-- URGENT TRANSMISSION --

This message illuminated Alara's chamber as the datapad resting on her end table lit up its screen. Alara fluttered her eyelashes tiredly and clumsily reached for the pad.

"What is it?" Jorm mumbled on the other side of the bed. Alara could feel her partner stirring in his sleep as his arm wrapped her hip in comfort. A small smile was crawling over her face, until the message she read stole it away.

** XEN'MORDIN PALPATINE HAS OFFICIALLY RESIGNED. CONSUL IS TO BE ANNOUNCED.**

A second message appeared on the screen:

**LETTER FROM BRAECEN KAETH**

Alara's curious fingertips clicked the screen speedily, and a gasp escaped her diaphragm as she read the next text:

"Due to unforeseen circumstances and changes in Leadership, you will be taking the position as Quaestor to Excidium effective immediately. Come see me in my office in the morning."

"Well, that's... bittersweet. Pretty hot that I'm sleeping with a Quaestor now." Jorm's lips were unsure whether to form themselves into a smile or a frown. Alara felt the same tension on her own face as she searched her inner self for what emotion she was experiencing at the present time. She sat up in bed, and zoned out in her imagination for a moment, saying nothing. Why did Xen leave? She knew something was up the last few weeks, but she didn't think it would be anything that would convince him to quit. And with the impending war on the rise, why would he abandon us now? It must have been pretty important. Alara bit her lip solemnly as she tried to piece the puzzle and solve the mystery in her mind. Braecen must have been moving up in the leadership ranks to have given Alara the Quaestor position so quickly. She knew since her starting the Aedile position she was the heiress to the house, but so quickly? Was she ready for such a strenuous task?

"The answer is yes, 'Lara." Jorm wrapped his arms around her waist with gentle precision. "You are ready for this. Don't doubt your tenacity."

Alara smiled and cuddled into his neck as her beloved began to wrap himself closer towards her. "You're just saying that because you want the title of dating the Quaestor."

"I think we are already more than just dating, aren't we love?" Jorm's lips finally formed into a smile against Alara's cheek. She turned over to kiss him in agreement and playfully pushed him further into the bed sheets.

"Heeyyy, pretty lady. You should probably be getting some rest. Big day tomorrow." Jorm winked at her.

With a pouting lip, Alara scoffed and turned over to lay beside him. "Fiiineee... But when I'm officially Quaestor you won't be able to resist me so easily."

"Goodnight, Empress 'Lara. It's just a matter of time before you take over for good, isn't it?" Jorm teased and kissed her forehead.

Alara rolled her eyes in reply, "Goodnight Jorm. I might need you to get a good night's rest too. We are going to have to stick together if Excidium is to thrive, rather than just survive Xen's loss."

"Aye. I believe you're right. I've got some plans that should help make that happen."

I awoke from what seemed like an eternity. Was I dreaming or was this just a nightmare. My whole body was tingling from head to toe in pain. My nerves were wrecked as I layed there unconscious. I had no serious injuries, but only bruises on my upper and lower body. I was in pain, my body was stiff as a board, my joints were so damaged, I could hardly turn my head. The burning feeling was my body healing and it felt good in a way. The sensations were pulling me together, soon I would awake. My eyes would not open on thier own. My memories had vanished, where am I, who am I. These questions would soon be answered.

My eyes suddenly opened, I tried to grasp what was going on, where was I. I was laying in a bed, by myself. Stranger things have happend to me, but this seemed really awkward. I was in a bedroom, in someones home. With no memory of how or why I was laying here. "Where were my things", as I thought to myself! I better lay here till someone comes to get me. Then, I heard a voice from in this strange place, it was a womens voice. She must of heard me. My body was in pain. I was a more than surprised to hear this womans voice, as she made here way towards where I was laying silently.

My eyes were wideshut, as she entered the room. She came to me and sat right next to me, "are you ok", she said. I didn't know where I was or who she was, even worse I didn't know why I was here. This woman was beautiful from head to toe in everyway. I didn't know what to say to her. I told here, "Yes, I'm ok, but a shaken up". She laughed and smiled. She had been taking care of me for about the last week. It seems that I wrecked my fighter on her home planet, in her back yard. "What a mess I was in", I thought to myself, as she explained in details what had happend. Surprised, but thankful, she had saved me from the wreckage.

I stood up on my own feet, we walked to the living area of her place. I was coming to my senses. This planet was just like anyother planet I had been to. The technology seemed to be lacking in some areas, but I could get by. My fighter was finished, there was no way to restore it. The woman lived alone and was very wealthy in her own way. She was getting fond of me and me of her. We were having conversations and I could feel my powers restoring. She managed to find my Club, but I would not need for the time being. This is a friendly place, I was in. She promised me no one would come for us.

Choices would have to be made, but for now I was going to spend some time with my new lady friend, until the time was right. Maybe she would leave with me, maybe I was going to stay awhile. She begged me to stay and keep her company. I had no choice for now, but to stay. We were becoming close in the weeks that had past. I didn't know what was to become of it, but it was more than destiny that brought us together. With the credits I had, I could easily make my way out of here. It wasn't even about that, I was falling for her and she for me. As I regain control of my senses, I will wait this out. I didn't know where I was going. This was more than a nightmare!

**Unknown Planet**
*Planet surface outside of village Topamoki*

"Ughh..." Alara attempted to pick herself up from the cold, hard ground she somehow wound up on. Her eyes flickered open to see a dark, forest setting around her. It must be something like 22:00 by now. She wiped blood and dirt off of her face by lifting her right arm to do the dirty work, and sat up with crossed legs. Her Sephi ears flicked in multiple directions and angles as the Battlemaster tried to find out where she ended up.

*This planet does not look familiar. At all. Am I in the Unknown Region somewhere?*

She looked around to find her ARC 170 Starfighter smashed into smithereens behind where she sat. It didn't look like any of the machinery survived. Even the window, which she must have smashed through upon impact of the planet, was shattered into smithereens. The Quaestor immediately tapped her forehead. Sure enough, a lovely sized slice was left behind by the blast. She felt sore all over the place, especially on her elbows, chest, and knees which were scraped up in all sorts of wonderful cuts.

*Fwec. If this scars I'm going to look like some sort of abstract art pictograph.* Alara snarled to herself.

She spat out some more blood from her swollen tongue and instinctively reached for her datapad on her left wrist. Unfortunately, only half of the screen remained attached to the strap. A gasp shook Alara to her core. She immediately ran to her starfighter in attempts to find her droid she named Baxter. He was no where to be found. Then her memory slapped her hard with twinges of guilt and stupidity as she realized she had left him behind to protect her tusked cat, Artemis. The half-Sephi kicked the ground in frustration as her ears fluttered with anger that boiled underneath her skin. She crossed her arms roughly and tapped each arm with her index fingers as she bit onto her lower lip to think of a plan. No ship. No droid. No datapad. She was officially alone.

Well, not quite...

The snap of a twig tickled her Sephi ears. Alara quickly spun around, clicked her sabers off of their belt clips, and ignited their plasma to light the scene. In front of her stood two small, furry creatures. They must have been no more than 4 feet high, and appeared to be a feline-like humanoid. Not quite like Zygerrians, as they were vibrantly colored in hues of green and blue, and were more kitten-like than anything. The creatures began to meow to eachother in gasps and tones of worry as they pointed to the figure before them. Alara immediately turned off her sabers.

"Sorry about that, can't be too careful in such a time as this. I mean you no harm." Alara lifted each finger slowly off of its assigned lightsaber hilt and allowed them to slip to the ground. She kept her hands up and stepped forward. The creatures cooed in fearful tones and stepped backwards. Instinctively, the Quaestor knelt down to meet safer eye contact and tried her best to hush them.

"There there, I mean you no harm. Safe. Okay."

One teal-colored feline blinked its large childlike eyes and tried to mouth the words Alara had just spoken: "Saaaayyffff. Okkaaaiiiee."

"Yes, very good." She held a thumbs up at the creature and flashed a smile. Suddenly the creatures looked at her in a different light and began jumping up and down with joy.

"Aeeeeta! Aayyeeetta!" Each kitten jumped with glee as they shook eachother in amazement.

"A...ayeeta? What?" Alara tried to figure out what was going on. She looked at her thumb. *Did I just send them a signal of sorts in their language? Or are they just happy to know I mean them no harm?*

"Ayeeta! Ayeeta!" One violet creature stepped forward with a thumbs up signal and suddenly bowed down before the half-Sephi. The five other creatures also in attendance immediately bowed as well and raised their hands from the sky to her feet chanting those words over and over again.

"Well... I guess I can get used to this." Alara giggled slightly. She sat on the ground in front of them and suddenly gave into the urge to kiss each of their foreheads.

*Looks like I'm an Empress of sorts, now.*