Never Enough Time (Month 5, 24BBY)

Month 5, 24BBY
Count Dooku’s plans have finally been realized. Though Zavian and Kaia had warned the Jedi council of a crisis where Dooku collected thousands of systems to fall away from the republic. There was little they could do to stop it. Exports and needed food and supplies have begun to become threatened resources and many worlds under the republic began to experience famine and shortages in just about everything. As a result space piracy has increased to an alarming rate. Some pirates boldly wait for freighters openly in order to hijack their cargo. The Republic Senate has been called to figure out what must be done to bring the Separatists back into the fold.

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Zavian moved along a white sky bridge that overlooked the Doreto Ocean that bordered Kor Vella’s western border. Corellia was beautiful this time of year and he and Kaia had taken a couple weeks of much needed rest. 8 long years they performed their duty as Jedi. Last year Kaia had finally been promoted to Jedi Knight for her selfless actions saving Senator Gall Trayvis and his family from Assassins.

More and more Zavian felt as if he should have married Kaia. Married her and did as she wanted and stepped away with her to some Outer Rim world to start a family. Not what a Jedi would want at all but it was what ‘she’ wanted. He felt her up ahead. It was early and the sun was just becoming visible above the Western horizon. ‘I should have married you’ he told himself again as his eyes finally found her on the bridge. She wore light blue today, a noble’s dress that flowed around her and no lightsaber. Zavian wore black pants and a silky, white shirt cut low in a ‘v’ that exposed his neck and a bit of his smooth chest. Kaia had picked out his clothes. Things she wanted to see him in and he had worn them every day. The wind blew across the bridge but it felt warm and helped to stave off the humidity that would come as the sun rose. In that dress kaia was beautiful. Probably the most beautiful woman he had never seen though she never believed him. Her red hair flowed free in the wind and she had kept it long because she knew that he loved it that way. She did not move at his approach and when he pushed himself up against her back he felt her lean back into him and slid her hands up behind his neck as he kissed the back of her jawline. His hands rested upon her hips and then shifted up to her breasts as she arched her back toward him to make it easier for him to kiss her. And kiss her he did when her face turned in his direction.

Kaia was completely in love with and devoted to Zavian. Their lives these past few years had not been easy, and often they had found themselves separated for months at a time, but no matter what obstacles had been thrown their way they had persevered and, as a result, their relationship was stronger than it had ever been. Kaia had never mentioned marriage or children again. Once they got involved with the fight that dream quickly died. Kaia did what she needed to do and never complained and put forth anything but her best. She still thought about her family and what her father had said to her, but she had not ever seen him again.

Zavian had managed to get them a few weeks off to rest and they had traveled to Corellia. For the first time in almost three years they were able to relax and truly spend time together. It was early one morning and Kaia stood out on the bridge that overlooked the Doreto Ocean. She wore a light blue dress and the breeze rippled the fabric around her body. Her long, red hair was loose and shone in the early morning light. She did not have to hear Zavian to know he was coming up behind her. Their bond through the Force was strong and they were able to sense each other from great distances. When she felt him press himself against her back, she leaned back into. As he began to kiss her jawline, she reached her arms up and slid her hands back behind his neck. She felt his hands move from her hips up to her breasts and her desire for him began to grow. She slowly turned her head back towards him and felt his lips upon her own. She closed her eyes and kissed him back and savored the moment of love between them.

Kaia’ body was strong and her frame fairly lithe. The dress she wore was sheer where it needed to be but surprisingly thin and light. So thin that he felt her body react to his touch. Since they arrived he and Kaia had spent quite alot of time in their bed but he considered another intimate moment here as well. Her lips were soft and warm and she smelled the fragrant oils that she bathed in. Kaia loved to take long soaks in the large tub in their room. And sometimes, he joined her there. It made her flesh soft and supple. He felt her warm breath as she gasped into his mouth from what he did with his hands. Right then he felt as if the dress, light and thin as it was, still hid too much for his liking. Unfortunately he recalled what had roused him but he hoped that Kaia would drag him back to their room to have at him before he was able to get anything out. She pulled back when she sensed his mood change.

“We’ve been called back to Coruscant, back to the temple. The Republic Senate is in session. Dooku has finally made his move,” Zavian said as she turned her body to face his. His hands moved up and took hold of her face. His thumbs rubbed gently at the space of her cheeks just in front of her ears. I still have not been able to see into the future. The dark side has clouded my sight,” he said. His voice was calm but Kaia would know that this troubled him. His inability to ‘see’ has only become worse over the years. He looked longingly into her eyes as the rising sun behind her set her red hair aflame by its warming light..

As their kiss became deeper, Kaia began to sense Zavian's mood change. He had something on his mind that he wanted to discuss with her. She slowly pulled back from the kiss and turned around to face him as he told her what she had already feared he was going to tell her. She looked back into his eyes and Zavian would know that she didn't want to go back. She wanted to ask him to stay on Corellia with her...to leave everything else behind. But like with marriage and children, she did not speak the words. They remained on the tip of her tongue before she swallowed them back and then slowly nodded. She looked down and then back up at him.

"Well, I guess we should start packing."

Zavian held her gaze when her eyes met his. “We have a little time yet and I have something I need to show you,” he said. He kept his emotions calm but it was very difficult. What he was going to do excited him. The curious look on her face made him almost giddy as he took her hand in his and kissed it. They turned together and stepped down the long, white bridge with the warmth of the rising sun on their right shoulder.

He led her back into the resort. Early risers, not many moved about. Most in their leisure wear or swimwear ready to take on all that the day here in the sun held for them. Couples mostly and workers with differing uniforms. He took her into the elevator but instead of stopping at their own room he went all the way up. He knew Kaia had never seen what it was like up there and they stopped on the ceiling level. Before the elevator doors opened he he lifted up his hand and used the force to keep the doors closed.

“I need to ask you something before you see what’s on the other side of that door,” Zavian said and then he lifted up her hand. He had bought her a moon ring as a gift when they arrived. Her quizzical look made his heart want to beat faster but he kept his calm and his demeanor. Softly he blew upon the moonstone and the ring appeared to shimmer. It changed into what looked like a ring with a large, solitaire diamond surrounded by smaller all around it and along the band. It was an engagement ring. He had used a mind trick on her to make her think it was just a moon ring. One of hundreds that they sold here. Zavian got down onto one knee, her hand still in his and he looked up at her.

“Kaia Keldara, you’ve honored me with your love and your patience. You friendship, your companionship...your nobility and humility speak to who you really are and I love you more than anything in the galaxy. It would be a true honor if you would be my wife,” He said.

Kaia could sense...something from Zavian, though she couldn't fully detect what it was. He was masking it from her. She raised an eyebrow to what he said, but nodded and walked with him back to their resort. They boarded the elevator and were alone within it. However, instead of selecting the level that their room was on, Zavian took them up to the roof. When the elevator stopped Zavian held it closed using the Force and picked up her hand that had the moonstone ring he had given her. Kaia watched as Zavian blew on the moonstone and held her breath as it began to change. Tears came to her eyes as she saw it transform into a beautiful engagement ring and as Zavian got down onto one knee before her those tears began to slip down her cheeks. Hearing him say those words though is what really got to her. She had been waiting for so long to hear him say them and it was everything she had hoped it would be.

"Nothing would make me happier Zavian."

Zavian stood and interlaced her fingers into his then leaned forward and kissed her. They looked into one another’s eyes for a long moment and then Zavian released the force. The doors opened to what looked like a large circular room. It was open to the air but the coping kept the wind from blowing very much up here. The sun was the only light, a deep amber glow upon the room and its inhabitants. It was decorated with all sorts of flowers in every color imaginable. Zavian pulled a colorful bouquet to himself and handed it to Kaia. A Twi-lek woman in a colorful dress came up to Kaia and put a necklace of flowers over her head and she did the same for Zavian. The rest of those in attendance were humans and the priest was dressed in all white. He stood behind a large arch that was covered in the colorful flowers. Once Zavian led her to just in front of the priest they knelt down side by side as he began the ceremony.

As they stepped through the doors, Kaia was overwhelmed with happiness. Zavian never would have felt her as happy as she was in that moment. She was marrying the man she loved. The man who had always been there for her and had cared about her when no one else had. She smiled and took the bouquet of flowers Zavian handed to her. She then stepped with him up to the where the priest stood behind an arch that was consumed by flowers of every color imaginable. Kaia knelt down beside Zavian before the priest and let her happiness flow through her.

THey were asked to bow their heads while the priest went through the Corellian way of marriage. It took a good bit to get to the giving of rings part but Zavian had those as well, in his pocket. “I Zavian Aldari, take thee Kaia Aldari, to be my lawful wedded wife,” he began as he slipped the golden ring on her finger. Kaia repeated the process, following Zavian’s lead and then the priest asked them to rise.

“Zavian and Kaia Aldari, I pronounce you, husband and wife. You may kiss the bride,” the priest said and those in attendance clapped. Zavian kissed Kaia deeply and then, in the manor of weddings, he picked her up and carried her in his arms back to the elevator. It went down to their room’s floor and he stepped with her down the hall to their room. The door opened and he carried across the threshold for the first time as husband and wife. He finally, set her down.

“I’d tell you what the Corellian women do to their new husbands on their wedding night but I’m not certain you would be up for such a thing,” Zavian said almost playfully. A very rare thing for him.

Kaia was surprised by how Zavian kissed her. He normally did not like public displays of affection, but today he was different. She smiled and laughed a little when he suddenly picked her up in his arms and carried her back to the elevator. They went down to their level and he continued to carry her down the hall to their room. It wasn't until he had crossed the threshold that he finally put her down. She couldn't stop smiling and felt almost uncontrollably happy. It was clear that Zavian felt the same way by what he said. She laughed for a moment before their happiness was replaced by feelings of passion...

...A while later she lay in Zavian's arms in their bed. They would need to get up and get packed to leave soon, but she felt content to just lie there a while longer. They had been quiet for a while before Kaia raised herself up onto her elbow and looked at her husband. "So, may I ask what prompted this? I wasn't sure it was going to ever happen."

Zavian shifted onto his side, his body still slick with sweat do to their tumultuous love-making. “Because it was long overdo. You’ve been so patient. Never complaining, never arguing. If the Jedi can use us, they will do so on our terms. We have plans, you and I. And it doesn’t include alot of war and battles. Once this crisis has abated, and peace is restored, we will start a family,” Zavian said and felt Kaia’s happiness swell inside of her.

Kaia smiled at the thought of finally walking away and starting a family with Zavian...of being able to live their lives in peace without answering to the Jedi Council. She glanced at the time and knew that they should probably get up and start getting ready to had back to Courscant. "I can only imagine the look on Master Windu's face when he learns we got married," she said with a little smile.

Zavian looked at Kaia and his smile faded as he thought about what she had just said. He reached up and gently touched her chin with his fingers. “Kaia I think we should keep our marriage a secret...for now. Once we do what we need to do I think we should tell the council we’re married and that we’re done. The Jedi Order is not something people like us can just leave easily. The council is responsible for all Jedi and their actions. If one of us makes a mistake the people take that seriously. The Jedi are allotted the respect they have ‘because’ of how the Jedi conduct themselves. The Jedi code exists to set all Jedi as examples to live by and to respect. Tarnish that image and that hard-earned respect is lost. The Jedi’s success is partly do to how they are viewed by other people and organizations. I’m telling you this because I feel it is important for us to help in this. If we tell them that we’re married I feel that they might tell us to go right away. So I want to ask you now, do we tell them or do we stay and help resolve this crisis?” Zavian asked her.

“This is not Zavian, Jedi Master, this is me, your husband asking you, Kaia, my wife. We are equals in how we choose to live our lives so I want you to tell me what you want,” he said.

Kaia sighed a little as she listened to what Zavian said. He was right of course and that irritated her a little. She didn't want to keep this a secret. This was the best and most important thing that had ever happened to her. And yet, she knew that if the Council knew that they would be asked to leave before the conflict was over and she would not be able to live in the kind of peace she desired knowing that they could be helping to resolve it. Why must it be one or the other? Why were they constantly having to make sacrifices? She was beyond tired of it, but it was almost over...she hoped.

"We will keep it a secret," she finally said with a sigh. She looked down at their rings and rubbed hers with her thumb. "We will have to hide these."

Zavian shifted to meet her body and pulled her toward him so that their bodies touched. "I will make this up to you Kaia," he said though how did not come to mind right then. Perhaps a real honeymoon for them would suffice. 'Clothing optional' he thought as he rolled her over onto her back. The packing...can wait! he thought as he felt her legs shift under him as his lips met hers once more.

"How do you have more bags going out than you did coming here?" He asked as he set them down in the cargo hold. R2 was already warming up the engines but he knew Kaia had purchased several items, bathing suits, dresses and nightwear. Obviously Jedi did not have such possessions but they would not be Jedi for much longer and obviously she wanted those things to start.

Kaia and Zavian eventually, and quite reluctantly, got up and began packing. Kaia changed into her Jedi attire and packed the rest of her bags. She smiled over at her husband when he put the bags into the cargo hold and commented on the number she had.

“I have credits burning holes in my pockets. Besides, we are eventually going to need more than we currently have. We can store it until we leave the Jedi.”

Well Zavian had to agree with her on that. They both had money but rarely spent it. When they both got back to the cockpit there was an emergency message When Kaia activated it Mace WIndu’s hologram came up.

“Zavian and Kaia, Count Dooku has created a Separatist Senate and has established their capital on Raxus. General Grievous is using his droid army and has already committed several acts of brutal violence against republic controlled worlds. The Jedi Council would like you two to go to Abrion Major as Ambassadors to the Republic Senate. What you’ve been tasked to do is find Esu Rotsino who has become an important member of this separatist senate. As you know Abrion Major and that sector of space produces most of the food for the republic. We need you to bring her back under the fold anyway you can,” he said and then the hologram shut down.

Zavian moved to the astromap and used its controls to find Abrion Major. It was a planet in the Outer RIm. He began to plot a hyperspace course immediately.

“No rest for the weary...are you alright with us going? It’ll probably be alot like our mission on Savareen. But without you getting drunk on Brandy,” he said with a chuckle. “You were sick for, what was it almost 2 days?” He said with a smile. “R2, if you need to make adjustments to the course I plotted, go ahead and do so,” Zavian said as Kaia began lift off. They cleared the hanger bay and zoomed up into the atmosphere.

Kaia could tell there was a message when they got into the cockpit due to the flashing light. She activated it and Mace Windu's hologram came up. She and Zavian stood side by side as they listened to what Mace was instructing them to do. What was happening was quite serious. Without the food from that sector people may begin to starve. They would need to find Esu Rotisno and talk her into rejoining the republic.

She sat down in the co-pilot's seat and looked over at Zavian as he joined her after plotting their course. She rolled her eyes and smiled at his comment about their mission on Savareen. "Yes, I will be fine. I now know I don't have a tolerance for alcohol so I plan to avoid it."

Once the ship reached space Kaia activated the hyperspace motivator and the ship jumped into hyperspace. “3 days til we arrive. Kaia, will you keep an eye out, i'm going to go meditate,” Zavian said and she would be able to tell that he looked...unsettled. An oddity for Zavian. He lifted from the floor his meditation chair then moved and sat cross-legged into it. He closed his eyes and reached out with the force.

Once again before he could view the future that fog had rolled in to obscure his view. He knew what the fog was, it was the dark side of the force stopping him from seeing what he felt he needed to. He concentrated harder and he managed to see the face of a Zabrac. He was red and black and he had the feeling that he would be his undoing. That and it would happen soon. After several hours he heard Kaia come in. She activated her chair and then sat across from him. She closed her eyes as well as she began to meditate. He opened his and looked at her.

Zavian had live a long life. Bolstered by his kinship with the force, he aged slower than other humans. He didn’t want to leave Kaia so suddenly but he would not run from destiny and millions would starve if they failed.

“Esu...I knew her, long ago. We...we had an illicit affair. It didn’t last long. I was just a Jedi Knight then. It wasn’t about love,” he said. It was rare for any Jedi to have relationships and especially ‘Illicit Affairs’. Zavian was unique in that regard. He liked the intimacy of it all. Craved it, needed it.

Kaia looked over at Zavian as he told her he was going to mediate. She could tell he was unsettled by something. He had an ability to see into the future, but it had been clouded for sometime. However, something had triggered this sudden change in his mood. She let him go and stayed away for a few hours. She then decided to join him. She activated her mediation chair and closed her eyes. She had not been meditating long when suddenly Zavian began to speak and broke the silence. She opened her eyes and looked at him. What he told her surprised her. He had never told her he had been with another woman before her. Kaia had been with no one but Zavian and she knew that relationships like theirs were extremely uncommon and frowned upon by the Jedi Council. And yet, Zavian had been involved with two different women despite that. Something about that made Kaia want to smile. He was a rebel...like she was.

"So, do you think she will listen to you?"

Zavian tilted his head slightly to what Kaia said. “Esu is...a tortured soul. Alot has happened to her over the years. I’m not certain she will want to listen to us. We might need to find our own way into her palace of an office complex. She willingly went against the republic and the Jedi. It makes me think more than ever that a Sith is behind all of this,” Zavian said as he used his fingers to add pressure to the base of his nose. He furled his brow as he tried to clear his mind of concern and worry.

“Maybe a distraction of some kind. She...lives a very lavish lifestyle,” he said.

Kaia nodded slightly and then looked at Zavian again. She moved closer to him and reached out and took his hand into her own. "Is something wrong? I can tell you're upset about something. I wish you would tell me what it is. Were you able to finally see into the future again?"

Zavian looked at Kaia and he knew she loved him. Her feelings toward him went past just feelings. He had watched her grow up. He had helped her get back up when she fell or failed. Taught her how to feel and use the force. She looked up to him and yet she saw him as her mate as well. His passing would her her badly but he could sense it coming. Zavian did not want to die. Looking at her, he had so much to live for. So much to teach her yet, so much love to give to her. They were friends as well, on top of everything else. They had fun together and enjoyed one another’s company.

“Perhaps, one possible future. We are headed into a dangerous time Kaia. And I’ve trained you well. You’re a Jedi Knight. Trust in your abilities and trust in the force,” he said softly.

Kaia could tell that Zavian wasn't telling her everything. He was holding something back from her...something important. However, she knew Zavian well enough to know that if he didn't want to tell her what it was then he wouldn't. There was no use in pushing him. Over the next three days they traveled towards Albrion Major. Kaia could sense feelings of sadness and loss from Zavian though he tried to cover it up. She thought back to what her father had told her years ago when she had encountered him. His words had been mysterious to her then, but she wondered if they might be true...that she would be Zavian's ultimate downfall.

On the third day R2 notified them of their approach towards Albrion Major. Kaia clipped her lightsaber to her belt and looked at Zavian. "What's the plan?"

Zavian felt a tremor in the force just then and his eyes grew large in concern. He had felt it before, when they went to Korriban and he knew what it meant. “There’s a Sith down there,” he said as the ship angled down for their approach into the atmosphere. “And if we know they’re here, they know we’re coming,” he said. He didn’t know why he was so surprised. He should have expected this. But now, now his suspicions about this separatist movement were all but confirmed. Some Sith plot was afoot here.

“R2, land the ship amongst those rocks. If they are made of any kind of alloys they might shield our landing from their sensors. We go in under stealth. I don’t think we can avoid a fight today,” Zavian said. Kaia flew the ship low over the rocks and Zavian looked around for a landing site.

“There, in the cleft. Its going to be tight Kaia,” he said and then R2 beeped and whirred. “It’ll be big enough R2,” Zavian said. He continued as Kaia prepared to land.

“Kaia, I believe that the Sith are behind this Separatist crisis. It’s our duty to find out why they are doing this. The republic, the Jedi, maybe the entire galaxy could be in danger.