's an exercise in frustration. Sometimes Eluna would just shut it all off, and become the Machine. She'd lay on her bed, stare at the ceiling, and run encryption algorithms in her positronic brain. It would happen for hours on end, and then she'd try to be Herself, and that would be novel for maybe an hour. She had to constantly find an avenue to pursue.

Sitting up from her bed, Eluna shook her tussled hair about, and went to her desk. She grabbed a handful of candy from one of several jars there, and left her quarters, popping a piece in her mouth every moment or so. The candy was something that She enjoyed, it really had less-than-ideal use as an input for the Machine. The fruit taste reminded her of past memory records; pleasurable times. This one was a pilot. Dark hair, tan skin. She'd gone an entire two weeks keeping him from knowing what she was. After that, she was alone again.

Alone, and bored.

With a frustrated sigh, the droid headed down the hall, not really sure where she was going.

[General Dan]

"A temper? Certainly not inherited from me!"

Dan chuckled at that, recalling how much of a stubborn firebrand the Lupine was.

At talk of the Arbiter, Dan quirked an eyebrow.

"An Old Republic Jedi? That's an astounding find. There are fewer and fewer around."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"Yes well, I would imagine that one of the Order from so long ago would be something unheard of.

"It's a rare thing to find those of us from just twenty-five years ago."

She reached a hand out, running a finger along the smooth frame. "She had been sent by the woman that Sanis shot on Dantooine. She told me that she'd been captured and tortured, then in exchange for her lightsabre, she was to find me and deliver me to the Empire."

[General Dan]

"And so she's now helping to get you in touch with this Imperial on Coruscant, who also has ties to Dantooine. That sounds dangerously convenient. She could be Master Yoda for all I care. I'd still be wary."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"She is the Arbiter. I would trust her with my life regardless."

Such suspicion from him was understandable; he would not be here now if he wasn't.

"I don't expect you to agree with me, I'd be concerned if you did. Just, trust me is all that I ask."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

She had listened through the door, ear pressed flat against the paneling to better pick up the voices on the other side. Dama didn't sound angry or mad, and the man didn't either.

While her grasp of basic was still not entirely complete, the girl was fluent enough by now to understand most of what was being said outside.

Carefully she reached out a hand, and cracking the door open, she stared from her thin vantage, eyes wide as they looked up and across the room at Dan's profile.

[General Dan]

"I trust you. If you trust this Jedi, that's good enough for me."

Dan noticed a slightly growing crack in the doorway slit, and smiled. He pressed a button and the door opened, leaving little Tak there with her mouth agape.

"Aha. Spies."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Which was enough for her. She knew that his trust was not given lightly. She turned from the painting just in time to see the surprised look on Tak's face at having been discovered.

Her brow furrowed though, as she realized that the little girl seemingly refused to take her eyes from Dan.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Taken by surprise, Tak had found herself only able to stand with her mouth open. It was quickly closed though.

Had she heard Dama right? She remembered that her mother had often referred to the man as an old friend, and that he had always and would always help them no matter what.

He did not look like the man she'd always pictured her daddy - ss'oku - would look like. She suddenly wished that Sanis was with her; he was what she had grown to hope ss'oku would be.

<"I don't want to stay with... him,"> she whispered finally.

[General Dan]

"Teagan, can I call you Tak?"

Dan approached, while still giving some distance. He squatted down, resting his hands on his knees.

"Looks like we're both in on the news at the same time, sport. You're way cuter than me...but you've still got my eyes."

He smiled warmly, still allowing her space and the ability to approach if she wanted.