Private A Lamp Unto My Feet

[Alicio Organa]

Alicio simply nodded once, before turning back towards the way they came, happily taking point to protect the burdened Neutralizer. Maybe it would have been smarter, more strategic, more brutal to leave the brothers to die. They could still betray him, after all, and they belonged to a group that had actively antagonized the Alliance and the Jedi Order.

But he could never have done it. Not when they had both been so helpful. Not when they had shown him, ironically, how human they were.

The Count was about to affirm his position at the front, when the earth around them began to tremble. Alicio looked at the tunnel's walls, eyes widening with alarm as he regarded Galahad. "Let's move!"

Legs pumping wildly, lightsaber in his hand, Alicio led the androids through the natural caves, and back to the long steps. Long lines of sand began to sprinkle down from cracks in the ceiling, coating the ground in shifting earth, streams of sand trickling slowly down the steps.

Alicio took one look at the seemingly endless stairs, unable to stop a tired groan.

"This is going to suck," he said unceremoniously.

- Galahad Io -

 

[Dev Ossian]

They ran through the winding passages, until they reached the towering stairs. Alicio had time enough to bemoan their circumstances before quick-thinking Galahad thrust the datapad into his hands.

“Hold on tight!” he cried, before wrapping his freed arm around Alicio’s (hopefully) slim waist. As soon as the Alderaanian was secured, he activated his repulsors and flew them up the steps.

The combined weight of both Lance and Alicio at least balanced out, but it put a definite strain on Galahad’s systems. They narrowly made it to the top of the stairs before the motors in his feet sputtered out. The Neutralizer stumbled, then got up again, practically dragging his brother toward the light of the desert beyond the pyramid.

Sunlight touched them before the tomb caved in, the passageways filling with rubble. A cloud of sand billowed out from the entrance as the way inside was sealed off.

Galahad looked like a ghost, a coating of white dust sucking the color from his form and making his new eyes seem even bluer. Still cradling Lance, he turned to Alicio, his gaze flicking toward the datapad he held.

“We’ve reached the end of our journey,” he said. “Do you mean to claim the spoils for yourself?”

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

“Hold on tight!”

"To wha-ooooah!" Alicio was just able to get his hands around the datapad as it was shoved into his arms, when Galahad grasped him, shooting them both up the stairs, giving them both just enough time to clear the main entrance.

The temple collapsed in on itself behind them, quickly swallowed up by the loose sand, until there was nothing but a pile of rocks in it's stead. Alicio doubled over, holding his knees as he heaved a few deep breaths. The Count had become more physically active since learning to use a lightsaber, but running for one's life tended to knock the wind out of anyone.

The white powder dusting Alicio made his own grey eyes pop with hidden blues, as he considered the Neutralizers before him. He could claim it for himself. He doubted Galahad would object.

But that wasn't him. It was never him.

Alicio kneeled down next to Galahad gingerly, placing the datapad on the ground between them. "The way I see it..." the nobleman gasped a quick breath, smiling, "...this thing belongs with historians, not in a senator's private collection."

"But... send me a copy, if you can." It was a bit more trust he was placing in Galahad. Well-earned, at this point. They had both saved the other now. He owed Gal that much.

"Thank you for saving me back there. You could have left me, too, gotten the datapad all to yourselves."

- Galahad Io -

 

[Dev Ossian]

Galahad most certainly would have objected. He would’ve tried to talk Alicio out of it, employing all the tricks of his charisma programming to persuade the senator to give up the datapad. If that failed, well… he wasn’t sure what he’d do.

Thankfully, Alicio didn’t try to keep the artifact for himself. Relieved, Galahad nodded his head vigorously.

“I will send you a copy, though that audio file promises to be exceedingly large and difficult to process. Perhaps a transcript would be easier.” Picking up the datapad, he put it in his pack, then began to dust himself off. “I will also send you all I can find in our archives about the Serpents and the Light Sith.”

"Thank you for saving me back there. You could have left me, too, gotten the datapad all to yourselves."

“And have to deal with the consequences of allowing an Alliance Senator to die on my watch?” Galahad shook his head. “House Io has enough enemies as it is. Your death would be of little benefit to us, Count Organa.”

Just a few seconds earlier, Alicio had quietly revealed for the first time that he was a senator. Perhaps he had suspected Galahad and Lance already knew his identity from the beginning, but admitting his identity now held some significance. Like the surrender of the datapad, it was a sign of having earned the Count's trust.

Galahad turned his attention back to his brother. Lance’s mangled legs actually looked significantly better, as his body slowly repaired itself in his sleep. But he still wouldn’t be able to walk yet. Galahad scooped his brother up, rising to his feet.

“I suppose this is where we go our separate ways,” he said. “I trust that you are uninjured, and can make it back to your ship safely?”

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

Galahad called him Count.

Funnily enough, it didn't surprise him too much to realize they already knew who he was. The brothers seemed intelligent, and while he didn't know much about Neutralizers, it made sense that an advanced android had to have some kind of data retrieval system, if they hadn't heard of him.

He quirked a smile, recognizing the show of mutual trust for what it was, and letting the moment pass.

“I suppose this is where we go our separate ways. I trust that you are uninjured, and can make it back to your ship safely?”

Alicio nodded, rising to his feet, and brushing off his brown robes. "I'll make it back alright," he assured the man.

"You've... both given me a lot to think about." He stepped forward, and offered a hand. Strictly speaking, House Io and the Alliance were adversarial at best. But he'd learned to respect at least these two Ioites.

"Be well, Galahad."

- Galahad Io -

 

[Dev Ossian]

Galahad glanced at Alicio’s offered hand for a moment or two before giving it a firm shake.

“May the Force serve you well,” he replied.

“Aw, are you two going to kiss?” asked a sleepy, muffled voice.

“Go back to sleep, Lance.” Galahad rolled his eyes. “Goodbye, Alicio. I hope none of my House will ever do harm to you.”

With that, the Neutralizer took his leave, trekking across the desert back to his ship.

Alicio Organa​