Sith School

Double Surprise!

Kitty and Andronikos didn't seem in any hurry to leave. In fact, Avrria became unnerved by her parents' suspicious determination to hang around and headed to bed early that night.

Her parents disappeared back to sleep in their ship, and everyone else appeared to go to bed as well. Minus Tali and several angry but confused Sith who were now starting to wake up and recover from their hangovers, only to find themselves hung up outside the Academy.

Amid this confusion, Tali Quinn started a new plan. This time, the bunting covering the Academy was real, merely considering of black and red flags instead of people.

While the live bunting started to turn on one other and fight out their annoyed puzzlement, the building was thoroughly decorated. Then Tali did something truly terrifying - She went back to her quarters to make cakes. As quietly as possible.

That didn't turn out to be very. Malavai emerged from their bedroom at about midnight to find out that the source of the noise he had heard was Tali having a fight with a cake tin, which she was bashing with a spoon in an attempt to get cake mix into it. She was failing.

"My love, what are you doing?" He asked, baffled and half-asleep.

"Nothing," Tali insisted as usual. He sighed, knowing she wasn't likely to yield and tell him the truth twice in quick succession. Giving up, he retreated to the bedroom again. Tali gave a sigh of relief and returned to the battle with the cake.

When morning came around, Malavai woke up, peered to the kitchen to nothing but a slight smell of smoke, and wondered if he had simply dreamt the whole thing. Also smelling smoke, Jaesa and Vette traded glances, wondering if it had been wise to encourage a Sith to bake.

They couldn't ask until a little while later, when a half-awake Andronikos turned up, being pushed by his wife, and dragged poor, confused Malavai off to do some random early morning target practice together.

Kitty stepped inside, "Sorry that took so long, he wouldn't wake up," She rolled her eyes, "How did the baking go?"

All eyes turned to Tali. She scowled, "Stupid kitchen..." Was the only, grumpily muttered reply. Vette sighed and got up to remedy the situation.

"Thank the force for Vette," Jaesa muttered, "Can't have a surprise party without a cake," She pointed out. Tali gave her tactless apprentice a hard stare.

Deciding to add some extra tension, just for fun, Kitty put in, "Two cakes. Two birthday parties, remember? Now, what are we doing for presents?"

"Well, they both had some fun yesterday..." Tali mused, glad the topic of her baking was now abandoned, "But I do have some special things for Malavai," There were some sniggers, cut short by more glaring.

"Good. And for Avie? I brought a few little gifts myself, and I believe Andronikos has a pilot's license for her," Kitty continued.

Jaesa wrinkled her brow in confusion, "Isn't she too young for that?"

"It's forged, of course. The laws don't apply to us," Came the answer, accompanied by one of Darth Nox's famous grins. The ones that had led people to jump off towers before.

"Of course they don't," Tali joined in with the creepy grinning, "But to answer your question, I have a speeder for Av parked outside," She told her.

"Excellent," Kitty nodded her approval smugly, "Then the parties should go well."

"What parties?" Avrria asked as she entered in search of breakfast.

"Don't you still have the traditional parties when someone dies?" Kitty asked, feigning shock.

Avie relaxed, "Oh, of course we do," She nodded, understanding now, or at least assuming she did. The others managed - Only just - to keep their relief hidden. But there was still plenty left for them to prepare, and two people for them to dodge while doing it. Vette managed to get the cakes sorted out without being caught, and Kitty decided she would have to drag her daughter away for a convenient catch-up away from Tali's quarters, the scene of the party preparations.

When that was done, it allowed Tali to get started on some of her more ambitious plans. A banner with large, ominously blood-red letters reading 'Happy Birthday' on it was strung up and a pile of presents appeared in the middle of the floor. Vette's cakes and several other edibles, followed by a disturbing amount of bottles were dumped on the table.

But it was when Tali was forcing a very reluctant Jaesa, Vette and Pierce, plus Kitty's unfortunate companions Talos and Ashara, to form a makeshift choir and practice singing 'Happy Birthday' repeatedly that Andronikos and Malavai finished their target practice and trekked back in.

They stared, shocked. A horrified Andronikos, who had been trying to help, attempted to bundle the stunned Captain back out, but failed. Quinn didn't really know what to say or do right now. Part of him wanted to run away. He had remembered it was his birthday, but purposely told no one but Tali, in the hope that she would keep it quiet and he would be able to just have a private celebration with his wife later.

But no, he realised, this was a surprise party. He supposed it was just a mercy Broonmark, Xalek and Khem Val hadn't been forced to sing too...

Tali noticed him turning red as the singers faltered mid-note. "Uh...Surprise!" She yelled, hoping to take the attention away from the embarrassing singing. At least, she was working on the assumption that that was what had embarrassed him.

He remained frozen. A few moments later, Kitty bounced into his back, dragging Avie behind her. "What's happening?" Avie asked innocently, looking up at the banner and breaking out into a grin, "You remembered!"

Malavai unfroze. Thank the Force, it wasn't for him. "Oh, of course, Avrria's birthday!" He nodded, relieved.

"Both our birthdays, Uncle Mali," She added, embarrassing again with absolutely no effort.

"Yep! Surprise!" Tali cheered again, gesturing to the presents behind her and the cakes on the table. Cue the beginning of another enthusiastic party.