Dying by Inches | First Order

[Natasi Fortan]

​

Ordinary mothers lead ordinary lives --​

Keep the house and sweep the parlor.​

Mend the clothes and tend the children.​

Ordinary mothers, like ordinary wives,​

Make the beds and bake the pies​

And wither on the vine...​

​

The exclusive private booking where Natasi kept her ship, away from the prying eyes of the public and the First Order government apparatus, was reserved and quiet, and the Grand Moff sat in the departure lounge alone, waiting for [member="The Major"]. Although she was not in disguise per se, Natasi was swathed in a broad-lapeled deep burgundy traveling cloak, her hair tucked under what had been, some eight decades earlier on Galidraan, a fashionable burgundy hat, complete with an onyx hat pin. It was a departure from the black that she had been seen in exclusively since receiving word of her husband's death. But more than half a year had passed, and even by Galidraan's strange and strict mourning conventions, Natasi was allowed colors in the violet and ivory families.

Of course, Natasi would have been pleased to stay in black for a good deal longer, but she was visiting George, and she didn't want his memories of her visits, infrequent as they were, to be marred by a dowdy appearance and a depressing wardrobe. The child was blissfully unaware of his father, and thus of his father's death. She envied him that, truly.

Today was an unusual occasion. It was the first time that she was bringing someone from outside the family to see George. But Natasi had come to trust Sybil Shepard with her life and, by extension, George's life. Her ordeal aboard Concordia over Skor II had confronted Natasi with her own mortality. She needed to be sure that her son was well accounted for in the event of her death or disability. Someone in the First Order must look after the boy's interests; Natasi thought it was the least the nation could offer the little orphan, both of whose parents had given their lives to the First Order's interests.

Still, the first step was getting [member="The Major"] where she wanted her.

[member="Morro"] | [member="Robogeber"]​

 

[Wilhelmine Dahma]

This time Morro was invited to attend some kind of gathering organized by Moff Fortan. And when one was summoned by the highest ranking member of the First Order government, it paid to be punctual and sharply dressed.

The Chiss officer, clad in her black uniform, the wide, shiny belt cinching a tummy which had finally gone back to normal after giving birth to twins, stepped into the departure lounge. The Moff was not difficult to find as she cut an elegant figure in a unique shade of burgundy, the color of which reminded her of the expensive wine she’d sipped in Number 10 Park Boulevard. Morro herself stood out among the mostly human population arriving or departing in the main part of the spaceport, until she reached Natasi and then the hoi polloi were nowhere to be found.

Admiral Rausgeber was not too far behind her, and since becoming parents their lives took on a more conventional and habitual flow. Competing priorities - children, work, socializing - allowed them to be less of a couple, but that did not diminish the officer’s fondness for her husband or his recent victories.

Despite the complementary hue of her cloak, Natasi appeared a little tired on first glance. Perhaps it was the lighting or maybe something else weighed heavy on her mind. Morro’s red orbs gave her that ubiquitous expression-less physiognomy that so many Chiss embodied, but the tilt of her eyebrows displayed genuine concern.

“A pleasure to see you again, Moff Fortan.”

[member="Natasi Fortan"] [member="The Major"] [member="Robogeber"]

 

[Robogeber]

The invitation troubled Rausgeber personally, who believed that the meeting would be some kind of trap. Was he to be purged? The reason for his concern, was he could not, at all calculate a possibility why he was invited to the gathering. There was no conceivable notion in his head. If he were to run security for the junket, it would make more sense to have departed with a fleet, or at least on some sort of command vessel. And yet now? They were to board a small freighter and depart across the Galaxy. He did not confide in his wife, his own issues and dare he say, concerns. But instead, kept them to himself. He would rather anything else than to worry the woman who bore his children, and his legacy.

Yet, nonetheless, the officer decided he would take some precautions, in adding a pistol to his uniform. He was, at the moment, disguised as some kind of droid. A servant to the Chiss officer, as he hovered through the terminal until he reached the Grand Moff's personal portion of the spaceport. Where, there, away from the public eye, he shed the disguise. The droid stood tall, with his ivory uniform. A cold, calloused gaze then turning to a small, taut smile, as the droid bowed before his sovereign.

"Grand Moff Fortan, it is my pleasure."

[member="Natasi Fortan"] | [member="Morro"] | [member="The Major"]

 

[Natasi Fortan]

Natasi stood when the Rausgebers approached.

Perhaps not the Rausgebers. Do Chiss change their names upon marriage? I should find that out, Natasi mused. She strolled across the departure lounge to shake hands with @Morro. "How delightful to see you again, Captain. Grand Admiral Rausgeber, thank you." The Grand Moff glanced at her wrist and then back up to the two naval officers. "Would you both come with me, please? I'll explain on the way." It was unorthodox, perhaps, to have a senior naval officer on what was being billed as a political tour, but here they were. Natasi gathered her handbag and slung it to her elbow and then led the way towards the berths.

"This trip to Bakura is of a personal matter, in addition to the rally there," Natasi explained. "It is a matter of utmost importance to me, to do with my son George. My son is currently in residence at my grandparents' namata orchard and estate on Bakura. He is quite safe there, and I am able to provide for his care, education, household, et cetera. My cousin Pierce is there, acting as his guardian, and it is all quite stable. But there is a question as to what will become of my son in the event of my death. In my view, he will be entitled to my pension as well as my property holdings and a position of security in the First Order. There may be some who view my son as some kind of ... political threat," she said wearily. "I will be speaking with Director Shepard about this on the journey today, but given that this was all spurned by the events on Concordia over Skor II and Director Shepard also almost died there, I thought it would be useful to create a redundant system with someone who is highly trusted as well as slightly more durable."

She glanced at [member="Robogeber"] as she placed her palm on the lock to open her ship. "That would be you, Grand Admiral. And since this would place some expectation on you, I thought it only fair to include your wife as well. As new parents, I trust that you feel the same sense of urgency regarding the fate of one's children as I do. No?" The ramp lowered and Natasi gestured for them to board, then followed on. "If you are uncomfortable with this request, please do let me know. This is not, strictly speaking, an official matter of business. I had hoped to consider it a favor, and as such you are free to decline."

[member="The Major"]​

 

[Wilhelmine Dahma]

Morro sent a wary glance over to the Admiral, though her red corneas were a natural piece of armor when it came to empaths. Most of the time, she appeared as the stereotypical emotionless Chiss. But as the black-haired alien followed Moff Fortan, her interest piqued far beyond sentimentality.

And the more she talked, the more the Chiss had to convince herself that the conversation was not going where it appeared to.

Until it did.

“I heard briefly of the Concordia events,” she responded. “I understand the mental state of surviving a perilous experience. After I was forced to abandon the Vindicator, I was sequestered and in therapy for months. Even the the most junior officer wants to go down with the ship so the stakes are much higher for those chosen to rule.”

She paused, deferential to what her husband wanted to decide though if he knew her well at all, he would rest assured, Morro would never refuse such a distinguished request.

“How old is George may I ask?”

The twins were still under a year, but she hoped that Natasi would allow the children to become close, like siblings, ,even in the event of her living an extremely long life.

[member="Natasi Fortan"] [member="The Major"] [member="Robogeber"]