A Conversation Between a Niece and her Uncle

[Kinsey Starchaser]

Darius was around here, somewhere. This was the first time she would see Coren since the night of the party with Kaia. And even though a huge part of her was fething scared of seeing her uncle again, she wanted some privacy. She always adored her uncle but she knew how he felt about sith. Darius said Sage probably did something to her and it made sense. Her muddled thoughts from her time with the sith lord. How fast things moved. The headaches. How strict Sage was with always keeping her by his side. The armed men he always had as her escort.

Still. Uncle Coren wasn't known to be a forgiving man. Was he?

The hood of a speeder was popped open. Half her form was hidden from view as she worked on the parts inside, waiting for her uncle's approach. One particular screw was rusted shut. She strained with the hydro-wrench.

"Gorram, son of a gundark."

Coren's niece always had a mouth.

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Endor. Coren was still not quite sure what he was thinking, this world… He could have suggested the Alliance settled here, lived among the wreckage of some ancient war zone, well away from the galactic core. But the Supreme Commander made it obvious his goal was in line with Coren’s. Free important worlds, and kick the Sith in the face.

And they were getting ready to do that. So why was he out here on Endor?

Oh yeah, reports. Reports of a wayward Starchaser come home to roost. He’d see. Have to figure out where she went. Last he knew, Kaia had seen her on the Smugglers’ Moon. Kinsey sneak out and become a smuggler?

He heard her cuss and rolled his eyes. Reaching out in the Force, he grabbed the hydro spanner and folded the Force around it, a small pop as it displaced from out of Kinsey’s reach and into Coren’s hand. “Who taught you to talk like that?”

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

One thing she was good at in the force? Feeling changes around her and knowing when to move and how to move. It's probably why she took after Uncle Coren the most when it came to intrinsic astral navigation with the force. She felt a tingle or that pressure near her hand even if she didn't know what it was. It wasn't the sudden disappearance of her hydrospanner that scared her, it was Coren's voice.

Hunched-over form jerked up, back of her head hitting squarely on the belly of the open hood.

"Feth," the teen spun around, one hand rubbing at the knot already forming beneath wavy-strands of dark hair. "Uncle Coren!" She beamed and went to take a bounding step toward him with full intentions to grab him in a hug. But she froze and paused mid-stride and stood their awkwardly, arms falling to hug her own sides.

Too-blue eyes narrowed at the tool in his hand. Her tool. "You know very well who I learned that from," she quipped, her smile not at its usual brilliant and confident flash. "Mom and sometimes you."

Voice became timid. She wanted to cry already but she held it back. Fingers dug into the fabric of her shirt as she continued to clutch her sides, trying to anchor herself in the moment and not let herself drown in the emotion of dread. "How much do you know about where I was....these past few months?"

Was Darius the only one who knew?

 

[Coren Starchaser]

He rolled the hydrospanner over and again in his hand, inspecting the tool. He had recently had the Tachyon Rising back at the Dawn Treader for her own overhaul. The ship did a lot of good, but the way Starchaser flew? Sometimes she needed a bit more maintenance. But with the capital coming in from Starchaser Enterprises was helping find replacement parts. Kept the TIEs aboard the ImpStar, as well as the ship and affiliated vessels mostly flying. But that was still a lot of work to do, and most parts could just be straight-up fabricated.

That was definitely a person he wasn’t sure when he’d be seeing again.

A smirk crossed his lips as she stopped her frolic towards him. He handed the hydrospanner over to her, to prevent further awkwardness, merely watching her. Almost waiting to see how she’d respond to him now being there. Looking around, he nodded. “I suppose we did, didn’t we?” Always in the work shop and coming in from training exercises or other contracts.

“Know you vanished from under Kaia on the Smuggler’s Moon. That’s about it. War to fight, she was handling it, but there are a lot of places Kaia won’t go.” Girl had her mind on straight, even if she was supposed to be chasing her cousins. Where was that other twin?

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

Arms unfolded from their stiffness just enough to take the hydrospanner back. Her uncle was obviously as cool as ever. That trick he did was pretty neat. Toe kicked at the ground, blue-eyes drifting down to the dirt. "Oh," she said quietly. Hand gripped the hydrospanner a little more tightly. She had the Starchaser resolve and she would need it to get through this conversation. Unfortunately for Coren, she was about to babble like a teenage-girl.

"I don't know if he'll ever let me go. He'll find me. But I'm not scared about myself. I mean, I am. But I'm scared for Darius. Darius will say he can handle himself. But this is different. He's stronger than Darius. They'll never let me go. If he finds me, I don't know if I'll be strong enough...My head's clearer but he did something....I need your help." Those blue-eyes so similar to Coren's pleaded with him, fear and panic toning her babbled words.

"He'll never let me go," she whispered again, this time moisture filling her blue orbs.

She couldn't lose her uncle like she lost Dax. She didn't know where her twin was and it killed her. If Coren turned her away too, a lot worse would happen than disappearing at a Benefit Concert.

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Coren just knew who he was. It wasn’t a matter of him being cool. He just knew that he was who he was, and nothing was going to change that. Was he the best person in the galaxy? Far from. But he knew what was important to him, where he could cut his losses and who he thought he could trust. This was a big galaxy, and there was almost (mostly) room for family.

Besides, he had other fish to fry when Kinsey was off doing… whatever. It wasn’t that unheard of. Several members of the Dawn Treader’s crew-families had disappeared, only to come around again. It was hard to leave the Roost, sure, most of the families that stayed were directly involved in the Warbirds, but the other families and crew sometimes came and left, sometimes stayed. They were welcome to do as they wished.

Then she started talking and he was lost. “Who…?” He didn’t need to know all the answers, and he didn’t need to know about Dax right now, but he needed to get the story straight of where Kinsey had been. Kaia kept finding signs but his daughter wasn’t the best tracker, especially if someone was grounded all the time.

A Starchaser not in the sky?

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

The teen began to pace in front of her uncle. "He's a Sith Lord. I don't know if you know him. I mean, I didn't know he was...when we first met him. Kaia and me, at the concert. We shared some drinks. I told him my name and the rest was a blur."

Greased-palm from working on the speeder came up to push some unruly strands of hair away from her face. She stopped in front of Coren, eyes searching his face for rejection, anger, and disappointment. All the emotions that made her stomach twist in dread. Emotions that would break her. This moment. Right now. This was worse than facing Sage again.

Right. A name.

"His name is Sage Bane."

 

[Coren Starchaser]

That was something he wasn’t expecting to hear. A Sith Lord? Coren gave Kinsey a look, one that was equal parts shock and concern. “You and Kaia?” Kaia had never mentioned a Sith encounter. Right, the concert, that was that infernal propaganda thing the One Sith put on because of someone dying during the Rebel Alliance strike. Sure, maybe the Alliance shouldn’t have hit like that, but they did, the consequences happened and the Sith responded in mind.

In a way to defame the Rebels.

He wasn’t sure what to make of this, was there a Starchaser-Sith spy? Could he use her to his advantage? He wasn’t sure, he could feel a lot of regret though, that was something he didn’t sense in Gabriel, all he sensed in him was a complete change, a cover-up as it were. But Kinsey, this was family.

And the name dropped. Coren took a step back, trying to cover his expression, but he knew he was betrayed. Not by Kinsey, no, but the way he looked. Sage Bane, eternal nemesis, and his capture of Spark probably 93 percent of the reason Coren joined up with the Galactic Alliance.

“Ran across him once or twice.” His voice was collected, as he was handling everything in his head.

Could Kinsey lure Sage?

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

Eyes opened slowly. She hadn't realized she closed them in a wince, as if preparing for a verbal or physical strike. She caught her uncle's stagger. Recognition? Starchaser blue-eyes narrowed in thought and confusion. He was being intentionally vague. But why? Sage never indicated that he knew her uncle.

Then again, if what Darius said was true and what she imagined....her former Sith Lord had held back a lot in the game of manipulation.

The teen was fething sick of being used. And grounded. And under watch. "I don't know what to do Uncle Coren. I think he'll come for me. I'm not sure if I'm strong enough to resist him....like Darius said, he definitely did something to me," voice trembled, "I need to get stronger. Build up my defenses."

Now she was blabbering again. No, more talking to herself. Trying to convince herself there was a way out. Trying to convince herself her family wouldn't just kick her aside. Would Coren turn his back? Throw her away in a cell?

Lower lip trembled. It would kill her.

"What now?" Kins asked quietly, bracing her hands on the side of the speeder.

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Definitely not the best answer, but Coren was responding quickly. He was a Starchaser, after all. What he, and his family, lacked in sheer Force skill, the best of them being a really crappy Knight leveled nobody, they attempted to make up for in ingenuity, creativity, and, of course, starship skill.

But Sage Bane, of all people… He wasn’t sure Kinsey knew what she was doing over there, he wasn’t really sure anyone who joined the Sith did so on their own accord. ‘Oh, I want to join this organization that slays worlds, yes, that is what I would love to do with my life.’ But when they did? It was hard to come back.

How could he turn this though? Come for her? Coren almost hoped he would.

Every person who came from the Sith was a bit of a risk. Kinsey was family, however, and that complicated things. He thought of the Wrath, and there was no proof that person was ever a good person. He knew Kinsey, though. He nodded, running a hand through his hair. "Now, we keep you on the move. Hows your flying?" And on the move meaning 'near Coren so he could punch Sage Bane in his face.

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

Tension in her shoulders slowly began to unwind. A little exhale escaped a pair of full lips. He wasn't gonna throw her in a Mustafar cell. At least not yet. Maybe he knew grounding her would kill her spirit.

He was the senior Starchaser, after all.

Relief was a very evident emotion on her youthful face as she turned to face her uncle once again. This time, she pounced him in an exuberant hug. Her earlier hesitation was gone even with watery eyes. "Still just a half second behind your records in a star fighter. But I bet with the right coupling I could match it."

Cocky or confident?

"Thanks for coming to see me and hearing me out." She inhaled against his chest. He always smelled like recycled air and space. The smell was comforting. Just as quickly, she pulled away.

Look at her, hugging her uncle like she was five again or whatever age when he was out of carbonate and last she saw him when she and Dax were younger. Good thing none of her friends saw her. Kaia would totally rag on her.

"Wait. Am I gonna see Darius again? What about the alliance?" Being on the move was better than being stagnant. But she didn't want to run away forever.

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Oh, Force, was he really Papa Starchaser? Family patriarch, sure, but he never figured he’d have the whole clan looking to him for guidance. Was that something Jorus felt like? His clan was a touch smaller, but no less the wanderers that the Starchasers were. He wasn’t expecting the hug, and it took him, obviously by surprise. His arms went around his niece a bit awkwardly, half planned.

“Might need a bit more than the right couplin’, darling.” He shook his head. Kinsey was definitely a Starchaser, no denying that. And he was hoping to capitalize on that, especially if it came to chasing down Sage Bane. Would he interrogate her? No, he needed to be more subtle, in case he was listening. But keeping her around him? That would be helpful. At the base that was always on the move, and not at the Dawn Treader. The ship recently began flying Alliance flags, but he didn’t want to bring her into the war.

Coming to hear her out? The pilot shook his head. “Think nothing of it. Not every day a Starchaser turns up from nowhere.

“Darius is welcome to come with us. Its… You let me worry about the Alliance.” Starchaser-blue eyes smiled as he looked at her. “What are you flying nowadays, anyway?” A Starchaser was determined by their ship, after all.

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

Let him worry about the Alliance?

Full-lips frowned. "But I want to fight back. Do something. Sage just used me!" Half-greased hand balled up into a fist and pounded her open palm. She could feel the anger there. The darkside wanting to take over. Did Uncle Coren struggle with this?

She was always passionate, which Sage used to his advantage. But could she use it to her advantage and not turn into a murdering psychopath or self-righteous sith playboy? She looked away, ashamed by her lack of control. Hands fell to fidget with her tool-belt.

"Awww, feth," eyes snapped up to her Uncle. Now MORE shame. Because of the ship. Her current ship. "A Lambda T-4a Class Shuttle. Stolen. Don't worry, I scrubbed it clean. No trackers. But it was the only thing Darius and I could find when we escaped." Shoulders shrugged as a hopeful-look began creeping over her visage.

"You got something better?"

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Simple, Coren would handle anything the Alliance tossed at him. The pilot grinned at his niece and nodded. “Good. We’re going to need that. I’ve just… got a project going on that is going to be so much better to do what needs to be done.” The Alliance was grand, but they were a bit too cozy with the Jedi. Not to say Coren was dark, but this was a war, and the Force was a weapon.

Starchasers just used it in a very particular fashion.

Smiling at her, he nodded. “I’ll be having you working from a base of operations with me. Need all the pilots we can get. And a Lambda?” He rolled his eyes and laughed. “Didn’t we raise you better than that? We’ll need to link you and Kaia up again. She’ll get you outfitted right.” A Starchaser without a ship they chose? That was just as sad as a Jedi without a lightsaber.

Or a Tumblr without some sort of social issue.

Or kaine without a respawn.

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

"I TOLD you, it was all we could fething find," she grumbled, lower lip puffing out in a full pout. Arms cross indignantly. Her grumpy gaze immediately brightened. "Kaia?!"

Hadn't seen her favorite cousin since that benefit concert. She missed that girl. Helped to keep her grounded, but in a good way - not a lack of ship way. Obvs. The teen was practically bouncing in excitement before a worried look crossed over her face.

Would she reject her like she thought Coren would? Hopefully the ties of family were stronger than her doubts and worries. "Okay," she tried to sound rather adult-like, as if coaching herself forward. She was free from Sage Bane but it would be a long road ahead to completely escape his influence and sort past all that happened. She knew she was in constant danger of relapse with the darkside.

Recovering addict.

"I'll go talk to Darius then meet back up with you." Guess that was it. She had a purpose and a plan. And it finally felt good. Good to be accepted somewhere. Hopefully Kaia would feel the same way.