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<blockquote data-quote="Ankh-Morpork Guard" data-source="post: 4202093" data-attributes="member: 10079"><p><strong>Chapter 581: Chasing Ghosts</strong></p><p></p><p>It had taken nearly half an hour, but the overly excited twins eventually were convinced to play quietly while Marix spoke with the four Jendari, all of whom had simply sat quietly with serene looks on their avian features without saying a word. They seemed content to allow Marix to have some time with her children, and the twins didn’t even seem to notice. They were also far more talkative than she remember, especially Andrea, though she still kept to Alraxian. That was interesting in itself. Saraan would rapidly explain one of their little adventures speaking in somewhat broken Basic with Andrea cutting in and adding to it with little details in Alraxian.</p><p> </p><p>But, finally, Marix had convinced them that yes, they could stay during the meeting as long as they were quiet. So now they sat on the large table just off to Marix’s left, doing their best to be quiet and still play whatever game they were playing with their handful of toys that the Jendari had brought along with them. </p><p> </p><p>With the twins occupied, Marix explained the situation. She kept a very business-like tone and simply reported to them everything that she had learned from Qroal, followed by the information provided by the interrogation. Truthfully, it felt pointless to explain, as Marix half-expected that the Jendari already all of it...and probably more, actually. But they wouldn’t tell her unless she asked even if they did know, so Marix considered her half-hour long briefing as more of a half-hour long question.</p><p> </p><p>When she had finished speaking, she did, in fact, ask a question.</p><p> </p><p>“What do you think?”</p><p> </p><p>All four Jendari watched her carefully for a moment. They were all built about the same, short compared to an Alraxian, frail-looking but with eyes beneath their feather-like hair that could see through any and every thing. Marix could see nothing in those eyes, and they were all closed to the Force beyond a simple feeling of serenity that nearly every Jendari was surrounded by. Eventually, though, the Jendari on the far left with slightly a green colouration to her feathers, answered the question, “I believe your assumption is correct. With what little we know of the Yuuzhan Vong, it would seem that an Alraxian’s ability to morph would be ideal for integrating into their technology.”</p><p> </p><p>“But it is still an assumption,” the Jendari on the right spoke up, showing an interesting disagreement that immediately grabbed Marix’s attention, “There is the possibility that what they want something we do not understand. There is still far too much unknown about them.”</p><p> </p><p>“And the captive could simply be lying to cloud their motives even more,” a third Jendari added.</p><p> </p><p>Then, not missing a beat, the Jendari in the center, who Marix recognized as Lir, one of the older Jendari who was a part of the Council, looked Marix directly in the eye and put out one more possibility, “It is also possible, my lady, that the Knights we have lost contact with are, quite simply, dead.”</p><p> </p><p>Something about that bothered Marix and she wasn’t sure why. She only had a short few moments to think on it, though, before the third Jendari to speak up, to Lir’s right, said softly, “You didn’t even consider that, did you?”</p><p> </p><p>She hadn’t.</p><p> </p><p>The second there had been the possibility of those Knights being alive, even if they were captives of the Vong and being tortured or whatever the Vong did, Marix latched onto that as true. It made sense. The Knights were alive because the Vong needed something from them. They weren’t dead, thousands of light years from their home and everyone that they cared about. They were alive...waiting for Marix to find them. Surviving against all odds because they were Knights, because they had volunteered for their missions into the war zone to protect their people, and because when they got back they would have more information that could be used to protect the Empire. They wouldn’t be dead...no...</p><p> </p><p>And then, right then, Marix knew exactly why she hadn’t considered the possibility of the Knights being dead. She knew, and it terrified her, and so she lied, “I don’t know why I didn’t...”</p><p> </p><p>The Jendari were not stupid. They were just as aware as she was. They did not, however, call her on the obvious lie. Before any of them said anything else, however, all four Jendari glanced to the two young children playing on a table and seemingly oblivious to the conversation going on right over their heads...literally. But then they all looked back to Marix, and Lir’s voice lowered to just above a whisper, “If there are Knights out there, alive and captives of the Yuuzhan Vong, then he could be there, too.”</p><p> </p><p>That was exactly the thought that had come to Marix’s mind moments earlier. It took Marix a moment to realize that Lir was stating that as why she wanted the Knights to be alive, and very definitely not as something he believed to be true. It was a dose of reality that she rarely needed, and that fact bothered her more than the thought had. It just kept coming back...</p><p> </p><p>“If the Knights are alive, though, I can’t leave them out there,” Marix did her best to remain rational.</p><p> </p><p>To her surprise, Lir nodded, “It is too much of a risk to ignore.”</p><p> </p><p>“But...” she said the word that Lir had left off at the end. It wasn’t as if Marix didn’t know what he would say, but she was being careful, as the Jendari were, with what they said with the twins in earshot. They were young, but certain things didn’t need to be mentioned around them without careful innuendo and not-so-subtle hinting.</p><p> </p><p>“Looking for lost Knights is one thing, my lady,” Lir said softly, then his feathers rippled slightly before he added, “But looking for ghosts is something else, entirely.”</p><p> </p><p>He was right, of course.</p><p> </p><p>Marix was finding herself doing exactly what she’d always been angry with Jyren for.</p><p> </p><p>The irony of that thought did nothing but make it all worse, too.</p><p> </p><p>After shaking her head, Marix looked down at Andrea, playing with a little Kanyak-toy, then said to the Jendari, “I cannot send someone else.”</p><p> </p><p>“Then you must be aware of more than just the Yuuzhan Vong.”</p><p> </p><p>But Marix wasn’t really paying attention to the Jendari anymore. Andrea had turned to look over her shoulder and, through that mess of hair that looked so much like Marix, was staring right back at her. There was a very serious look in those big eyes as Andrea looked up at her mother. And looking back, Marix realized a terrible thing. Her little girl understood every word of what they were saying over her head. She wasn’t playing, she was listening, trying to find out how long she would have with her mother before Marix ran off again.</p><p> </p><p>It was one of those times that Marix truly needed Jyren to be around. He understood how to be around children, what to say and do...and she...Marix just stared back, wishing she could find some words to comfort her daughter but unable to do anything but gently stroke the girl’s hair. One day, she would be a strong Empress...but Marix truly hoped that Andrea would forgive her for being such a terrible mother.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Ankh-Morpork Guard, post: 4202093, member: 10079"] [b]Chapter 581: Chasing Ghosts[/b] It had taken nearly half an hour, but the overly excited twins eventually were convinced to play quietly while Marix spoke with the four Jendari, all of whom had simply sat quietly with serene looks on their avian features without saying a word. They seemed content to allow Marix to have some time with her children, and the twins didn’t even seem to notice. They were also far more talkative than she remember, especially Andrea, though she still kept to Alraxian. That was interesting in itself. Saraan would rapidly explain one of their little adventures speaking in somewhat broken Basic with Andrea cutting in and adding to it with little details in Alraxian. But, finally, Marix had convinced them that yes, they could stay during the meeting as long as they were quiet. So now they sat on the large table just off to Marix’s left, doing their best to be quiet and still play whatever game they were playing with their handful of toys that the Jendari had brought along with them. With the twins occupied, Marix explained the situation. She kept a very business-like tone and simply reported to them everything that she had learned from Qroal, followed by the information provided by the interrogation. Truthfully, it felt pointless to explain, as Marix half-expected that the Jendari already all of it...and probably more, actually. But they wouldn’t tell her unless she asked even if they did know, so Marix considered her half-hour long briefing as more of a half-hour long question. When she had finished speaking, she did, in fact, ask a question. “What do you think?” All four Jendari watched her carefully for a moment. They were all built about the same, short compared to an Alraxian, frail-looking but with eyes beneath their feather-like hair that could see through any and every thing. Marix could see nothing in those eyes, and they were all closed to the Force beyond a simple feeling of serenity that nearly every Jendari was surrounded by. Eventually, though, the Jendari on the far left with slightly a green colouration to her feathers, answered the question, “I believe your assumption is correct. With what little we know of the Yuuzhan Vong, it would seem that an Alraxian’s ability to morph would be ideal for integrating into their technology.” “But it is still an assumption,” the Jendari on the right spoke up, showing an interesting disagreement that immediately grabbed Marix’s attention, “There is the possibility that what they want something we do not understand. There is still far too much unknown about them.” “And the captive could simply be lying to cloud their motives even more,” a third Jendari added. Then, not missing a beat, the Jendari in the center, who Marix recognized as Lir, one of the older Jendari who was a part of the Council, looked Marix directly in the eye and put out one more possibility, “It is also possible, my lady, that the Knights we have lost contact with are, quite simply, dead.” Something about that bothered Marix and she wasn’t sure why. She only had a short few moments to think on it, though, before the third Jendari to speak up, to Lir’s right, said softly, “You didn’t even consider that, did you?” She hadn’t. The second there had been the possibility of those Knights being alive, even if they were captives of the Vong and being tortured or whatever the Vong did, Marix latched onto that as true. It made sense. The Knights were alive because the Vong needed something from them. They weren’t dead, thousands of light years from their home and everyone that they cared about. They were alive...waiting for Marix to find them. Surviving against all odds because they were Knights, because they had volunteered for their missions into the war zone to protect their people, and because when they got back they would have more information that could be used to protect the Empire. They wouldn’t be dead...no... And then, right then, Marix knew exactly why she hadn’t considered the possibility of the Knights being dead. She knew, and it terrified her, and so she lied, “I don’t know why I didn’t...” The Jendari were not stupid. They were just as aware as she was. They did not, however, call her on the obvious lie. Before any of them said anything else, however, all four Jendari glanced to the two young children playing on a table and seemingly oblivious to the conversation going on right over their heads...literally. But then they all looked back to Marix, and Lir’s voice lowered to just above a whisper, “If there are Knights out there, alive and captives of the Yuuzhan Vong, then he could be there, too.” That was exactly the thought that had come to Marix’s mind moments earlier. It took Marix a moment to realize that Lir was stating that as why she wanted the Knights to be alive, and very definitely not as something he believed to be true. It was a dose of reality that she rarely needed, and that fact bothered her more than the thought had. It just kept coming back... “If the Knights are alive, though, I can’t leave them out there,” Marix did her best to remain rational. To her surprise, Lir nodded, “It is too much of a risk to ignore.” “But...” she said the word that Lir had left off at the end. It wasn’t as if Marix didn’t know what he would say, but she was being careful, as the Jendari were, with what they said with the twins in earshot. They were young, but certain things didn’t need to be mentioned around them without careful innuendo and not-so-subtle hinting. “Looking for lost Knights is one thing, my lady,” Lir said softly, then his feathers rippled slightly before he added, “But looking for ghosts is something else, entirely.” He was right, of course. Marix was finding herself doing exactly what she’d always been angry with Jyren for. The irony of that thought did nothing but make it all worse, too. After shaking her head, Marix looked down at Andrea, playing with a little Kanyak-toy, then said to the Jendari, “I cannot send someone else.” “Then you must be aware of more than just the Yuuzhan Vong.” But Marix wasn’t really paying attention to the Jendari anymore. Andrea had turned to look over her shoulder and, through that mess of hair that looked so much like Marix, was staring right back at her. There was a very serious look in those big eyes as Andrea looked up at her mother. And looking back, Marix realized a terrible thing. Her little girl understood every word of what they were saying over her head. She wasn’t playing, she was listening, trying to find out how long she would have with her mother before Marix ran off again. It was one of those times that Marix truly needed Jyren to be around. He understood how to be around children, what to say and do...and she...Marix just stared back, wishing she could find some words to comfort her daughter but unable to do anything but gently stroke the girl’s hair. One day, she would be a strong Empress...but Marix truly hoped that Andrea would forgive her for being such a terrible mother. [/QUOTE]
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