Something To Try

By Dora Furlong and Phaedra Whitlock


The message sitting unhappily in Darana's Inbox tried hard not to include
the author's exasperation. Raven was a pain at times. Alot of times
actually.

"Hello Darana. I see you aren't home but when you are, give me a call.
Nothing important I was just saying hello."

Samantha clicked the pause button looking for anything else she needed to
add. Darana wouldnt smother Raven in pillows even if asked, and would want
to know why. She wondered if Darana had sisters somewhere.

"Hope you are well, wherever you are. And have a safe flight in. Good
night..."

The message coded itself and bleeped on its way. Samantha ran her fingers
through her hair and looked up at the ceiling panels. Even squinting against
the lights she couldnt quite picture Darana as a Jedi Master.

The light blinked, furtively trying to get Darana's attention. The last
few days had been chaotic than for her. Finally, she listened to her messages. 

The hesitation in Sam's voice was evident. She wondered just what Raven
had told her if anything. 

Darana sighed, steeled her emotions, and picked up the Holo-Projector,
waiting to see if Sam was there, half hoping she wasn't and half hoping
she was. 

The terminal began beeping softly, interrupting the wandering hands poking
and pressing on the panels. Mikhail's eyes lit up as a small glowing blue
woman appeared, making grabby motions with his fists. Sensing something was
happening without him Mejh backed out of the desks cubbyhole and tried to
reach the console, resorting to bumping his brother repeatedly when his
fingers failed to reach. Both boys fell grabbing the chair and each other on
 the way down.

Two rooms away Sam looked across the room and sighed. Muffled scuffling and
banging sounds, and hissed ownership claims came into hearing with a touch
of the Force in effect. She stalked to the door sandwich in hand trying to
remember. She'd locked the comm room's door behind her, hadn't she?

Small pudgy fingers appeared in the holo field. They poked at the base of
the emitter, then wavered around the edge of the field and disappeared. 

Darana furrowed her brows, wondering at the appearance of the tiny hands.
'Well' she thought to herself, 'if I can see that, they must be able to
see me.' 

"Mehj? Mikhail?" She called out. She had never met the children, nor
they her. But it was a very likley chance those small fingers she had
glimpsed belonged to one of them. Hopefully, her use of their names
would not scare them off. Or scare them into bumping the disconenct
switch. She smiled to herself, thinknig of the children wreaking
havoc in the communications room, then considered going over to visit
with Sam in person.

"Leggo it's mine!"

"Is not!"

"I saw it first!"

"Tell him to give it back!"

Sam ducked through the door and gasped as a sharp object jabbed her in the
hand. Whatever loose items had been in the room were now flying around
crazily. She ducked a manual lurching drunkenly by and slammed it to the
floor with her foot. All around her scribers, cups, paper and coins followed
the manual and quivered there on the tile. "CEASE this instant."

The boys seperated with a third wave of telekinesis dragging on their shirts
scowling at each other and at her. Identical yelps of "He started it!" and
finger pointing distracted her from the wavering blue ghost of Darana
watching them. "I said cease. You know you're not to be in here, and youre
not to be fighting."

"Jaxxon of Imperial Center fights people all the time. I'M gonna be a Sith
when I grow up, and impale people!" "Are not." "Are too!"

"QUIET." With a glance at Darana Sam floated both boys out into hall and
onto the floor. "You will NOT be impaling people Mikhail. You both broke the
rules and your mother will not be happy when she gets home. Go to your
rooms."

Servitors had appeared at the ends of the hall and silently took charge of
each child. Which replied with a muttered, "I bet mother gets to impale
people." she didnt know, didnt want to know. She went back inside and locked
the door. Her face pale Samantha sat in the chair and rolled it into the
holo projection field. "Hello Darana. Sorry about that. This is a restricted
room and they're old enough to know better."

About alot of things. She shifted uneasily wondering what else they'd
learned from watching holo programs.

"Not a problem. Children are never easy and Force Talented ones are
even more difficult." Darana chuckled, remembering such instances of her
own. Although Klaw was older, he was still a handful. 

Sam nodded, "Sometimes I don't think I can do this very well. But there
isn't anyone else." She laid her sandwich on the table and dusted her hands.
Finish it later. Darana was chuckling, she grinned. "What are you thinking
of? Don't tell me you've been a nanny."

"Oh no." Darana replied enthusiastically, "No nanny positions for
me. I have raised Michael from a very young age, and then I have three
Force Sensitive youngsters wandering around currently. Fortunately for me
none of them are as young as Raven's pair."

"You're welcome to visit them and try your luck. Exercise your maternal
gene." Sam grinned wickedly.

Darana laughed openly and freely, returning Sam's grin. "I think I'll
pass." It was good to see Sam smiling again. "So what can I do for you.
I doubt you called to disucss your nephews." 

"Not exactly no, but no reason not to. Raven suggested I should talk to you.
Has she spoken to you recently? She was a bit vague actually."

Darana raised an eyebrow, "Yes I have spoke to Raven quite recently
actually. She assisted me in rescuing Serris." Darana paused, wondering
just what exactly raven *had* told Sam. "So what did Raven tell you?" Oh
this one wasn't going to be easy. Oh yeah and Gee Sam, Raven thought you
should finish your training with me, wasn't exactly going to work here. 

"Oh, we talked about alot of things." Sam shrugged a bit. "What I wanted to
be when I grew up, what I wanted to do with my life." When she'd first come
to Coruscant she'd made it plain to all what her plans and intentions were.
Now older and perhaps wiser Sam didn't talk about it anymore, but the
desires were the same. It just wasn't so easy now to talk about fragile
things like hope.

"I finished my medical training for now, so I don't have much else to do but
watch over my nephews. Not that I mind watching them," she hastened to add.
"I keep up on my training, or try to but they can be um, boisterous. They
don't nap like they used to."

"It's just that... things are so much harder, and different than they were
supposed to be when I was growing up. When my parents died. Everything
got... confused."

Darana nodded, it was easy to respond. Sam had been very naive and had
had a rude and unfair awakening to the Universe. "Everything changes with
time Sam." 

She nodded. "I know, but Raven thinks you can help me do something with my
life."

Darana smiled broadly, "Well I can certainly try. The question is, do
*you* want me to."

"I want... something to try. Things haven't ever gone quite right, but yes
please try." Sam clenched her hands tightly.

Darana noted her hands, clenched in her lap, then focused on her own
outward calmness she usually presented. "Then I shall try." 

Sam nodded. "So... how is Serris?"

"She is doing much better now, Thank you." Darana was not going to let
her change subjects quite so eaily, "Do you wish to get together to make
arrangements or do you wish to do this now?" She could, however, at least
giver her the option of 'when' she wanted to face her decision. 

"Well, what needs to be done?" Some of her prior teachers hadn't needed to
be present. But it probably helped. Or maybe not. The Sith seemed more
physically oriented than the Jedi she'd trained with.

"Well," Darana began, unsure of what Sam expected or herself for that
matter. This was a new venture her as well, "We need to discuss your
schedule, allow for Raven to make plans for your nephews. Take into
consideration any of your other commitments." 

Sam nodded. it made sense after all. "When will Raven be back, or you? I
have um, classes at the Academy in the afternoon, but Im sure you could er,
talk to them about releasing me from them." Better to have it officially
logged into the system. "I spend a few hours at the hospitals but can
arrange those anytime during the day. They're used to my schedule changing
each semester. The servitors help with the boys, with Raven here they should
be able to cope." And Raven would finally be forced to spend time on them.
She suspected Raven hadn't thought of that aspect.

"Yes I will make the necessary arrangements with the academy." Darana
groaned internally, wondering what Annelis would say about this one,
if anything. She really didn't want another stink bomb in ehr
quarters on Port Lansing. It really wasn't appropriate for Sam to be
in the Academy anyway. Darana suspected it would wind up being the
death of her in the end. SHe made a mental note to obtain a copy of
Sam's record. "Raven should be back soon if not already."

Sam concentrated a moment, but didn't feel Raven's presence in the area yet.
"She may be staying at the Palace then. Thank you Darana."

Darana grew concerned, then dismissed it. It was highly unlikely that
raven was in danger of any type. "Shall we begin tommorrow?" Darana
asked, then grinned and added, "If Raven isn't back yet, bring the
kids along. I think Klaw and Shemp would do well to watch them." Or
more like incite them to more trouble yet, but that is what Shemp was
there for, to keep them all out of trouble in the end.

Sam chuckled and swiveled her chair slightly. "Certainly. I'll see you after
lunch then."

"After lunch then. Darana agreed. "I look forward to seeing you again." 


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