Is this thing on? [D2, ME]

[Layne Hoshin]

Finally, in-system. Now it was just a matter of heading back to the smuggler's moon. Layne lounged around the ship, entirely too bored. Why was space travel so slow? Why had nobody invented galactic-wide teleportation devices yet? These were questions she probably wouldn't receive any questions to.

[Baesal Zyn]

Suddenly, the ship's silence was broken by the reception if a call. The caller's ID was not known, however

[Layne Hoshin]

Layne cared little about the lack of caller ID. In fact, that just made it more interesting. Anything to break through the monotony.

"Who'se this," she demanded rather than asked when she flipped the channel open.

[Baesal Zyn]

"I'm the ghost from callers past! Boooooooo!"

Said a familiar voice

"It's been a while Layne"

[Layne Hoshin]

It took her a while to recognize the voice, it had indeed been a while after all. And she didn't remember Baesal ever cracking jokes like that. But maybe that was just poor memory on her part.

"...Baesal. Heard you were dead."

[Baesal Zyn]

Yeah, I supposed they would not try too hard to find me.

There was a pause

That's one hell of a story though. The short version is that I encountered a Jedi Master on Yavin after I crashed with the glider. A little later we used the chaos to escape. I've defected to the Jedi, so to speak.

How have you been since Yavin?

[Layne Hoshin]

"And you just decided to tell a random sith about your defection?"

Well, Layne was probably the last sith to care about such things of course. Especially since she'd been toying with similar thoughts.

"As for how I've been.... Baras keeps me busy."

[Baesal Zyn]

There was a chuckle

Heh, you are not exactly random Layne. You never seemed to be a zealot about anything. Of course your ship is likely bugged by Baras's goons so they might be listening

Another pause

I have heard you were quite active. Someone showed me the footage of your work on Alderaan.

[Layne Hoshin]

"I see. And you want to what, arrest me? That would be an interesting trick,"

Had *everyone* in the republic seen the footage of her fight with Nomen Karr?

[Baesal Zyn]

There was a short laugh

Arrest you? I'm not the Space Police!

She shrugs from the other side

I figure you were doing Baras's work anyway. He seems the kind of guy Who like to keep things on a short leash. Maybe that's why he keeps looking constipated...say, I'm on Naar Shaddaa too so if we ever meet I'll give you a bag of Kaa'va beans for him. I hear it's an excellent laxative.

[Layne Hoshin]

"I see the Jedi have left you with the delusion that you have a well-developed sense of humor. Did you call just to make fun of Baras? I could give you his personal number, if that's the intent."

[Baesal Zyn]

"Yeah, I suppose my humor needs some work but no, I am not here to talk about your lord.

A pause

I call because I'd like to set up a meeting between you and Jedi Knight

[Layne Hoshin]

"Between me and a jedi knight? Does this jedi knight have a name?"

[Baesal Zyn]

"Alysele Cortess if I remember correctly"

I believe she was quite..disturbed...by your affair on Aldeeran but convinced her that you were not totally responsable for what happened. You were following your Lord's orders after all.

[Layne Hoshin]

"I see. And I should agree to this meeting because the jedi are totally trustworthy, of course."

[Baesal Zyn]

Most of them are. I won't hide that she might be a little stuck up and have a axe to grind but I want this to be kept peaceful.

If push comes to shove I'll help you against her.

[Layne Hoshin]

"Some might find that promise a little underwhelming, given your defection. But you do still owe me for the droid."

[Baesal Zyn]

Heh, what can I say more?

At any rate you don't need to decide now as I am aware that it sounds fishy.

[Layne Hoshin]

"It doesn't matter. I'll meet, if for no other reason than that it sounds interesting. I'm not sure what she's expecting me to say, however."

[Baesal Zyn]

I don't think there is anything to expect. I wonder if it will be even pleasant

I'll try to cover your bar tab though. Even if things go sour you won't totally have wastes your evening

[Layne Hoshin]

"I'll hold you to that," she said, after which followed a brief pause before Layne switched gears. "How's life as a Jedi anyway?"

[Baesal Zyn]

Now there was silence on the other side

''Honestly? I would'nt waht to say that would'nt sound like propaganda...it has been great so far.''

''Sure not everything is rosy: some are still suspicious of me and there are some stuck up hardliners. Still, it is mostly a minority of people...the others have been mind blowing in their welcome. Master Raji Xen, my teacher, is one of them.''

[Layne Hoshin]

For a while, there was a similar silence on Layne's end.

"They have you chanting and meditating yet?"

[Baesal Zyn]

''Not really, no...well no chanting at least. There is some meditation but its mostly personnal. My master encourages it but does'nt force anything down on me.''

There was the sound of power tools in the background

''I'm mostly busy with some tasks and my personnal projects. The Order's engineering corp gave me a grant to follow up on my inventions''

[Layne Hoshin]

"How generous. I'm sure there's no ulterior motives there."