Incident at Saris

Epilogue

A Day later...The Serendipity

Rik and Ren were both back on the Serendipity along with the rest of the crew getting ready to leave the station for Asfarus and were helping to load the remainder of their goods for delivery.
Kayla once again back in her robes was helping out and trying to keep an overly playful and curious Ivory who, been a kitten, was getting into everything and under their feet, out of trouble.
"Kittens!" Rik said with a chuckle "keep an eye on her Kayla, don't want her getting packed into one of the crates".
"No we don't want that," said Ren, he had taken off his coat and was using his considerable strength to load some of the heavier crates and like Rik occasionally used his powers to help nudge things a bit.
Kayla said, "Master Ondrina always said we shouldn't use the Way like that like it is a tool and nothing else".
Rik said " she told us that too, but sometimes it is necessary!" as he moved some crates.
Ren nodded and joined him as well " we are going to be loaded up once this is all done, may have to pack some down with your starfighter".
Rik nodded "yeah some of the smaller ones" and took another that Saffi handed him.
"What in them?" Kayla asked, removing the kitten from one as it was trying to fly, but its wings were still not strong enough to do so.
"Who knows, supplies mainly I guess," Ren said, " and no doubt some um, well not entirely legal items".
"Like guns and that?" said Kayla.
"Yep," said Ren " although there is a pile of medical and educational items as well for the refugee camps on Severus, and if we do drop them off, we may get offered another job or two".
Rik said "yes" as he moved more crates.
Kayla said, "your control is amazing!"
Ren said " practise that is all it is" he raised his arms to make one of the heavier crates float up and stack on top of another "Kayla feel free to practice like this. It helps build control, you too River, we are not going to reprimand you for doing so",
River said, "I didn't realise that you were physically stronger than Rik is Master Ren".
Ren said " it drives Rik nuts that I'm physically stronger than he is! I'm also taller; mentally; however, we are about the same".
"You seem so gentle," said River.
Ren said "I'm taller than Rik and stronger, but I'm also slower than he is, but yes I'm physically stronger than he is" he paused and manoeuvred a crate in " anymore Saffi?"
"About ten more small crates master Ren and one rather large one" she replied.
Ren nodded " we are going to be loaded...ok, we may have to put some of it into the aft hold with Rik's Starfighter".
"Sounds like a plan," Rik said, " we are so going to be loaded!"
Ren nodded, Kayla watched them, it was clear Ren was the one in charge when it came to the ship, Ren's quiet, steady manner was the stabilising factor.
"So how long is it to Asfarus," River asked.
"Several weeks," Rik said, " although we have to stop over on Severus to drop off the medical and educational supplies and junk up Serendipity a bit".
Ren nodded' Hmm yeah and checked his manifest and nodded "Braxis's stuff is all loaded; it's just the rest of it that is left to load".
Kayla sitting on a crate watched them and smiled as they disagreed over something, a piece of medical equipment it seemed, Rik and Ren were so in tune with each other it was sometimes hard to remember that they were twin brothers, they seemed to think and act as one sometimes, they said that they were the other half of each other's soul, so it was funny and a little cute to see them disagreeing over something.
"Oh, come on! There is no room to fit that near my starfighter!" Rik said.
"It will...just," said Ren.
"No, it won't!"
"You just don't want it near your starfighter!" Ren said, " we don't have room for it otherwise!"
"Oh ok but I still don't think it'll fit!" Rik said.
Sera spoke then "Rik, Ren is right it'll be a tight fit, but it will fit, I measured the space and have considered shifting, it will fit".
"What you think, Bob?" Rik asked the Astromech whirled "oh alright! We'll put it in there but pad it with something, so it doesn't scratch my starfighter!" Rik was very proud of his Starfighter.
"Rik it'll be fine!" said Ren "this goes in the aft hold with Rik's starfighter".
Kayla smiled as she rescued Ivory and decided she had gotten the best deal anyone could get, most apprentices only got one Master, but she had gotten two! Seeing Rik and Ren came as a pair, and she was glad that they did.
"Ok! OK!" said Rik "into the aft hold it goes then!" making Kayla giggle "what are you laughing at?" Rik asked.
"It's just strange to see you two arguing," said Kayla.
Rik laughed " yes, well, we do, occasionally".
"Very occasionally," Ren said, "as I said, but if we do get into a big argument, stay away...things tend to start flying around then!"
Kayla said, "I still find it hard to believe that you could hurt anyone Master Ren!"
Ren said, "I can".
"We both can," said Rik "Ok, put it down with the fighter but if it gets scratched your paying for the repairs!"
Ren said, "it won't get scratched!"
"What is it anyway?" Kayla asked.
"Med tank, if someone is critically wounded you fill it with fluid and you put them in it so they can heal, mind you this is a portable model, but it is probably more powerful than the one we have on the Serendipity and probably worth a mint! We had more permanent ones on the Justice, but this is to be dropped off at a refugee camp on Severus, ours is a more permanent model, but it is a lower grade one" Ren said.
"Like he said," said Kimmie.
Ren nodded "ok, but we should be ready to go when this is loaded" he paused checking their manifest "Rik that has to go down with your starfighter and be careful with it, the camp probably needs that tank!"
Rik said "Ok" as Ren helped him load it onto the grav trolley they had four, one large one, one medium and two small "hate how you're stronger than me!"
Ren said "it is only because that is how things turned out!" still bickering some, the counterparts went down to where Rik's starfighter was.
River laughed she had to admit it was good to hear Rik and Ren bickering a little, it eased the tension of the last few days, and it proved that Rik and Ren didn't always agree on everything.
"Do you think things will start flying if they have a big argument?" Kimmie asked.
"Wouldn't surprise me at all, "said Kayla " but I still think it would be Rik and not Ren who'd be the instigator! Ren's so gentle and kind, and he feels that way! To be bathed in his aura, you feel warm and safe, and it is peaceful and calming and healing".
River nodded "I noticed that too, Ren feels healing, Rik's a little more sharper-edged, they feel similar in many ways, but their different personalities show through too, their like twins".
"They're closer than twins," said Kayla "I know a couple of twins, and although they feel similar you can always tell them apart, Rik and Ren, sometimes it isn't so easy".
Kimmie nodded "I don't have your two's ability to feel auras, so I'll take your word for it".

They went into the ship later, and Sera said, " ready to go when Rik and Ren are ready to leave, it is a few weeks to Severus".
"OK," said Kayla, who picked up Ivory who mewled protest and went to put her in her room.
"That little one is going to make our lives a little different" Ren said strolling in at that point, followed by a still grumpy Rik.
"It's still going to scratch my starfighter!" Rik grumbled.
"If it does, I'll pay," said Ren "but it is well wrapped so it shouldn't!"
Sera said, " we are ready to go when you are, Rik, Ren".
Ren nodded "Ok" as he settled into the pilot's seat, feeling it automatically adjust to him, he liked that it did that and put the headset on "Initiating pre-launch procedures".
Sera said, "I have already informed Station Control of our intentions to disengage and leave".
Rik sitting down by his counterpart in his seat, put his own on "Ok lock and load girls, let's get rolling!"
"Kayla should be ok in her room, shouldn't she? She took Ivory to her room" River said.
"Yeah, the ships made for a small crew in mind," said Ren and he smiled at them all then " and quite frankly I think we have the best crew anyone can get! And I'm impressed how well we all fit together! Time for our next big adventure! Hopefully, it'll be a little less harrowing than the last few days and that we can all get a breather! It is several weeks to Severus, and there we can drop off our load, relax, rest and disguise the ship then head to Asfarus, that is going to be an adventure in itself!" he pushed a few buttons, and they all felt the Serendipity start-up and the feel of the engines, the docking clamps were lifted from the Serendipity and Ren said "Ok let's go" and started to fly the Serendipity out of the docking rings with the expert skill and steadiness required to fly a heavily loaded freighter showing just how good he was at doing so.
"Permission to leave the station, Station control?" Ren asked over the speakers.
"Permission granted Serendipity, take care out there Consular Ren, and May the Force be with you!" he was told.
"Thank you station control," said Ren " time to be reborn again" he added softly, and with a final burst of bright light and warm colours, looking like a sunrise, the Serendipity disappeared into warp speed, taking Rik and Ren and their crew on their next adventure.

Authors Notes: This story is now complete at 68910 words, 24 Chapters and 162 pages, thanks for reading and I hope you all enjoyed the ride!

Rik and Ren will be back in Who Sings For Asfarus - Which is currently getting written!