Are We Not Alone?

[Sarin von Metzger]

Cloud City was something different to me. I had kept myself almost sequestered from the Galaxy at large for some time now; there was no reason for me to 'mingle' with its denizens any more than necessary. I was not afraid, but there was something to be said about keeping unkind eyes from prying open secrets they should not.

I felt something akin to pity for those who passed by me, lost in their own little worlds, worried about their own little things. Not that I was much different, but then again I was different, wasn't I? It was from that difference my pity for them stemmed. Their heritage wasn't mine, and while bit saddening, it was something that I took pride in.

The Cloud 9 Bar & Grill was easier to find than I had thought it would be. I had planned this out, of course, but there were always those little things that got in the way. It kept things interesting, but was frustrating as well.

Entering Cloud 9 slowly so as to soak the atmosphere in, I found myself a seat in a booth that overlooked the entrance. I waited, while her name continued to run through my head.

Ravenwing.

I shouldn't have been surprised that there were some remaining. I knew I wasn't the last (that would have been quite depressing and overly dramatic for me anyway; Sarin von Metzger, the Last Lupine? Hah!), but I still wasn't expecting to see one of the Loveloxx Houses' names so blaringly written on something that the whole Galaxy could see. My curiosity couldn't have been reined in, even if I had desired to do so.

So here I sat, waiting for her to show up to discuss a transportation contract of sorts.

Here I sat, waiting to finally see someone like me.

[Arya Ravenwing]

Finally. A reason to get away from Cloud City. Arya walked into Cloud 9, the collar of her black nerfhide jacket up around her neck, and looking for someone who wanted a ride.

The Jedi in hiding were nice, but they were boring, and it was hard to cut loose when you knew that someone's safety depended on blending in. She ran her hand through her short black hair and scanned the evening crowd. Well, her safety depended on blending in, too. She was on the Empire's Most Wanted list, but no bounty hunters had come calling.

Yet.

So, every potential job contract was also a potential trap.

But then, that wasn't much different from business as usual. She walked up to the bar, ordered a drink, and turned around. Meet at Cloud 9, and a time... but who was it? Arya eyed a nearby man appreciatively, though his features were a bit too fine, and his hair a little too long.

But, very nice.

Wait a second. He continued to stare at her, and she sipped at her ale, frowning at him. "Hey, take a picture, it'll last longer."

[Sarin von Metzger]

It was her.

From the moment I had seen the name - Arya Ravenwing - I had exhaustively researched and looked for the slightest bit of information. There wasn't much, but the name was distinctive enough that I could be sure. Thankfully, there were holos of her along with her bounty.

I stared, trying to see if there was some way I could distinguish her from amongst the others that were here; but sadly, though I was gifted by my heritage, I wasn't so gifted as to be able to gain a smell or a slight look about her that would set her apart.

Her eyes ran over me, and then departed, and then came back. I didn't break my own look. It might have been impolite, but I couldn't restrain myself. She frowned at my impertinence, and spoke.

"Hey, take a picture, it'll last longer."

"You are Arya Ravenwing," I replied. I was sure it was her, thus I stated it instead of asked. But even though I was impolite in staring, I kept to politesse and began the introductions.

[Arya Ravenwing]

She raised an eyebrow at his statement, sipped her ale again, and then nodded. "Yeah." Her eyes narrowed a little, but he didn't look like a bounty hunter.

But then, a good bounty hunter wouldn't look like one, would he? "You my contact? Transport?"

[Sarin von Metzger]

"Why yes," I said with a grin. "I am going, as people say, 'anywhere but here'."

I motioned to the seat in front of me. "Please, sit down. Even if this is business, I would not think it very polite if you stood while I sat during our conversation."

I took a small gulp of my own drink, feeling the carbonated liquid tickle my nose. "My name is Sarin von Metzger. I am pleased to meet you, Arya Ravenwing."

I studied her face for recognition, for anything. I longed for there to be some Loveloxx out there beside myself. While I myself was not lonely, persay, I was tired of being alone since Mother and Father had died.

[Arya Ravenwing]

His mannerisms were very 'proper,' and Arya set her glass on the table across from him, slouching back in the chair he'd offered. "Charmed, I'm sure." She smiled.

"When you say anywhere, do you really mean anywhere?" The last person she'd picked up had had a destination in mind, but the good Reverend had never quite made it to the place he'd been aiming for. She wondered what he'd gotten up to since she'd dropped him off near the Core.

Arya blinked, and then picked up her ale, drinking deeply. "'Cause I can take you everywhere. It'll just cost more the farther it is." The smuggler raised the glass to him, adding, "And I won't go near the Carshoulis Cluster."

[Sarin von Metzger]

My face grew a bit strained on the topic of the Carshoulis Cluster, but I managed to keep my grin. From what I could tell, she had not been schooled in decorum and politesse.

But there wasn't a flicker of recognition on her face, nor did any sign come from her movements that she had known of my name. I was mystified. Surely she knew...?

Of course she knew. But unlike me, she cannot simply be as she is. I had found her on a bounty list after all, and anything remotely like us would be an identifying factor. Of course she knew; she was merely 'laying low'. Perhaps once we were alone, she would drop her guard, and we could go about learning of each other.

"Oh my no," I replied not a second after she finished speaking. I shook my head to reinforce my agreement on not going near Carshoulis. "I wouldn't ask you to go near there."

I paused. "I have no real destination in mind," I finally said, "and I understand that it will be expensive, of course, but I can pay you all you require. I felt that it was time for me to go, and your name jumped out at me, so to speak, when I was looking for people to contact about doing so in a quiet manner."

[Arya Ravenwing]

Her left eye twitched a little when he said your name jumped out at me. What did that mean?

"Uh, okay. Well I'm looking to leave Bespin soon anyway. A little too crowded for comfort, if you know what I mean." She finished off the drink, setting it down gently. Arya sat up, looking at him closely. "So, Sarin, when did you want to leave?"

[Sarin von Metzger]

"I very much understand you. I wasn't raised in such a crowded place either," I replied. Then I gestured in a way that was meant to indicate my ambivalence to the timing. It wasn't a shrug, but only extending my fingers and a slight movement of my hands while I bowed my head slightly, passing the decision to her.

'Whenever you wish to set off shall be fine with me, Miss Ravenwing," I said, slightly accentuating her name. "I simply wish to leave. I have no schedule to keep."

I sighed. "Now to more important things, I believe," were my next words. "Would you like to name a down payment now, or shall we wait until I am at the landing pad? I have heard some wish this as a sort of good faith payment. It seems sensible enough, I suppose, though sadly lacking in trust."

[Arya Ravenwing]

I have heard? This guy was a piece of work. But, it didn't hurt to be polite. Usually.

"Well, sadly lacking in trust or not, I'll need a deposit so I can buy fuel and get the ship prepped to go." She looked at him steadily, not smelling any deceit on him. "About two hundred would cover it." The way he was staring back at her was almost mesmerizing.

"Meet me at landing pad 49F in about three hours? I'll need to pick up some foodstuffs and close out my hotel bill."

[Sarin von Metzger]

I reached into my coat to draw out the requisite chits. She tensed, thus I drew them out slowly, so as to not spook her. She seemed to my nose to be always on edge. That was somewhat distressing and saddening to me. She should never be so afraid. Not of me.

I could smell her now. Her scent was a mix of unmistakeable technology and her profession: blasters, and smoke of all kinds lingering, almost like a nearly non-existant aftertaste. There was the familiar scent of lupine in there, as well. It was stronger than I had thought it would have been.

"Two hundred," I replied, placing them gently on the tabletop, counting them silently as they clicked on contact with the surface. My eyes then went back to her face, searching for a sign of recognition. I saw none. "I shall meet you at landing pad 49F in three hours."

I stood, and smiled again, unable to hold back all of my joy at finding her. Thankfully I was able to dim some of the smile's instensity, and it conveyed what I hoped was pleasure at having met her and having conducted this business with her. This trip wasn't the false start that my nightmares and misgivings would have had me believe. I bowed slightly.

"Until then, Miss Ravenwing," I said, and walked backward for a few steps before spinning around lightly and making my way out the door, my smile finally breaking free. Now I had to retrieve my few belongings, and buy a few other necessities. Then I would make my way to landing pad 49F, and reestablish a connection between houses that should have never been lost.

[Arya Ravenwing]

What. A. Weirdo. Arya fingered the credit chits before pocketing them. Nah, Sarin von Metzger probably wasn't a weirdo, but he was... unusual. He seemed fairly intense, though she couldn't figure what sort of ulterior motive he might have.

Well, besides possibly trying to collect the bounty on her. But she needed the money to get away from Bespin, so she had to take the chance.

Arya slid her chair away from the table, dropped enough credits to cover her drink, and walked towards the door. She'd have to hurry if she was going to get everything ready to go in time.

*****

"Come on," she said, tugging on the little girl's hand as they walked towards the landing pads. Arya had made a few trips already, leaving Tak for last after getting their belongings and food stowed aboard the Wing of the Raven. Tak had been reluctant to leave her new friend, Wyl, but Arya promised her she'd be able to write him letters as often as she liked.

Outside 49F she fumbled for her temporary keycard that had been given her by the transit authority. "Remember, Tak, with our passenger we have to be careful not to Change around him. At least, until I can explain to him what's going on."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

She was already missing Zem, and Wyl too. At least Arya had said that she could write them letters though.

But, ever since her first Change, and Arya being there, the little Lupine had been hard-pressed to stop thinking of her. And even though she was a Loveloxx Lupine, the moment the two had shared was one that would never be forgotten. Dama would be upset, since she'd always said that it was a Mother's right to be with her child when the first Change happened, but Dama wasn't here. Arya had been. And it was Arya who had been able to share the experience.

When the proposal for Teagan to travel with the Loveloxx Lupine had been made, she'd been eager. All those adult reasons like being safe on the run (whatever that was all about) meant nothing to her.

With one hand in Arya's, Tak sent curious glances all about.

"Don't worry, I'll be careful and stuff. I promise."

[Sarin von Metzger]

I shifted my bag on my shoulder to ease the slight discomfort that had been growing for the past twenty minutes. It had taken me only about an hour and a half to get my belongings and buy other various small necessities, so I had decided to take my time while actually getting to landing pad 49F.

Thankfully, despite being a bit early, I heard a familiar voice as I came upon the pad, though I could not understand the exact words she said. There was also a curiously unfamiliar voice. A child's?

Indeed, Ravenwing was standing there, holding a young girl's hand. In all that I had managed to find, as little as that was, there had been no mention of a daughter. As far as I have been able to understand, having a child should have been impossible.

It was the girl who saw me first, looking around as she was. I grinned in greeting as I strode forward, though I felt I was still a bit too far to politely call out.

[Arya Ravenwing]

The doors opened, and Tak tugged on her hand. Arya looked around, saw Sarin, and waved at him, gesturing towards the landing pad. Wind whipped inside the hallway from outside, but the smuggler stayed put until her passenger had caught up to them.

"Ready to go?" she asked, and then looked down at Tak. "This is my niece, Teagan."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

She smelled him before she saw him, and Tak's eyes went wide as saucer plates at the sight of him. Another Lupine??! And he was a Loveloxx, just like Arya; she could tell by the scent alone. It was a so similar to Arya's, except for a few subtle differences.

But, unlike Arya, Tak wasn't sure about this newcomer, and she shifted to stand a little behind the smuggler woman. Her breathing came out in rapid breaths, and her heart raced. She clutched Arya's hand a little tighter, refusing to let go.

"He's a Loveloxx," she whispered almost frantically while moving around to Arya's other side with agitated steps.

Why couldn't Dama be here right now?!

[Sarin von Metzger]

She was a curious thing, the child. By curious, I mean not that she exhibited a curious attitude, but that she herself was an object of curiosity. She seemed to be whispering something to Ravenwing. Perhaps I frightened her?

"Yes, I am ready to leave," I replied, shifting the bag on my shoulder once more. Ravenwing's 'niece', Teagan, seemed skittish. She was cute, and brought back a nostalgic memory of me asking Father and Mother for a sibling when I was child and longed to be a role model to some younger more impressionable being. Ah, how times change...

"Hello Teagan," I said nodding my head to her, and bending forward to both bring my face to her level and see her more closely. "My name is Sarin. I am pleased to meet you."

Did Teagan know of Ravenwing's heritage? Was Teagan a part of us? I didn't dismiss the second question, as unlikely as it was. The girl had a familiar, yet exotic scent about her, one that set me slightly on edge. If she was Lupine, then that was a very curious thing indeed. Another scent which I remembered from the Bar reached me, and I tentatively labelled this one 'Arya Ravenwing'.

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya smiled brightly, squeezed Tak's hand and then pressed the girl's face into her side. "Well, lets get going, shall we?" Tak mumbled something into Arya's shirt, and the smuggler was walking them both towards the Chevette77 that was sitting in the cool evening air on the landing pad.

"This is Wing of the Raven, my ship," she said, walking quickly. Whatever the kid thought she smelled, Arya needed the money, and they needed to get away from Bespin and away from the Jedi. "Just a second..." She put down Tak's bag and keyed her password into the Raven's access panel.

The ramp creaked, and then began lowering.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

She was mindful to stay as close to Arya as she possibly could, sending furtive glances to Sarin the whole time.

The boarding ramp was lowering way too slow for her tastes, and the little Lupine moved around Arya so that she was at the farthest point away from Sarin. He was interesting, but only because he was almost like her, and Dama had always said that there were no other Lupines left. But! There was Arya, and now this one. It was exciting and scary all at once.

[Sarin von Metzger]

I cast my eyes over the ship, but said nothing as I waited for the ramp to fall. It had the look of a nondescript sort of ship, though my limited knowledge of starships in general left me mostly clueless.

Teagan definitely seemed to be wary of me; so I decided to play with the girl a bit. Every few moments I would send my eyes her way, trying to catch her as she sent her furtive glances. It was amusing how she would look away quickly when she was caught. I made no attempt to hide my smile at the little game.