[High Valley in Southern Cordillera]

They were camping close to the lake's northwestern side before heading towards the valley where Pohl's House kept a permanent base. Nicholas, Pohl, and Matek were still sleeping while the Jedi kept watch. Obi-Wan was off scouting the surrounding area, while the Jedi Master had just arisen in order to tend to the quads. To the south, the Anara star was only beginning to peek over the southern range they had descended from---when Qui-Gon heard a small break in the Kievet's daily song greeting to this system's sun. It was only a minute hiccup---not something most would have noticed, but it immediately caught the elder Jedi's attention. Casually, Jinn walked over to the little native, who had resumed his song, still crouched down in his usual posititon with part of his attention on the as yet sleeping figure of Nicholas. Only it was clear from the shifting of the Kievet's eyes that he was just as interested in something on the ground as it was in keeping quard against being suddenly gathered up by the possessive Earther.

"Eyas? What is it, little one?" Qui-Gon murmured quietly as he hunkered down to the other's level, not wishing to attract the attention of the sleeping Anarans. He spoke the question in Anaran, a language this Kievet did not understand much of as yet; however, he and his Padawan had managed to develop a simplistic rapport with the Singer based on a mix of a few Anaran words, body language, psychic emotions, and a lot of hand gestures. Right now, he could tell the other was feeling both excited and anxious.

Very quickly, a furred hand shot out and touched the brillian green grass that thrived in this place---'ysh' Eyas had called it----before withdrawing the limb back against his body as if the blades had cut him.

Peering down, Jinn saw a bit of purplish stone nestled in the grass. Engraved on top was a rather simplistic sketch----like a child's attempt to draw a goat. Or an adult's hurried attempt to leave a message? He reached down to pick it up for a closer inspection, but a small shake of the Kievet's head told him to leave it alone.

"R'ket," was the whispered reply to his silent inquiry.

"R'ket?" He murmured---just as softly in return---hoping for more information.

An almost imperceptible nod and smile, then the Kievet rose up and headed for the water for a long drink, 'accidently' kicking the rock as he did so, so that the marred surface was now lying face downwards. After a moment, Qui-Gon stood up and went back to finish brushing the quads.

----------------------------------o-------------------------------

Later that day, as the small group began the climb upwards toward the violet-brown colored mountains that looked opposite the black, volcanic range of the Fence, Qui-Gon asked Pohl what a "Re-KAY-t" was.

"A R'ket? Pohl smirked. "Why do you ask that?"

"It is something that I heard Eyas murmur," Jinn replied, hoping the other man would not ask for the particulars. Nowhere did the Jedi Code specify that one could not lie---indeed, a seasoned diplomat such as himself often needed to portray the facts 'from a certain point of view'---but he never felt truly comfortable doing so.

"Ah---naght surprising. Your 'Eyas' is a fairly new capture. Undoubtedly he still feels lost without his Companion.

"Then R'ket is their word for a life mate?"

The zoologist chuckled loudly. "Indeed---though I've na doubt that you are thinking of something quite different from the reality. The Kievet do not make lifelong ties with the opposite gender. Oh, na---the K'tlyan prefer to 'pair' themselves up with a four-legged beast of burden than deal with any females!" He grinned widely, "I suppose it is a spark of some intelligence in them, choosing something that can't nag." More laughter at his own joke; Qui-Gon waiting patiently for him to continue. "R'ket are a horned four-legged bag of thick fur indigenous to the mountains. They can carry half their own weight on their backs--*while* scaling a a nearly sheer cliff as if it was a level raceway---, and are just about the most stubborn and ornery beast this side of a Hunting quad. Loyal, too. Once tied together, a R'ket will quite willingly commit suicide to protect its Singer. That's one of the reasons that we've had such bad luck keeping a captive K'tlyan for very long. The R'ket are almost impossible to ensnare in an undamaged condition, and the Singer usually goes into a fatal grief spiral after they die. At least, that's one theory." Pohl studied Jinn's face. "I seem to recall reading that the Jedi had something similar."

"We form a training bond with our apprentices," Qui-Gon admitted. "Though it is only a temporary one that will be dissolved when the padawan becomes a full Knight. This bond between R'ket and K'tlyan sounds more involved," he quickly interjected, wishing to keep the conversation on the Kievet and off his own Order; but not without adding a warning, "Neither I nor Padawan Kenobi would be mentally incapacitated should misfortune befall the other."

The Director nodded at the veiled rebuke. "I meant nothing by my question, just noting what I thought was a similarity.

Obi-Wan, who had been listening to the talk, guided his quad closer to the others to ask: "Are these R'ket intelligent?"

"I hardly think it's intelligent to die for the life of another species," Pohl smirked, causing Kenobi to scowl with indignation.

"The Jedi are pledged to protect others regardle--" he began, anxious to defend his own. Pohl cut him off.

"I am well aware of the Jedi and their vows, young one. You would all make excellent R'ket, I have na doubt." The Tanaken's smirk widened to a feral grin as Obi-Wan's stiffened in his saddle, but it was Nicholas who answered the smug Anaran with a growling voice, thick with menace.

"It's not wise to mock a beast. Especially one you can't control." Amber eyes glowed.

Instinctively, Pohl pulled away as Matek laid one hand on the grip of his rifle. Nick, however, was already being placated by the calming music and caresses of Eyas. Yellow eyes shifted back to blue before closing with a soft sigh of hedonistic pleasure as his neck was rubbed.

"Between you and that Singer you insist *he* be allowed to associate with," Pohl grmaced, "there will soon be little left of my Ayar."

{{ Oh, its far too late for that, }} Qui-Gon thought to himself. {{ I only hope its not too late to salvage whatever reason Ayar wanted Nick brought here for. }}

"Master!" Obi-Wan yelled in warning as a small rock hit the round just before the forelegs of Pohl's quad, making the Tanaken's mount rear up slightly and nearly collide with Qui-Gon's own steed. A quick bit of Force manipulation kept both from tumbling down the trail.

Jinn looked to where his padawan was pointing up the mountainside---a very-near vertical face of rock. Someone was up *there*?!

Staring down at them from some 70 yards up the mountain where an infintisimal bit of ledge poked out, was a mottled brown and grey goat that Jinn judged to be about 5 1/2 feet high from its split hooves to the tops of its twin set of saberlike, black horns. [Reader: Picture a North American mountain goat.] A simple harness of straps kept two long packs to its sides. Perched upright on the animal's back in what had to rival a Jedi's perfect sense of balance, was a figure wrapped up in a charcoal-grey cloak with the hood down, a light breeze ruffling thick raven hair over a downy face. In one hand was held an empty length throwing sling---undoubtedly the tool used to throw the warning shot their way. As they watched, the figure blithely wound the sling into a sort of headband before manuevering back into a sitting position, legs tucked and resting against the packs.

The corners of Matek's mouth twitched upwards. "Showoffs," he muttered with grudging admiration, "the lot of them."

Eyas/K'ishti let out a high-pitched whistle, his face all a-grin. In response, their watcher hefted a thin, tubular object that was hung around his neck and held it vertically. A returning whistle was nearly drowned out by the deep, elk-like bugle of the animal he sat on. K'ishti managed to grin even wider.

"Matek..." Pohl urgently motioned at his employee, however, the big Unaken merely shook his head.

"Too far away and too vertical. Tranq or bullet---either way would send the Kievet falling to his death."

"But that is--!" Pohl started to protest in a mixture of elation and annoyance.

"Aye, I recognize it." Matek concurred. "But that one is too well versed in how to evade easy capture. What would you have me do, sir? Or do you care if it is dead?"

His temporary Director cursed softly.

Obi-Wan was intrigued. "I take it that is a R'ket?"

"One of them...aye," Pohl seethed.

"From your demeanor, should I understand that the other is known to you?" Qui-Gon asked.

"K'tay. That Kievet is K'tay." (Unseen by the others, Nicholas blinked and looked up.)

"It has been many years, surely. Are you certain?"

"As certain as K'tay is that Ayar is amongst us."

Qui-Gon noted that the Kievet's gaze was, indeed, centered on Nicholas. Of course, this K'tay had no way of knowing that Ayar was actually dead, and that the spirit of a being from another reality now inhabitated the vacated body. To his senses, it was still Ayar.

Belatedly, Jinn realized that Nicholas, himself, had lost his foggy expression and was staring just as intently at their accoster.

"Rek en Kievet! Weshavna! Es Shypa!" [Enemy of my People! Leave! Go back to Outside!"]

The musical voice next addressed his kin, tone laden with concern. "K'tlyan, kien, wasya?" [Brother Singer, my young charge, are you both well?]

Before K'ishti could reassure him, Pohl shouted up in fluent Etwanese with Matek providing the Jedi with a translation, "They are fine, Stars Spirit. Come down here and see for yourself!"

Another deep bugling sound came from the R'ket. K'tay reached down with one hand to ruffle its mane hairs. "R'ket thinks that would na be wise!" K'tay shouted back down. "Will you leave Pohl? You and yours are na wanted here!"

"Now, that *is* rather rude, K'tay! Besides"---Pohl gestured at the Jedi---"my friends here have traveled very far just to meet your People! Politeness insists you come greet them properly! Or is politeness dead amongst the Kievet?"

"Dead?! Na! But so few left to be polite!" A pause. "Apologies for rudeness! But one does not greet one's Brothers when the predators are upon them!"

Qui-Gon urged his quad to come back abreast of Pohl's. "Will you translate for me?"

Pohl didn't even glance at the Jinn as he grumbled, "Speak Anaran and he'll understand---I taught him myself, the ungrateful windbag. But be careful what you say, Jedi. I made na promises to you concerning K'tay."

"Not specifically, no. However, you did agree on your House's name not to interfere in Ayar's quest to find K'tlysa---and since K'tlysa is of the Kievet, and K'tay is a Kievet..." he raised an eyebrow, waiting for the Tanaken's response.

"I did, didna I?" Pohl sighed, clearly regretting his promise. "Very well, Jedi. I will restrain myself for now. Talk away."

Satisfied---not that he didn't trust Pohl to be working on a loop hole to their agreement, Qui-Gon smoothly stood up on the back of his quad, executed an elaborate bow, then smiled, letting the Force magnify the sound of his voice up to their watcher. Behind them, Matek rolled his eyes at the uncalled for bit of acrobatics. Kenobi faked a cough to hide a smile at his Master's theatrics.

[[ Talk about showing off! ]]

++ Diplomacy, Padawan. I am merely meeting the Kievet in his own manner to show my respect. ++

"Greetings, honored Singer. I am named Qui-Gon Jinn, and my young companion is named Obi-Wan Kenobi. We came from a place called Coruscant in hopes that they could help our friend"---he pointed towards Nicholas---"by introducing him to someone. Honored Singer, can you direct us to the one called K'tlysa?" Jinn paused. The K'tlyan had seemed impressed at his polite manner, but the presence of the Anarans was clearly making him uneasy. "Singer, be not alarmed. In my home, I and Kenobi are to our people as your R'ket is to your people. We can and *will* protect you while you are amongst us."

They waited while K'tay appeared to deliberate first with his oversized goat, then engaged K'ishti in an exchange of clicks and whistles. Finally, he laid himself flat against his Companion's back, arms and feet securely entangled in the various harness straps---and the R'ket began its descent, split hooves somehow unerringly touching down on barely-there ledges in the rock face as it seemed to half fall, half fly towards them. With a last, careful hop, the mountain animal touched down on the trail. Brown eyes immediately threw a warning glare in the direction of the Anarans before bringing their rider to a stop in front of Qui-Gon.

Now that the latest Kievet they had come across was only a few feet away, the Jedi could see that he was different from Eyas in that his hair held more of a purplish tint, while his eyes were a dark mixturee of purple, black, and dark blue, with almost imperceptible speckles of green and larger ones of pure white, reminding the Jedi strongly of a nebulous section of space. The eyes quickly averted themselves from his regard; long fingers brushing aside his cloak to nervously touch a scarf stone that closely matched his eyes. Qui-Gon held stock still as as he was hesitantly sniffed by the shy being, the same inspection performed on his padawan before the small native visibly relaxed and shot quick breaths of air in their direction. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan mimicked the action, which drew a warm smile.

"Greetings, Qui-Gon Jinn. Greetings, Obi-Wan Kenobi. This one is R'ket and I am K'tay en K'tlyan et Flah Aprawan. We accept your invitation to meet with you. You have voiced what is, as never have smelled your like before. So much neither of Ava nar of Outside, yet sense strongly of K'yavanti and na Unayarek. Feel K'an, yet ask of K'tlysa? Is confusing."

"Then we would enjoy speaking more with you on these things so that all would be understood by both, Singer K'tay."

"Aye, that would be good. Pardon while greet my Valley brother and...the other?"

"Of course." Qui-Gon backed up his mount so that the R'ket could move behind him.

Whistling happily, K'tay and K'ishti grinningly blew into each other's faces, their demeanor that of two friends that had been apart for longer than both had liked. There reunion was interrupted by a growl from Nicholas' throat. K'tay hastily soothed his companion/steed as it took a breath to offer its own threat.

"Peace, Great One. Let it go."

The Vampire's eyes narrowed as they raked over first the bristling animal and then the rider. "It wants to fight me. You are wise to control it."

Frowning, K'tay gazed into Nicholas' eyes for a long moment before looking down, prodding his Companion to back up a few steps. This was not who he had thought it was! "Apologies. R'ket is protective and has little understanding of fear for himself. But...please tell me, Dark One, how is it that you smell of my kien, yet are naught so? That you sense of *both* the shadow of Unayarek, and of K'aya?"

"Your sounds are but noise in my ears, furred prey. Yet you smell of one I should know. Perhaps I will let the Other speak with you---no, I think not."

At K'tay's confused look, Qui-Gon ventured to explain about Nicholas and Ayar, the Jedi's involvement, and how Nick was currently torn apart by another being that had attached to him from before. Pohl and Matek, who were hearing the story for the first time, listened with mouths agape.

"What kind of nonsense is that?" Matek wanted to know. The expression on Pohl's face said that he, also, thought the Jedi was telling a tall tale.

K'tay, however, seemed to accept every part of the story as truth, though the idea of other realities and blood eaters were new concepts for him. "Then my kien, my Ayar, is Walking with K'yavanti? But how did Nicholas come in and stay if hole was big enough for spirit to leave?"

"To be honest, we aren't sure. We have strong medicines, but Ayar's body was repairing itself well before the Healers began treatment." Qui-Gon sighed. "It is possible that this Vampire spirit with Nick somehow speeded up the healing for him to survive, but, again, how it could accomplish this...we don't know."

Pulling a small, very primitive flute from his tunic, K'tay played the beginnings of a light tune on it, eyes closed in thought.

"Tell, me, Jedi R'ket, what it is you wish, for although I can take you to K'tlysa, I am naught certain that it will speak with you---or that you will be able to understand. You are naught of Ava." He opened tear-filled eyes. "Nicholas is naught of Ava."

"Be that as it may, Singer, the Force---that which the Jedi believe surrounds all things---wishes that Nicholas and your K'tlysa meet." He smiled reasurringly, "Ayar's spirit told us to take him here."

"Ayar said this? He is naught with K'yavanti, then?" Purple eyes darkened in distress. The Walking Ones did not return to speak with those left behind. They had other things to attend to, as did the living.

"Of that I do not know. It is possible that your K'yavanti is my Light Side of the Force. In any case, please believe me that I sensed no unease in Ayar's spirit for himself."

"Then, Jedi Qui-Gon, I will believe all is well also." Loudly he proclaimed, " And I will help your Nicholas. K'tay has Voiced it. And the Mountains of Ava bear witness to it."