Once night fell upon Theed two figures, masked by shadow, made their way to the Waterfront, behind the Royal Palace. The two took off their robes and cast them aside on the shore. "Well" said Taves "I guess it's time for a swim." They both jumped into the river, whose waters were at a decent temperature. They swam up river until they reached a small opening in the cliff face. "The entrance to the hangar is right under here" said Taves. "We just need to swim until we reach an air pocket. Once we get there it's just a short climb up." The two submerged into the water and started to feel the rock face above them. Taves suddenly felt a hollow spot in the rock. He signaled to Zen to follow him.

The two climbed up a small vertical tunnel until they both appeared in what merely looked like a crevasse in the hangar. Taves turned around to see Zen following behind him. After he saw that Zen was with him he looked back. What he saw filled him with dread. A guard must have heard them scampering up the tunnels, because he was heading directly toward them. "Oh no" Taves said to himself. "How are we supposed to get out of this?" Suddenly an idea popped into his head. He saw a stack of crates over on the opposite side of the hangar. He reached out into the Force and grabbed the topmost crate. With a great deal less strain than before he pulled it off of the stack. It fell to the ground, making a large crash.

The guard ran over toward it. Taves motioned to Zen to follow him quickly before more guards showed up. The two then silently made there way out of the hangar.

Using the speed techniques he had learned before Zen quickly made his way around. They quickly and quietly left the Hangar, They had to go down many corridors, passing and hiding from a few guards and the rare stormtroopers every now and then.
It was allot more simple than Zen had thought, with the force they where able to move things or make noises that would distract the guards enough for them to sneak pass.
The palace was ancient and no cameras had been added to its old design, Zen was glad that was the case.

He moved silently with Taves behind him until they came to a path that lead them outside, it was the Palace gardens, they would have to pass through them to get to the main palace from the hangars.

Not far from them stood a tower, neither of them where aware but not much under 40 years ago a Jedi master was cremated there.

A woman was sat on a bench concentrating hard, they pretended to blend in walking with regal glides, she wore special robes, suggesting she was a special member of staff or maybe one of the queens handmaidens....

Amelia was sat in her favourite spot, out in the palace gardens, just relaxing and taking things easy. She loved this time of night. Everything was calm, and peaceful...and the moonlight cast a soft glow on everything, making the beautiful scenery even more so, if possible.

As she sighed and looked up to the stars, a movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention. Glancing sideways, under the pretence of examining a pink and white rose, she saw two figures cloaked in shadow.

"You really shouldn't be here, you know," she said casually as she picked the rose and lifted it up, placing it in her hair, just behind her ear. "Especially not with all these guards about. One shout from me and they'd be all over you in seconds."

She didn't seem threatened, or even alarmed by the figures...infact she seemed more amused, than anything.

Zen tried to act as though he should be here, "Excuse me?... I live here, your the one hiding away over there, how do we know you should be here".
He used the force to keep him calm, how did this girl just sit there and question them, to do so freely must mean she was important.

Zen still played dumb, "Well?"

"You don't live here, because if you did, then you'd know who I am, and what I'm doing here," Amelia said simply, as she stood and walked towards them a little, her head tilted slightly. She was obviously curious about these strangers.

"So, why don't you stop acting the fool and tell me who you are, and what you're both doing here, skulking about in the shadows. Something tells me you're up to no good, whatever it is."

Pausing beside a large tree, she leant casually against it's trunk, one hand in her pocket. However, this innocent posture wasn't nearly so innocent in reality, because the hand in her pocket was grasping her hold-out blaster tightly, just incase. That was what she loved about the pistol. It wasn't that much bigger than her hand, meaning that it was easy to conceal.

Hopefully there wouldn't be any trouble, and she'd have no need of the weapon...but after everything that had happened to her recently, she certainly wasn't going to take any chances.

Zen felt the force ripple, warning him of the blaster, he looked to Taves, he could sense it to.

"There is no need for a blaster ma lady". He sighed, he would have to tell her a little of the truth.
"Okay you need to know, We need to speak to the queen, urgently, without any imperial help, if you get what i mean".

He was tempted to tell her why, she felt like a very trustworthy person, but he felt her own curiosity could get her hurt.

"Your obviously important, could we use your help?"

"Being a personal handmaiden of the Queen...I have my advantages," she agreed with a slight smile, removing her hand from her pocket and showing him that it was empty...as more of a peace gesture than anything else. She was tempted to tell him that she was also the Queen's decoy...but something in the back of her mind warned her this could be a bad idea...so she kept quiet. She was also still curious about how he'd known about the blaster. She hadn't been that obvious, had she?

"But...if you want my help, then it's only natural I should want something in return, isn't it...and what I want is the truth. That's all. I don't like cowards who hide behind their lies."

She stood up properly again and looked to them both...wondering why one was doing all the talking, whilst the other said nothing. They certainly were an odd pair.

Zen could feel her curiosity, he felt odd, Taves normally did the talking, it seemed he was doing it all this time. He looked and Taves and smiled apologetically.
"We are not cowards, it is just... these times are to dark to reveal who we are".

He looked at her, she was hiding something, "you do not need to hide anything from me, i will not harm you".

"Who says I'm hiding anything?" she asked, eyebrows raised in surprise. Then they dropped into a frown.

"You're not bounty hunters, are you? Coz you seem like it to me...and I personally can't stand them..."

Realising she'd probably just put her foot right in it, she quickly decided to assure them that she meant no ill intentions by what she'd just said, and was at least willing to co-operate with them, to some extent.

"Tell you what...I'll make you a deal. You assure me you're not hunters, by telling me who you really are...and I'll tell you who I really am in return...AND see if I can get you that audience with the Queen that you are so desperate for. Otherwise, I can see us going round in circles forever more, and lovely as it is to chat with complete random strangers in the middle of the night, I don't like to make a habit of it too much."

He looked to Taves again, even more apologetically, he raised a part of his robe, it revealed his lightsaber, "I am a Jedi knight, the same applies to my friend, I am Zen-Tak Low, a Jedi Healer. This is Taves Sarfell, a fellow Jedi knight, you turn". He smiled reassuringly.

"Amelia Rose Ftizwalter, Royal Handmaiden and decoy of Queen Kylantha," Amelia replied with a slight nod in acknowledgement. There was an excited sparkle in her eye at the mention of the word 'Jedi' and suddenly she seemed to relax a little.

"Well, gentlemen, it seems we're finally getting somewhere. But you still haven't answered my question about why you're here. Ok, so you need to see the Queen...but why? You realise she's heavily influenced by the imperials, don't you. You're taking a great risk, coming here at such a time."

Taves was waiting to see how Zen would handle the situation. Now that their greatest secret was given away there seemed little way he could make the situation worse. He wasn't much of a formal speaker. He had a few eloquent words here and there, but the form of speech he was most fluent in was the small talk necessary to a bounty hunter. None the less, he figured he should throw in his two credits worth.

"We have little more to risk than if we were wandering on any other planet, Amelia, isn't it? Also, if you are a handmaiden for the queen I must question for my sake as well as my friend's what more insentive do we have to trust you than we do her? You seem close to her and she seems close to the Imperials how are we sure that you will not turn us in?"

Taves rebuked his own question a little bit. He didn't sense her as treacherous, and she didn't seem to have any qualms against them merely on the grounds of being Jedi. However he knew that to let his guard down would be foolhardy in this situation as well. Thinking on this premise, he made sure that he had a good grip in the Force on his lightsaber. This way it wouldn't add any more tension by making her suspicious as well as giving Taves the head start should she, against most odds, bring down the guards on them.

Amelia seemed to consider this for a moment, and the slight smile showed that she'd clearly been caught off guard by this question. Then she shrugged and sighed. "Well, if I'm honest, there's no real insentive to trust me, really...Apart from the fact that I have no quarrel with the Jedi. I guess you'd just have to take a gamble and trust me. If you feel you could not do that, I understand. It's only natural, during these dark times, to fear that the person standing next to you will stab you in the back. Trust me, I've had my fair share of betrayals over the years. I know what it feels like."

This was a completely truthful answer, because after all, she could understand their concerns. She was friendly with the Queen, and the Queen was known to be a strong follower of the Empire. If only the Jedi knew the real reason why the Queen was so heavily influenced by the Imperials. She would have told them...but for a start, would they believe her? And secondly, was it really her place to say? Would it be better if they heard it from the Queen herself?

"Look...I can't give you a good reason to trust me...because you're right about me, and the Queen, and the Imperials. But all I will say is don't judge us too prematurely...because not everything is as it seems."

He could sense that she had thoughts hidden behind some of her words, but he decided to let her take the lead, if they questioned her to much she may become bored.
He smiled to her, "We will not get anything done this way, we shall trust in you, would you be able to take us to the queen?".

He was still unsure, he did as Taves did, and gripped his lightsaber with his mind.

Looking at them for a moment, Amelia seemed to consider them for a moment, and then nodded.

"You realise I could get in a lot of trouble for this? I could lose my job...and I happen to like my job very much...so if this goes wrong, I'm blaming you guys!"

Looking about the garden to check that they were, for the moment, alone, she pulled up the hood of her handmaiden's robe and motioned for them to follow her.

"Just let me do all the talking...keep your heads down, and don't go attracting attention. Just...well just act casual, ok? This way."

Walking up the stone steps, back towards the main Palace, she glanced over her shoulder to see if they were following her.

Zen and Taves both nodded, Zen stood straight and went back to the regal gliding he had tried to fool Amelia with before.
He wished he and Taves had not got rid of their cloaks earlier, they could just put their hoods up then.
He still held his lightsaber, she was hiding something, but it was not treacherous, he just wanted to be prepared.

Amelia sauntered down the many hallways of the Palace, offering friendly smiles to the passing guards. Most of them expected to see her out at this time of night, and made no attempt to stop her. They paid no attention to the two Jedi either. One or two passed comments with Amelia, who laughed with them, and soon they were outside a huge set of double doors.

"Well, that was easier than expected," she whispered. "I thought they'd at least ask to see your - "

"Oi! Stop where you are!" a loud, authorative voice interupted, and Amelia froze, cringing. She knew that voice.

"Alright, Joderick," she said in a sweet, innocent voice, turning to the Security Officer who was striding towards them, blaster in his hand. "Not a word," she hissed to the two Jedi, stepping forwards to greet the older man.

"Oh, it's you Amelia," he sighed as he saw who it was. "For a moment there, I thought you were some of those rebels...up to no good."

"Oh no...never," Amelia laughed nervously. "I was...erm...just showing my...my brothers around the Palace. They kinda dropped in unnanounced...you know what brothers are like, huh."

Joderick nodded in amused agreement and put his blaster away. "I didn't know you had brothers."

"Oh yeah," Amelia nodded. Ironically, this wasn't a lie. She did have two brothers...but both were presumed dead. Still, the only person she'd ever told that too was also dead now...so her secret should be safe.

"This is Jude," she said, motioning to Zen. "And this is Kyle." She motioned to Taves.

"It is alight for me to give them a quick tour, isn't it? Only they're leaving the planet tomorrow morning, and I don't know when they'll be able to come back...hectic work schedules on Coruscant, and all that."

"Oh really? What is it that you do?" Joderick asked the two Jedi curiously. Amelia looked on in horror, but realised that she couldn't say anything, because it would look suspicious if she did all the talking. She hoped the Jedi were better at making up stories than they were at trying not to be noticed.

"Well... we are Imperial scouts, we keep getting sent on quick missions to the edges of the galaxy and what not, looking for Rebel scum" He growled the word 'Rebel' just to make it look better, "We get a break after every mission, due to how long the missions are, they can last up to 6 months".

He used the force to plant this information into the guards head, he thought this mans mind may be to powerful for him to control, so he used it to help his white lie seem more real.

Amelia was actually impressed...that sounded quite a believable answer. Clearly Joderick thought the same, because he nodded slightly.

"My respects to you, gentlemen...keep up the good work."

"Right...erm...come on then Jude...Kyle...we'd best get going if you want to see the rest of the Palace," she cut in quickly, before Joderick could question them further.

"See ya, Jod."

"Good day, My Lady," Joderick replied with another slight bow of his head. Then he started off down the corridor again, and Amelia let out a sigh of relief.

"That was close...did you use a mind trick on him, or something?"

"I may have" he chuckled, "Not really, his mind was to strong, i used the force to help him believe my story".

He looked to Taves, she actually knew a Jedi trick.
She must know more on Jedi than she's said so far.

"I see you know of at least one Jedi technique, where did you learn of it?"

"My brother, Jude," she shrugged. "He used to tell me stories of the Jedi in the days of the Old Republic. I just thought they were stories until I met you guys...now I'm beginning to think differently. Course, I was alive during the final years of the Old Republic...but I was too young to remember anything of them. Anyways...this is the Throne Room...you can wait in here while I see if the Queen's available."

She pulled open the heavy, but unguarded doors and stepped inside, motioning for them to follow.

"She'll probably be in bed...which means I'll get my head bitten off for disturbing her, so if I do, I'm holding you both personally responsible."

This time, she was smiling as she said it, suggesting that she was actually joking.

"Wait here...I'll see if I can find her, for you."

With that, she slipped out of a concealed doorway, hidden behind a tapestry, leaving the two Jedi alone.

Zen had a sinking feeling, though he felt no bad intention in the handmaiden he was still worried.
He decided to touch his lightsaber, just to tell him self it was still there.
He checked everything else of his attire, he would make sure that he eventually had a real Jedi's outfit.

He looked to Taves, "So... What you sensing?".

Taves walked with Zen as they followed Amelia. "I'm not quite sure. I sense something, but it isn't against her. Whatever we do we need to make sure our minds are clear. Without clarity of mind it doesn't matter what we think. Our senses will be clouded by our fears and biases."

Taves turned his attention back toward Amelia. He hadn't known many women in his life, at least ones that had stuck around for long. However he kind of liked Amelia despite the fact that he had just met her. She was spirited, and that was a quality Taves liked to see in anyone he knew. There also seemed to be something else to her, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

"Clear your mind" he said to himself. He chanted this like a mantra as they continued behind Amelia. He could tell that things were a bit too peaceful this night on Naboo. He wished that it could go a little more noisily. It seemed to Taves like a situation where there should have been something, but there wasn't. "Clear your mind" he said once more.

Zen sat down in what could only be the Queens thrown. He crossed his legs and put his hands into a position that looked similar to prayer, he then began to meditate.

"I shall clear my mind my friend....... and i am sorry... for revealing everything so quickly, i just thought having her know the truth would make her more... reliable".

Zen then closed his eyes and concentrated solely on his meditation.

"Ahem."

Amelia stood at the secret entrance, arms folded across her chest, looking at Zen with raised eyebrows.

"You do know that's the Queens chair, right? The Queen who happens to be on her way right this moment to see you..."

She was grinning, but her words were words of truth, because moments later, the Throne Room doors opened, and Queen Kylantha herself came in.

Amelia immediately bowed to the Queen, and motioned for the two Jedi to do the same.

"My Lady," she greeted, formally, as she bowed in respect.

Zen, stood from the floor, he still could sense nothing, he made an elegant bow, "Your highness". He said.

He really could not sense anything, in fact he was unsure if Amelia had told her the situation, or just told her it was urgent.
He came up from his bow and looked to Taves, he hoped he would sense something.
He nodded to Taves and began to speak, "As Amelia may of already told you, we have come because we are in dire need, my lady. We are on a search for Jedi.... we had been lead to believe that you know the location of at least one Jedi Knight". He looked to Taves again, he would not say that his masters told them to come here, he did not want to give up the positions of more Jedi, he hoped Taves would to.

He then looked to Amelia and finally back to the Queen.

"Who, may I ask...are you two? And why are you searching for Jedi? Are you Imperially involved?" Queen Kylantha asked as she took her place on her throne. Amelia took up her usual position just behind and slightly to the left of the throne, despite the fact that this wasn't actually a formal meeting, as such.

The Queen just looked at them both, expectantly. Amelia nodded in encouragement for them to answer, but said nothing, as it was not her place to.

"Well?" the Queen asked, after a moment.

Taves decided he should give Zen some time to gather his thoughts. "My lady, my name is Taves Sarfell and this is Zen Tak Low. We are not connected to the Empire any more than any beggar is surrounded by their dominion. We have come in search of Jedi so that we might find some of our bretheren." Taves had picked up from Zen's lack of identification of anyone else in their party that he too thought it wise for them to remain anonymous. "We are Jedi Knights" he finished.

He decided the queen might have heard something like this before and would probably want proof. He grabbed his lightsaber with the Force from his robes and allowed it to float in front of the queen's feet. "We live in bleak times" he continued. "The Jedi wish to light the fire that once warmed this galaxy. However small pockets of us cannot achieve this goal."

"Jedi Knights? You are very brave to come here...very brave, or very foolish. " She said curiously, looking to them both. "What makes you think I can help you? I'm a Queen...a Queen placed on this throne by the Empire, no less. Surely you would not have come to me without reason, and I am curious to know what that reason is."

Amelia just stood silently at her Queen's side, nodding every now and then, although it was clear she wasn't actually paying attention to the conversation, and was just nodding for the sake of looking like she was.

Her eyes were fixed firmly on the lightsaber, and although she felt that the two Jedi meant the Queen no harm, she didn't entirely believe that the two former Queens - Apailana and Amidala - had not fallen at the hands of Jedi. She very much doubted anything would happen tonight, but she certainly didn't want anything to happen to Kylantha...not when she could stop it. That was why she once again had her hand on her blaster. Jedi and the Queen of Naboo were supposedly a bad combination. She had to be prepared.

After all...how could she be sure that the two Jedi were not infact here to kill the Queen, under the pretence of seeking her help? Until she was 100% sure of their true intentions, her weapon was not leaving her hand - whether they liked it or not.

"Your highness, while on our travels we where informed by a friend that you had met with Jedi before, it was believed you knew of more Jedi and their locations".
To prove to the Queen that he was indeed a Jedi he decided to speak to Amelia, "Miss Amelia, there is no need for worry... we are not Sith, we are Jedi, we will do no harm".

He smiled, he hoped that his word would do, he had not lied so far, why should he now.

"Please your highness, we need your help".

"What do you think?" The Queen said to Amelia, who stepped forwards now that she had been included in the conversation.

"With all due respect, Your Highness...it was the Jedi who assassinated your two predecessors."

"But you do not believe this?" Kylantha asked, hearing the doubt in the handmaiden's voice.

"No, My Lady...and I do not believe these two mean us any harm either."

"My thoughts exactly," Kylantha grinned a little, turning back to the pair of Jedi, standing before her. "Gentlemen...what I shall tell you is the truth about myself, and my position as Queen of this planet. But I ask you never to repeat this to anyone. If the Empire were to find out, I would be killed, the Jedi would be blamed, and Naboo would be run by the Empire. The last strand of democracy would be lost, and I cannot believe anyone would want that."

Amelia shook her head, as if to express that she personally did not want that. And then the Queen continued.

"I was placed on this throne by the Empire, as a puppet ruler, so that they believed they could control the planet indirectly, and no-one would know. The people of Naboo aren't that foolish, however, and saw through the act. One family in particular...the Darkells...have made my terms as Queen particularly painful and needlessly hard. I am in service to the Empire, simply because they protect me from the Darkells, who have made no secret of the fact that they would rather see me dead, than sitting on this Throne."

She glanced about the room, as if to make sure that they were infact alone, before she continued.

"I do, however, have morals of my own, and I know that the Jedi are not what everyone makes them out to be. I remember the Jedi from the days of the Old Republic, and because of this, I do infact know the location and whereabouts of some of your Jedi. I do my best to keep their location hidden, although to be honest, I try to steer clear and not get involved. As I said, if the Empire find out, it would mean big trouble for Naboo. Not even my own staff...not even my bodyguards and closest friends and loyal servants know that...but now one of them does, and so do you. So there you have it, gentlemen. Now you know the truth, and I beg you to keep what has been said tonight between the four of us. No-one else must know....but now, I shall retire to my room. Goodnight. Amelia will show you out."

Amelia frowned slightly, as the Queen stood and started for the door. Wasn't she forgetting something? She hadn't actually revealed the location of the Jedi yet.

But Amelia neen't have worried, because as the Queen passed the pair of Jedi, she paused and muttered, so that only they - and Amelia who wasn't far behind - could hear.

"You'll find your friends in a retreat in the Lake Country. That place is pretty isolated...perfect for hiding. Find a place called Varykino, then travel three hours north. It is hidden deep within the mountains."

Then, straightening up, she added, "Good night, gentlemen. May the Force be with you," before leaving the Throne Room and heading back to her own personal room.

For once, Amelia was actually speachless as she turned to the two Jedi. She certainly hadn't expected that!

Taves gave a low bow as the queen exited the throne room. He had had a feeling that she wasn't as in with the Empire as the rumors said.

Once the queen left the throne room he turned back toward the throne and brought his lightsaber back from where he had laid it at the Queen's feet. He then turned toward Amelia. "Thank you very much" he said, executing a bow much like the one he had done with the queen, only a bit shorter. As he looked back up at Amelia he saw that there was more to her than the brief bit he had seen earlier. There was something regal in her look. Something in it that made Taves tongue go dry and stick to the top of his mouth. He shook this feeling off and looked back to Zen. "Well that was very productive" he said.

"Wow...I'm glad I met you guys now...I'd never have known that otherwise," Amelia smiled. "So...uh...what will you guys do now? You can't go to the Lake Country now...it's too dark and dangerous. You'll have to wait until the morning."

Hearing voices out in the corridor, she froze in panic, and then motioned for them to hide, as the doors opened and two guards came in on their nightly patrol.

Taves ran into the shadows, pulling Zen with him. They hid behind a set of columns and looked out to see how Amelia would handle the situation. Taves hoped the situation wasn't so suspicious that they would have to intervene in the situation. The fact that they had made it this far without attracting any attention was a great feat. Now however, things were starting to look a bit bleak. Taves turned to Zen. "If things start to turn against us do you think you could pull off another one of those mind tricks? I'd rather solve this with as little violence as possible."

"I believe so, they seem to have simple enough minds", He moved slightly more into the darkness, silently.

He did not want to wait until morning, he wanted to leave and he wanted to leave now. He was tempted to do what he had before, move something with the force to distract them, but the throne room was to wide and open for him to do that easily. He knew the techniques of Force speed and stealth, but he was not yet trained enough for those power to allow him to go past unnoticed. He wished he had spent more time on his techniques.

"Lets see what Amelia comes up with first"...

Amelia simply stood with her hands behind her back, and a polite smile on her face.

"My Lady, we heard voices," one of the guards said as he bowed his head to her. "Is everything alright?"

"Oh, erm...yes thanks," she nodded innocently.

"Who were you talking to?" the other guard asked as he looked around the room, expecting to see someone. But the room was apparently empty.

"Oh, it was my comm-link," Amelia shrugged, pulling the device from her robes and showing it to them. "I accidentaly leant on the redial button and called my parents. Stupid, I know...but these things happen, huh."

"Indeed," the guard nodded, although he had a suspicious look on his face.

"Well, I'll erm...be on my way, shall I?" she said, edging towards the door. "Have a good night."

"Likewise, My Lady," the guards bowed their heads again.

As Amelia walked as casually as she could towards the door, she hoped the Jedi had managed to find a hiding place, because no doubt these guards didn't trust her, and would make a thorough sweep of the room.

"Oh, erm...watch out for those hidden passageways!" She called back to the guards. "You never know where you'll find one. Good night."

Hoping that the Jedi had taken the hint, she reluctantly left the room.

"That was the most obvious of hints" Zen whispered, he pulled on Taves, They where hiding close to the passage way Amelia had used earlier.
He moved a little to the right and lifted a tapestry, it was darkened and in shadow, but to be sure Zen focused on a random tapestry on the other side of the room and with the help of the force he made it move enough to distract the guards, He moved into the passage way and pulled Taves in to, "Lets be quick, but quiet".

He hoped Amelia would be okay, he wondered if they would see her before they left for the lake country, or if they would ever see her again.

Amelia hurried round to the other end of the passageway, which happened to end in the corridor leading to the living quarters. She waited behind one of the pillars just outside the entrance to the passageway, hidden in shadow. With any luck the Jedi would appear soon, and she could show them the safest way from the Palace.

"Come on...where are you?" she muttered as she leant against the wall. Holding her breath as a guard walked past, she didn't release it until he was well round the corner and out of both sight and earshot.

Pulling the hood over her face even further, she folded her arms across her chest, leant against the wall and waited.

As Taves started to set out after Zen he felt a pull on him. It was as if something, not exactly the Force, but something close to it, like fate called him to go back to the throne room. Taves turned to Zen. "Hold on one second, I need to go back. Wait for me here I'll only be a moment." He turned back in the direction of the throne room. Whatever was calling him it was strong. He felt he shouldn't go back, and yet his legs still moved beneath him.

As he entered the throne room he saw that the guards had left. Amelia stood alone against the wall, obviously unaware of the fact that they had gone. "Amelia" he whispered in the darkness of the room. Although now that he did he didn't know what to say past that. He stood there feeling a little exposed right by their exit.

Amelia jumped in fright and cast about in the dark shadows, where the voice had come from.

"Taves? What the hell did you do that for?! Almost gave me a heart-attack!"

Glancing about to make sure they were alone, she moved closer to the passage entrance.

"What're you doing here? I thought you'd have made your escape by now?"