Rajah

The ship jolted out from hyperspace and cruised casually closer to it's destination. Lowe expertly steered the ship in and landed it as far from the Jedi Temple as he could, as per Rajah's request. As soon as the ship settled Rajah stood and stretched. She ordered Lowe to shut down the contraption that the rode in on and the red head immediately left to find Hou-Jo. Jedi still milled about the place but she didn't mind. Not at that moment. She was more interested in finding one Jedi in particular. It didn't take long. She felt as if she were drawn to him. When finally she had him in her sight she made straight for stood beside Hou-Jo. "Hello Jedi." she said, an impish smile played upon her lips. "Told you I'd be back."

"Lowen, fire up Despondent. We're going on a little trip." Rajah slid the comm back into an inner jacket pocket. Her steps were quick but weighted. The red head nabbed a few simple supplies then made straight for her ship. Each step she put between she and Hou-Jo became heavier. She didn't want to leave him. Especially not leave him surrounded by the creatures that might eventually be the death of him. But she had to go. Attempt to search out a solution to her grave problem. If there existed a solution... Minutes later she boarded her ship. Lowe had it ready and waiting. She strolled in, smiled at the boy, ruffled his hair a bit. He swatted her hand away. "You know I don't like that." he muttered as he slicked his hair down. Rajah took her seat, strapped in and began running through lift off procedure. "Get used to it. It's going to be our pre flight ritual from now on." she said as she removed her sunglasses and winked over at the co-pilot. "Hope you smoothed out the jerky hyperspace jump-exit glitch, kid." "We'll soon find out." He answered as he flicked a couple of switches. "What little slice of Hell are we flying into this time, Red?" Rajah's face became emotionless, "Home." "What about Pretty Boy?" "Initiating lift off sequence. Your butt better be buckled in Kid." Rajah announced in overly loud voice as if she hadn't heard Lowe's question. She closed her eyes and mentally whispered another farewell to her Jedi. She assured him she would be back. A short time later the Raging Despondent lifted off the planet and bolted into the sky. Minutes later it smoothly launched into hyperspace.

"Something is wrong. Very wrong. But I'm going to find a way to fix it." She removed her shades and stared into Hou-Jo's eyes. "I'm leaving. For a while. Going home." The red head glanced about the area at a few meandering Jedi. The ominous voice of the oracle seemed to whisper next to her ear. A mild pang of panic stabbed in her chest. Rajah forced it away. "There's something I need to do. To find. It's important." She moved to and wrapped her arms around Hou-Jo. A quick kiss on the lips followed. Rajah didn't care what anyone might think of affectionate display. She pulled away and flashed him an honest grin. She didn't want to leave him. In fact, the thought of knocking him out and slinging Hou-Jo over her shoulder to steal him away was very tempting. Of course she wouldn't . She harbored more respect for the man than that. "Take care Hou-Jo. I'll be back soon. Promise. Now get back to doing whatever it is you Jedi do when you're all collected together." She took lingering look at the Jedi before her then slid her sunglasses back on. Rajah smiled once then turned quickly and walked away before her mind changed.

She could stand it no longer. Rajah, after spending a good long time brooding, stood. "There are far too many Jedi here for my comfort." Lowe glanced over from his seat. "Too many Jedi? He asked with an odd grin. A sarcastic tone tinged his voice. "Who would ever have guessed that Jedi might eventually swarm a Jedi Temple. Not me. I mean... really... what are the chances?" "Shut up Lowe." Rajah snapped back bitterly. She glared at him from overtop her sunglasses. "Yes ma'am." he said and then pucntuated his words with a half assed salute. "Hou-Jo said this place was abandoned. Abandoned usually means unused. Void of inhabitants. If I knew all these... creatures... were going to show up I'd have never come." Lowe absently fiddled with a toggle on the control panel before him, "Yes you would have. Just to be near your pretty boy Jedi." he muttered. Her rage flared for a second. Rajah took a step towards Lowe then halted. She let a thin rush of air escape her lips as she forced the anger away. She couldn't be mad at the boy. He'd simply voiced the truth. He was right. She'd accepted Hou-Jo's offer of Jedi training as a way to stay with him. Of keeping him close. She'd have come to this planet one way or another just to be 'near her pretty boy Jedi', as Lowe had so eloquently put it. She ran both hands back through her fiery hair and turned from her co-pilot. "There's more to this than meets the eye." She said, back still turned to Lowe. "More than you'd ever believe. More than I believe sometimes. But the longer we're here.. the more I believe that which I initially refused to believe. Does that make sense? Probably not." She turned back to Lowe for a second. He eyed her curiously. It wasn't the first time he'd seen her ramble. But it was the first time she didn't make any sense while doing it. "Why me? Why him? Why us? Why is nothing ever easy?" She asked in a remarkably frail voice. "Why? There must be something... someone..." Lowe opened his mouth to offer over used words of wisdom. His jaw, however, was left hanging open as Rajah turned and stormed out of the cockpit. She headed straight into the heart of the accumulated Jedi.

Rajah suspected that their soon to be visitors would be of the force using sort. When the first ship arrived and it's occupants stepped off board, they confirmed her suspicions. Rajah shook her head and grinned humorlessly. "Of course. Should have seen it coming. He's not going to the Jedi. He's bringing them here." Prophetic words whispered at her ear. They chilled her blood. Rajah ran both hands through her hair in a show of frustration. She turned and slipped back onto her own ship. "Lowe." she said quietly as she entered and stumbled into her co pilot. "I'm torn and don't know what to do. Those Jedi... " He looked at Rajah tenderly and placed a hand on shoulder. "Well, what did you expect when you got involved with Hou-Jo? Did you honestly think he could leave the Jedi permanently? Just for little ol'you?" Rajah's eyes glared up into Lowe's. She shoved his hand from her shoulder then slammed her fist down on the the control panel. It crushed the button that raised the boarding ramp to her ship. She plopped down into the pilot's chair and massaged her temples. What she couldn't explain to Lowe or anyone else was that Hou-Jo's very life would soon be resting in little ol' Rajah Loathay's hands if he continued on the same path. Even if she did tell them they wouldn't believe her. "DAMN IT! Every last BLASTED bit of it." she said as she tried to come up with a way to stop the Jedi and a prophecy from ripping Hou-Jo from her grip.

She felt certain, as soon as Hou-Jo slippped his arms around her, that it was a farewell embrace. That he would tell her that he was leaving. She tried to mentally prepare herself for such news. When he said he wouldn't go, Rajah pulled out of his arms. She stared at him suspiciously at first. Then smiled. She dove onto him, wrenched her arms about Hou-Jo and held him tight. She couldn't remember ever feeling so relieved. "I'm so glad you won't be a slave to the Jedi." she whispered in an obviously overjoyed voice. "This time." She pulled back a bit so she could look into his eyes. "But there's still next time. Always a next time. What do I have to do to keep the Jedi from stealing you away from me?" She half joked.

At the mention of Jedi being his brothers and sisters, Rajah glanced away from Hou-Jo. She despised him referring to them as family. She felt literally sickened. Afraid for him, as an oracle's words came back to haunt her. "Don't tell me you're doing this for me." she said bitterly. "You'd do it anyway. Even if you didn't know me." Rajah desperately wanted to bring up the prophecy, how it was all falling into place faster than she could try counteract it. "You'd dive head first into death's clutches if they asked it of you. Why do you let them continue to rule your life Hou-Jo? Why do you let them continue to drag you back into their messes?" She wrapped both of her hands around his. She knew that no matter what she said, what she did, he would leave. He had to. He was a Jedi. He'd always be a slave for the greater good. Despite knowing this, she slumped a bit and sighed. "What if?" She paused to collect her words. "Would you...consider not going? If I asked you to stay? If I begged you to stay away from the Jedi, would you? Could you? I don't want you to go. Nothing good will come of your further involvement with the Jedi. I'm feel something horrible is going to happen. To you." She cut her words short, knowing full well they were futile. Rajah looked away already knowing what Hou-Jo's response would be.

She tossed the old text aside. She swung around, her legs dangled off the bed. Rajah didn't like the negative undertone in Hou-Jo's voice. Nor was she too fond of the stern look set upon his face. Before jumping to conclusions, before getting angry at potentally nothing, Rajah cleared her throat. "What, Hou-Jo?" She asked, attempting to sound casual and calm, though she was anything but. She stood and approached him. "What do you have to do?" She mentally braced herself for what she suspected would be a negative answer.

Rajah nodded. Her face betrayed her bitterness. She strolled away to leave Hou-Jo to his business. Rajah made her way back to her own ship, to her room and dug out the documents she'd been pack-ratting away for the last few weeks. She shuffled through them, produced an old book, an actual text, strolled over to her bed and eased onto it. She read, quietly, mostly to get her mind off of what happened on Coruscant.

With all the contruction happening about her, the oracle's words had completely slipped her mind. But as Hou-Jo pulled her aside to talk, she felt her mouth go dry. A tingle of dread flitted up her spine when he said he may not be able to train her. One of the prophecies was coming to pass. Already. That, coupled with the latest contact from the Jedi, made Rajah noticably tense. He said he didn't intend to go back but his confession of wanting to observe them was unsettling. She'd prefer he stay out of it. Not only because of what the Oracle had mentioned but because she feared that this new tie would yank him back to the Jedi. Away from her. She scrambled to control her thoughts and emotions. "About the training... I changed my mind anyway." she said a bit too abruptly, as if her change of heart migh somehow counteract the prophecies. "I'm not cut out to be a Jedi. I only jumped so quickly at the chance to train as a way to stay near to you." She consdered his final words. About the lurking something and clouded future. Fear tried climb up her spine again. Rajah forced it away. She took his hands into hers. "Whatever possible storms the future may have in store, we'll weather them." Rajah grinned and leaned in towards Hou-Jo, kissed him gently on the lips.

She'd seen him coming towards her and looked away. Not until he took hold of her did she finally look at Hou-Jo. Her dark eyes met his and a shiver of that inexplicable affection towards the man causes Rajah to tremble. She inhaled deeply, calmed herself. Her voice came out as a whisper, "I don't know what I'm doing here. Someone like me shouldn't be aspiring to be a Jedi." Rajah inched closer to Hou-Jo. The nearer her body was to him the more her anxiety melted away. She eventually pressed right againt him. Her eyes closed and she slid her arms around Hou-Jo. "I'm okay. I'm just fine now." she said quitely as her doubts slowly faded away.

When ignored by the aimless Jedi, Rajah snickered. She strolled through the temple. "I wonder if I'll become as stuck up and holier than thou art if I ever become a Jedi." she wondered aloud. "I sure the hell hope I don't." Not knowing exactly where Hou-Jo had gotten to, Rajah explored. She wondered if Jedi-hood was actually achievable. Were any other Jedi ex criminals or murderers? It was something to investigate... Her thoughts fell backward into the past. The image of a face formed in her mind. A face from years long gone. Rajah stopped, wrapped her arms about her body. Her hatred for force users flared up again. She wondered how the hell she'd managed to end up in a Jedi temple waiting to be trained in their ways. "This is Hou-Jo's fault..." she informed herself out loud. Rajah moved to a wide set of stairs and sat down. She brought both hands to her face and pressed her fingertips to her forehead. She thought about Hou-Jo. He'd completely disarmed her of her hatred towards Jedi. How did it happen? Why did it happen? What was it about him that had caused her to completely about-face in regards to Jedi? She had never before met who could alter her beliefs in so drastic a way. The man was the quintessence of everything she had despised. She should loath him with all her hating heart. Instead, her feelings for him were the exact opposite... "No, this is your fault, Loathay," Rajah muttered to herself. She stood and looked around. She felt completely out of her element. Completely out of her mind. Rajah stormed through the temple in search of the man who had upset her entire world.

Rajah watched the obviously irritated Hou-Jo stride away. Once he was out of sight she moved to and leaned against a wall. She proceeded to lazily polish her sunglasses. Then slipped them into an interior jacket pocket. Arms crossed, she scanned her surroundings. She was instantly attracted to pillage-able objects scattered about area. She wondered if any important records or holicrons were hidden somewhere in the temple...then shook her head. She was both disgusted with and amused by the immediate thoughts of thievery. Old habits do die hard. "Bad girl... you can't be a petty thief and a Jedi at the same time." she scolded herself. A small lopsided grin slowly spread across the red-head's face..."Or can I?" she wondered as she brought her index finger up to rest thoughtfully upon her bottom lip. Rajah's deep and meaningful ponderings were suddenly shattered and trampled by the sound of people approaching. She stood up off of the wall and and eyed the others with a look of blatant annoyance. The temple was a bit busier than Hou-Jo had anticipated. She wasn't sure, but suspected the intrusions would interfere with whatever Hou-Jo had planned. One moved off with purposeful intent. The other roamed aimlessly. Rajah adjusted her jacket and called to Aimless (Achzet) , "Excuse me..." she half yelled, then shuddered inside. She hated using polite type words. She smiled a bit. Wondered what would have happened had she said 'exuse me' instead of assaulting Hou-Jo at the Last Call. Rajah then leaned against her wall again. Waited and wondered if Aimless would bother to reply.

She took another good look around her, secretly impressed by Hou-Jo's tactical placement of the temple. Rajah moved closer to him, a tiny grin tugged at the corners of her mouth. "There are two questions I have. One, am I to call you master? And two, when does training start?" Despite trying to not to be, Rajah was tremendously eager to learn the ways of the Jedi. And she was especially eager to learn such things from someone as prominent as Hou-Jo.

Lowe expertly landed Rajah's Raging Despondent not too far from Hou-Jo's ship. Though referred to as her co pilot Lowe did the majority of the flying. Rajah would keep herself busy studying the scads of data she'd collected since first leaving Coruscant. When her ship touched down Rajah filed away her documents and stretched. She called up to Lowe, "The slide from hyperspace wasn't as smooth as it should have been. Felt a bit lurchy. Fix it Lowe. And fix it now. That's top priority." "Whatever you want Red." he commed back. Rajah smiled. "And test it when you're done. We'll get this piece of scrap running smoothly sooner or later." "Got it boss." "I'm heading out. I have a date with a Jedi. Don't disturb unless it's of the utmost importance. Alright?" "Alright. You two kids have fun and play nice." Lowen joked, knowing he was the youngest of the three of them. "We'll try." Rajah finally left her ship. She ran both sets of fingers through her fiery red locks of hair before strolling over to Hou-Jo. "Interesting place this is. Any particular reason for bringing us to this lovely little slice of the galaxy?"

Hou-Jo had taken so long to answer Rajah thought he'd changed his mind. She nodded. Agreed to go where ever he wanted so long as it it meant training would begin. "I'm pretty sure the lovely citizens of Cloud City won't miss me. Too much. Nor will I miss them. At all." She tightened her fingers around Hou-Jo's hand. Tossed him a little grin. "Where exactly is this...less inhabitable place. And how less inhabited is it?" She was a bit concerned. Being a city gal, Rajah wasn't accustomed to scantily populated places. But she was also eager. Hou-Jo had sparked a fire in her. One that hadn't been there before. She was anxious to transform that spark into a blaze. "Let's get out of here. I'm ready when you are."

Her first thought was...he's got to be kidding. Rajah couldn't believe what Hou-Jo had just proposed...for several reasons. She looked away and contemplated his offer. "Jedi Arts." she said, as if tasting the words on her tongue. A hundred different thoughts and schemes crowed into her mind. She pushed them away momentarily, Rajah's dark eyes sought out Hou-Jo. "Do you think someone like me is...worthy...of learning such things? I mean, considering what I'd intended to do only a few weeks ago..." Rajah shut her mouth suddenly. She realized that she was being offered the opportunity of a lifetime. All she had to do was shove and keep the past where it belonged..."I say yes." she said rather abruptly, as if afraid Hou-Jo might suddenly retract his offer. Rajah leaned against him and wrapped her arm around his. "Yes. Train me in the Jedi arts."

Rajah glanced bitterly at at Hou-Jo. "Train me? What do you mean train me? Train me as in I'm a disobdient animal that needs to be taught how to behave itself?" She tried to sound and appear to be tremendously offended, but eventually her grin shattered the attempted sterness.

"For your information," Rajah said as she slid down to sit beside Hou-Jo, I had plans to go out and hunt Jedi. I don't need to do that anymore...since you're here." She let her legs slide out from her body. "But your right. Other than what I'd intended to do, I've nothing planned. I've enough credits to live comfortably on for a while. But I suppose you and I need more than comfort to exist by."

She laughed. "Bored and missing the Jedi order already?" Rajah moved around Hou-Jo. "There were a couple of things I'd meant to do, but I don't think they're possible now." She admitted. " I didn't have a plan c to fall back on." She smiled. "I can't believe your so bored that you'd lower yourself to the level of smuggler. Not the most prestegious of career choices, but good if it's a thrill or two you're needing." Her look became thoughtful. "A run might be good, give this rust bucket a real test drive." She looked at Hou-Jo, wondered if he was serious.

The knifeplay went on for a few minutes. Rajah's blades suddenly locked up with Lowe's. She forced his arms up higher and swiftly planted a standing dropkick to his midsection. He flew backward. Rajah dropped to the floor and was immediatly up again. She raced over to the conquered co-pilot who was curled on the floor groaning in agony. She laid her weapons lovingly on the floor. Rajah knelt beside Lowe. Helped him into a semi-sitting position. "You alright?" she asked, wrapping an arm around him. He forced a smile. "No. But think I'll live." he said in a shaky voice. He even managed a gutteral laugh. Rajah laughed with him, then looked over at Hou-Jo. "And this is why he was annoying the hell out of us yesterday with all that damned buzzing. The kid was anxious to get his butt kicked. Again." She rubbed the top of Lowe's head viciously, messed up his hair, then gave him a quick kiss to the forehead. "You sure you'll live?" "Yes. Now leave please, so I can lay here and weep in solitude." Lowe smiled weakly and shoved Rajah away from him. She patted Lowe on the shoulder, picked up and put the knives back in their crate then moved to Hou-Jo. "Done. Let's get out of here for a while. Let Lowe recover. Anything in particular you feel like doing this lovely morning?"

Rajah grabbed Hou-Jo's hand. Yanked him back to her. She was possessed by a severe urge to drag him, willingly or unwillingly, to her room. She mostly suppressed the urge and wrapped her arm about his. In that instant she realized that her feelings for him were growing steadily fiercer. Feelings that were quite the opposite of what she should be experiencing. She had no clue what was happening to her, but she decided to let it happen. For now. "Yeah. Lets go get this over with." Rajah said quietly, still trying to keep her illogical infatuation with the ex-Jedi in check. Soon the pair were in the ship's cargo bay. Lowe was there standing beside a huge crate, anxious to get a peek at it's contents. Rajah nodded permission. Lowe immediately ripped into the crate like a kid tearing into a birthday gift. Rajah's dark eyes scanned the area. They settled upon a smaller crate. She released Hou-Jo, moved to the long rectangular container and knelt beside it. She opened it, rummaged around. Suddenly her eyes lit up. "Beautiful." she said quietly. Rajah stood. In each hand was gripped a custom designed fighting knife. The elegantly etched 15 inch blades glinted brilliantly even in the dull light of the cargo bay. Each knife was a work of art unto itself. She swung the blades about her body with graceful ease. She stopped, grinned wickedly, winked at Hou-Jo then stalked towards Lowe." Think fast boy. I've got some new blades that need breaking in." Rajah charged her co-pilot. Seemingly out of nowhere, Lowe produced his own pair of knives. His blue eyes blazed angrily. "I thought I told you to stop calling me boy." he growled, then advanced. The two clashed. A flurry of streaking and sparking metal surrounded the combatants as each strove to draw first blood.

"Hey, your ass wasn't random. It was in the way...just begging to be smacked around." Rajah corrected him. She gave Hou-Jo a stern glare. "The way you tell it, you make it sound as if ass-smackery is a hobby or compulsion of mine." She then gave the question of forgiveness considerable thought. After a few seconds Rajah shook her head in the negative. "I'm sorry. As much as I'd like to forgive you. I can't. If I forgive you I'll be relinquishing the right to revel in vengance." She kissed him quickly and smiled. "I've already started to formulate a plan of revenge." Rajah wrapped her arms about Hou-Jo, "I'm so looking forward to making you suffer. I'm going to make sure you'll think twice before using your force powers to decieve me again."

Rajah smiled appreciativley at Hou-Jo. Felt as if a tiny weight had lifted from her shoulders when he assured she didn't have to do the please and thank-you thing. She answered his question as they walked along. Her voice very business like. "The delivery? It's just a few trinkets for myself. The rest of the stuff is for the ship and Lowe. He's a clever kid when it comes to assembling mechanical...gadgets. Can build almost anything. I currently have him rewiring controls on my ship. He's been rigging a few things up bass ackwards. So only he or I'll know how to pilot the ship." They stopped at Rajah's room. As she laid the roses on the bed, she spoke. "I did walk out on you. But only because I thought you'd do the same to me. I still kind of suspect you'll suddenly come to your senses and flee." She turned to face him, "I left to make it easier for you to scamper out of my life. In a warped sort of way, I was trying to do you a favor." Rajah moved across the room. "Try to be nice to someone...they turn around and seek vengence."

Rajah smiled, though a shade uneasy with Hou-Jo's affectionate appraisal of their situation. She wasn't used to anyone treating her so... nicely. She glanced at Lowe, who was still standing in the entrance way, then looked back at Hou-Jo, "No. I don't exect he'd appreciate being sent away again." she whispered back. She stood, strolled over to Lowe, placed a hand on his shoulder. "RIght now, Lowe is hopefully going to tell me that our package has arrived." "Yeah. It came yesterday. Just as expected." Lowe informed. He glanced at the Jedi then at the roses cradled in Rajah's arm, "You would have know this already if you weren't preoccupied with other....things." he said, not bothering to conceal his contempt. Rajah offered a concerned grin. "Sorry for standing you up kiddo." she said quietly. "I know how that feels. I'll make it up to you today. Alright?" Lowe nodded his head and smiled. "Alright then." she said happily then shoved him on his way, "Go get set up. I'll be there shortly. Promise." With Lowe gone, Rajah turned back to Hou-Jo. "Guess I'll have to wait till later to kill you." she said with overemphasized sadness. She grabbed his hand, pulled him up from the seat and planted a long luscious kiss on his lips. "Thanks." she said quietly. The word sounded forced. And it was. Rajah wasn't particularly well aquainted with manners. She turned to leave the ship, pulled Hou-Jo along behind her. "Hope you had fun making me make an ass of myself. I WILL get you back for that. Don't know when. Don't know how. But I will have my revenge."