Latest reports out of New Edinburgh, the Prime Minister was assassinated in front of his residence by a long range phaser rifle. The Prime Minister, Douglas MacDugal, was believed to have been taken down by the Black Tiger; a notorious assassin that's been prominent for the last four years, rivaling even the Dark Shadow.
The MacDugal family is now in hiding and preparations are being made for a memorial to honor the life of New Edinburgh's Prime Minister.
Jaya was in her shuttle, heading back to Serenity. Her thoughts were nothing... almost non-existent as she piloted the shuttle. She didn't want to think anymore. She just wanted to get back home... Home. It was strange for her to think of anywhere as being home, but it was true. Serenity in the very short time she had been there had become the essence of home for her; of what she remembered of what home was like.
Finally, she opened a comm channel to send a personal message.
"Tyran, I'm about four hours out. I'll be arriving by 17:30 hours," she said. "I've missed you," she added.
Closing the communication, she continued on course, her mind now on Tyran.
Tyran smiled as Jaya's message reached him at work. Immediately he made sure he would be at the spaceport in four hours. He knew if he skipped dinner he could just make it.
Finally Danayel came to relieve him, and he went to the port as fast as he could. He missed her so much in the week she'd been gone.
As Serenity came into view, Jaya almost sighed with relief. She got her clearance and landed, resuming her current space at the port where she paid rent.
As soon as the hatch opened, Tyran was there to meet her. She immediately smiled and embraced him.
"God, I've missed you!" she said, running her fingers through his sandy colored hair.
"You've been gone so long. I was so happy to hear your voice at the comm!" He kissed her right there and then. "So, how long can you stay?"
"Until I get word from my employers again. It could be a week, could be a month or so. It just depends on them." She kissed him again, not wanting to think about her job or employers. All she wanted was to be here and think only about the simple life she had a chance to experience on this world, with the man she cared about. "So have you eaten?"
"No, I had no time. Danayal was late relieving me. So I had no time for food."
"Good!" she smirked. "Because I'm starved." She grabbed his hand as they started to leave the space port. "This time you pick a place to eat."
"I know a great Chinese restaurant, in the back of the place there's even a zen garden," he said walking away and leading her to a large restaurant, called King of the East.
As they walked, she never let his hand go. Once they arrived at the restaurant, they were immediately shown to a table. She ordered a white wine and perused the menu. "You know, it's terrible to go out when you're starving. Everything looks good!" she laughed softly.
"Then just take a 'Taste of the East.' It has every dish on that chart in a small portion for you," he said smiling. "They have that for two people."
"Should we get it then?" she asked, her green eyes sparkling once again.
"Yes, I can say I'd like it."
"Good!" she replied.
Soon dinner was ordered as they sipped their drinks.
"I am so glad to be back, I can't even begin to tell you," she said.
"So am I, I have counted the days, and I have been worried since that council member was murdered in the place you were."
"Someone was murdered on New Edinburgh?" she asked, her expression radiating surprise that didn't seem to quite reach her eyes.
"You know that very well," he said calmly. "It was all over the news. It was done with a long range phaser rifle, the same kind of rifle you took when you left."
She grew quiet for a moment. "I might have heard something about it on the day I left there... Comm traffic was pretty heavy," she replied. "This happened when?"
"August 13th," he replied. "That was three days ago."
"That was the same day I left," she replied. "It must have happened around the time I left or just before... It takes time to hit the news, doesn't it?" she said as she took a sip of wine.
"Oh yes it does, and on the news they said it happened the day before."
"Hmmmm... Did they say who was responsible?" she asked, running a hand thought her auburn hair.
"The Black Tiger," he replied.
She grew silent. "That Black Tiger has assassinated a lot of people," she replied.
After all, everyone knew of the Black Tiger, just as they knew of the Dark Shadow. It was continually speculated that each was trying to gain the title of best assassin in the galaxy, though the Dark Shadow had been around longer than the Black Tiger. But both were equally notorious.
"Yes, she is, and she is a mystery," he said looking at her and smiling. "I like mysteries."
"She? They know it's a woman?" she asked with the hint of a smile.
"Her style," he said grinning.
"Oh really?" Jaya replied with a mischievous grin. "She has a style all her own then, that has tinges of femininity? I would think that'd be difficult in the death business." Her green eyes gazed at him; her tone playful.
"It would be, but the style is feminine," he said certain. "And Black Tiger is a name a woman would choose, not a man."
She smiled. "Maybe you're right," she replied.
Suddenly their food was brought to the table. As they picked at the food, Jaya was surprised by the flavor of the dishes.
"This is very good!" she replied, taking a bite of the shrimp with lobster sauce, then some lemon chicken.
"I didn't exaggerate now, did I?" He smiled and took a bite of his own choice, Peking duck.
"So what should we do after dinner, though I don't know how much I'll be up for... It's been a long trip."
"Why don't we go to bed then? It's been a long day for me as well." He said eating further.
"Could be a good idea." She sipped at her wine. "And there's always something we can do at my place besides sleep," she replied, her green eyes meeting his as she smiled.
"Mmmm, yes I don't doubt. But tomorrow I want to show you where I live. You've never been to my humble home."
"Then tomorrow it's your place!" she smiled.
They ate dinner, adding more casual conversation between bites, until they had finished. Jaya gazed at Tyran knowing that this truly was home. Not because of the place, but because of the man.
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