Incident at Saris

Chapter Twenty -One

Saris Prime Observation Station. Ten hours later

"Are you sure about this Rik?" Ren asked, Rik some hours later after they had both meditated, and had a good sleep and eaten "I mean it wasn't me they invited".
"Lucian said he would like that," said Rik " relax Ren!" adjusting his robes, they had both changed into clean, non- Jedaini robes as they walked towards Nova Bar on the station.
Clean up, and investigations were still underway, but life went on, Rik and Ren had been told that their input and help had been useful and appreciated, but they were no longer needed, seeing It had been sabotage and it was solved more or less and that they were free to go.
So they had gotten, their goods delivered that they were couriering sent to the Serendipity which was currently getting loaded by Kimmie and River.
Ren had offered to stay behind but Kimmi, said that they were going to be fine, she and River had done this before and were told to enjoy themselves, especially seeing Rik was getting his first medal for his part in the fight, and the presentation was the next day.
"I don't deserve a medal!" Rik grunted "it wasn't me! Who ended it, it was Rikren!"
"They don't know that," said Ren " and it wasn't fully RikRen...we both did it!"
"How are we going to explain this then!" Rik said, indicating their matching medical bandages.
"We are a Corran Pair," Ren asked "I mean we look so different, because of how we came to be, but we are Corran! Do you remember much of our life before? Corran Pairs are usually one humanoid the other more Anthropomorphic, but there are exceptions to the rules, I have seen them, we're both so different because of what happened to us".
Rik said, " that possibility has crossed my mind more than once Ren, especially considering our combined mental Projection, maybe we are half Corran, seeing we are both humanoid but with Saurian or Artean characteristics".
"Our Whole form is more humanoid!" said Ren "both of us!"
"True I don't deny that," said Rik "but come on Ren....smile let's have a couple of drinks and meet Nightwatch Squadron! It's fun to ditch the robes for once!"
Ren said, "We both need to look like Knights for the ceremonies tomorrow though".
"I know," he said.
"I'll wear mine as well tomorrow we might as well....look the part, look like Adepts!" Ren said, " it loans us both a maturity".
Rik said "yeah" as he and Ren came to Nova Bar and looked around, Nova Bar wasn't one of their usual haunts on the station, they preferred one called Moesa's, Nova was fancier, Moesa's was more working-class a lot of the miners frequented there, Nova was made more for visitors.
"Just as well we have some funds," said Ren as they entered.

Suddenly a person with gold hair, and eyes got up, his skin was also goldenly tanned, and he had a faint golden gleam or glow, but he also had intricate red tattoos which were also tinted with gold on his face, and he glowed with a soft, golden light.
"Lumos," said Rik " or Lucian, he's Luminian, I heard him saying so, he's their Commander, but I also didn't expect him to be so young..." he looked 18 or 19.
"Dhampir" Ren said recognising him for what he was "half Vampire, half Mortal, he's probably a lot older than he appears".
"A Vampire?" said Rik.
"Dhampir, their much like the Cyra are, and they aren't always Undead. It is a phenomenon, their half and half, not quite mortal not quite Vampire, the other name for them is Laramie.".
"Oh," said Rik " he kinda reminds me of a Corran".

The golden person approached them with a friendly smile and wave "Rik and Ren I'm guessing" he looked from one to the other " which one's which?"
"I'm Rik," said the more Avian looking one " and this is my twin brother Ren" Ren was more Saurian looking, but it was clear that they were brothers due to their shared colouring.
"Your Corran!" Lucian said, "I'm Lucian Laser, Commander of Nightwatch Squadron Beta".
"Um yeah," said Rik.
"That does make sense," Lucian said, he led them to some tables, where are number of people were all sitting around, most human of course or Elder Race (Elves, Halflings, Half-Elves etc....) or Gorta-Trellian, there were even a couple of Gorta amongst them (Lucian and someone called Zonzaz) a half-Gorta-Trellian girl whom Lucian introduced as his wife, Tatyana, and another girl call Morali who was Zeta-Neptonian(also sadly another planet lost early in the war, like Luminia, before the rest of the Universe even realised that it was a War!), a humanoid, semi-aquatic race, Sabre was Memen (from Crasolia), he looked like he had some Sabre Tooth in him.
'Princess' was a Gorta-Trellian woman, and there were also a pair of absolutely gorgeous, identical twin Gorta-Trellian women in the Squadron, that Rik felt his pulse race and he blushed when one met his eye, there was also a Quadzide (a Saurian race) in the group.
"Silverstar and Goldensun," Lucian said "Nightwatch Squadron".
"What you drinking?" asked Zonzaz then, Lucian had introduced him as Zonzaz and like Lucian he had intricate blue tattoo's and sigils on his skin, and some on his chest and down one arm, 'Count' Lucian had introduced his call sign as.
"Sarisian Brandy" said Rik " or a Sarisian Daybreak".
Zonzaz nodded " excellent choice! And you to Ren?"
"The same," said Ren feeling a little shy.
Lucian said, " you did well out there yesterday, Rik, I'm impressed, and you're getting a medal for it?"
"I don't deserve it," said Rik.
"You changed the outcome, we saved the station and the mining platform, but you are not the only one who is getting a medal for it, several members of my squadron, including myself it seems, are getting one as well. For our valiant efforts and our bravery on the battlefield, you're a hero Rik...enjoy it!"
Rik said, "I couldn't have done it without your Squadron or Ren...or the Serendipity herself".
"Serendipity?" one of the twins asked.
"Our ship" Rik replied "Ren's and I's, the Sunrise".
"You have a Sunrise?" asked an older human man who was also an Adept Knight and had been introduced as Callan Du, he was Lucian's second, and Sabre it seemed was his apprentice.
"Um yes," said Rik.
Callan shook his head in amazement "didn't think there were any of those left that were functional, how the hell did you get a Sunrise?"
"By accident," Ren said, " she was sitting, pretty much forgotten in the used shipyards on Saris 3 and Ren found her".
"Lucky," he said.
"Happy accident," Rik said, " she's fully functional, and I would not have been able to do what I did without her help....or Ren's".
Ren said " Hmm" as he sipped his drink.
"Oh come on, Ren!" said Rik.
"I'm just thinking," said Ren.
"He overthinks!" Rik said, " so a Freelance Squadron?"
"Yes although technically we probably belong to Beta Alpha 12, but we go where we are needed, now, I guess you could call us a 'Warband'" Lucian said, "I was part of the resistance on Earth, but I was recalled back to Beta Alpha twelve because they needed an extra squadron leader for a group of psionically sensitive Starfighter pilots and well the rest came from there, BA12 decided that we would be better needed elsewhere, so they released us."
Rik nodded "had I known I would have joined long ago!. .Ren and I, we have been protected by the Justice".
Ren said, " We owe the Justice our lives".
Rik said "I know we do, but Ren....we needed this! And if I had known about Nightwatch squadron!"
Callan Du said, "there is nothing wrong with the Justice, that was my dream assignment, fresh out of the Academy, but I got the Zodiac...." He paused then continued "I now have Beta Alpha Twelve and Nightwatch squadron now".
Lucian said, " we are pretty full anyway".
Rik nodded "Ren and I, we have our ship now anyway and our apprentice Kayla, to train, so the chance has probably passed, but had I known".
Lucian said, "you can fly with us anytime Rik, though, you handle that Starfighter like a Pro, and so can you Ren, never seen anyone quite fly a Freighter as you do!"
Rik nodded "thanks! I love my starfighter!"
"You have an apprentice?" Callan Du asked.
He nodded "Kayla, Ren and I, we're just gotten her, she's 13".
"Fresh out of the academy then," said Callan "I inherited Sabre, his former teacher was a close friend of mine".
Sabre grinned, showing sabre like fangs, he was young but not as young as Kayla was, around 18.
"Sabre," said Callan.
Rik grinned back showing his own impressive set of fangs and winked.
"Rik!" Ren groaned.
"You're a Corran Pair, aren't you?" Sabre asked.
"Something like that," said Rik drinking his daybreak.
"Not much is known about your kind" Sabre continued "only that there is always two of you and that you can't survive without the other it is said".
"Not true!" said Ren "Rik and I can survive well enough without the other apart, but we are stronger together".
"Just like us," said one of the Gorta-Trellian twins, she smiled at Rik who smiled back, clearly flirting.
Not a good idea Rik, Ren thought, seeing it was clear that Saber also liked the same twin! And Rik, due to his inexperience wouldn't stand a chance against him!
Rik grinned and continued " we have spent way too much time on the Justice, protected and safe, having everything we needed or wanted, we have gone freelance because we needed to, but it will take some adjusting for us both, we're not used to being on our own, which is why it is a shame I didn't know about you, I would have joined long ago and believe me, Ren can fly a shuttle! He does most of the piloting on our ship, the Serendipity and it was him who was flying the ship during the battle, Ren's a brilliant pilot!
"I love piloting!" Ren said, "it is one of the things I do well, " he paused " as Rik will tell" he took a sip of his own Daybreak.
"Ever tried to fly the course out near Saris 2?" Sabre asked then.
Ren nodded "yes, several times, it is good for practising your skills, and reflexes".
Sabre looked at Ren, taking in his size and shape "bet I could fly it faster than you!".
Callan Du sighed and said, "Sabre don't, I'm sure Master Ren is not interested in silly bets. Also, he is a Master, and you are not.....forgive him, Master Ren, he can be a bit...hot-headed."
Ren said " you're probably right Sabre, I fly a shuttle and a freighter, you fly a starfighter, fast reflexes and speed aren't required so much to fly a shuttle, just mainly good hand and eye co-ordination, besides I'm not the fastest anyway, but sometimes that is what is required. But what is always required however is endurance and steadiness, not fast reflexes, I'm built for endurance, not speed, it is Rik who is built for speed, not I, and it is Rik who flies a starfighter! Not me, you and he would be a fair match, though, seeing you are both Adepts.".
Rik said "Err?"
Ren smiled then and said "I'm getting some chips! Anyone want?" he got up and walked over to get some, Ren walked upright with a slight loping gait, more like a lizard or a large cat, although he tended to hunch sometimes, he relied on his large, long feet and his tail for balance, Ren was far from clumsy though, his hands were long like his feet with long fingers tipped with small blunt claws, that were more like long fingernails.
"So how about we go do the asteroid run? You and me?" Sabre asked Rik.
"What?" said Rik.
"You and me?" said, Sabre.
"Err...Ren didn't mean...".
"What? you scared or something?"
"No!" said Rik "but Ren and I ....we have other commitments to meet, the Asteroid run is fun, Ren and I have both done it several times, they sometimes run a rally through it which Ren won" as Ren came back with a plate of hot chips for him and Rik.
**Good answer ** he said telepathically.
** You baited me! Didn't you? ** Rik asked.
** Not exactly, more wanted to see how you react ** Ren replied.
**Ren! ** Rik groaned as Ren sat down ** I swear you are sneakier than me sometimes! **