Private Echoes

[Lief]

He had arrived, and as daunting as that was, to now be viewing everything which had happened through a more coherent lens, it was also refreshing. A relief. Eliphas was just left hoping that he could help Lissa receive the same clarity when she awoke. That he could help her through the grief she'd no doubt be feeling too. His poor baby sister...​

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"Not tough enough" he chuckled, "Wasn't I supposed to fight a Rancor on Kashyyyk? Or was that a Terentatek?" He couldn't quite remember. "Maybe when I'm on my feet properly we can try that again. Val did finally get me to fly a little." Val... His heart sank, and as he sat back on the bed he reached up a hand to rub over the aching organ.​

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"I know it's stupid" he mumbled, "But I... I really liked him. Like, liked him. And I thought..." Eliphas shrugged, hastily wiping away one stray tear that made it through his attempts to remain without. Starlin explaining that he'd been left everything didn't help matters. "I might have thought he liked me too, if I'd received such an inheritance out of the blue, but... Well, I guess now I know better don't I? He was... He was just hoping to use me."​

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He shrugged when Starlin apologized for snooping. "Doesn't bother me any. You're my Master, and my friend, and I'd have shared it with you anyway." The news and the inheritance itself. "Maybe I can give you guys a little more space now? Move into The Stardust so Miri and Kyell aren't tripping over my things."​

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Did he want to go off and be alone? No, not really... ​

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"Or... Or I could give it to them?"​

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Eliphas didn't know what to do exactly, but he did know he was done being a big baby about everything. It was time to face the music, to grow up. He was the new Duke of the Dune Legacy, the Estate was his to govern even if it was currently just a ruin. Lissa was his responsibility now. He had to be strong for her.​

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Starlin Rand ​

 

[Starlin Rand]

“We’ll toughen you up, don’t worry.” He aimed a few mock punches at the air. “And yeah, it was a terentatek. You will fight it eventually, or I’m not knighting you.”

Starlin was honestly a bit bewildered by the depth of feeling Val seemed to have elicited in Eli. Sure, he’d picked up on the crush—he was an idiot, but he wasn’t that stupid—but it was just a crush, right? They’d only met, what, once or twice?

Come to think of it, it was sort of weird how Val had chosen Eli for possession. Maybe he had picked up on the Padawan’s feelings, and sought to exploit them. Or maybe Eli was just weak-minded. It was certainly something to consider—and Starlin wasn’t without sympathy for the poor kid.

"Maybe I can give you guys a little more space now? Move into The Stardust so Miri and Kyell aren't tripping over my things."

Even as Eli made the suggestion, Starlin could tell he didn’t really mean it. “You don’t want to live on your own yet,” he said. “But Miri and Kyell could definitely use it. That would be really nice of you.” Nights without two crying babies disturbing his sleep? Oh, Eliphas, you shouldn’t have! Thank the Force…

“Eli, don’t worry about Val,” Starlin said suddenly. “I’ll take care of his ghost. He won’t hurt you ever again. Just… try to put him out of your mind. Move on.” His brow furrowed, remembering Isolda and the marriage proposal. That was still a thing they’d have to worry about. He sighed. “Sometimes chit just plain sucks, man.”

Lief​

 

[Lief]

Stipulations for Knighthood out of the way, they turned to discussing this out-of-the-blue inheritance. Starlin echoed his thoughts, reminding him that he probably didn't want to be alone right now, and to this the lad nodded his head. "I know, I just..." Whatever he was going to say disappeared, and instead he focused on the idea of regifting the ship to Miri.​

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"Do you think they'd like it?" he asked, "I'd have to clean it out first. Maybe... Maybe I could use some of the credits to refurnish it for them, and the twins? Do you think they'd accept that or would they feel bad..?" Eliphas felt a little uneasy about how much he'd just been handed, and finding a way to pass some of the credits on would definitely help ease his mind.​

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The sudden whiplash of returning the conversation to Val made Eliphas' insides turn to jelly, and not in a nice way. There was a sudden repulsion that overtook him, as all of the blocks came tumbling down and settled into place. A new perspective on things he'd once seen another way.​

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"It's fine" he mumbled, "Likely just toying with me from the start. I'm good, I promise."​

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He had to get that man out of his mind. ​

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"Do you, uh, think Iris Arani or Thelma Goth might be up for a visit some time soon?" Not right away, of course, Eliphas wanted to get a little stronger before he saw anyone that wasn't his Master or the inhabitants of this ship. "I could really do with a crafting session..."​

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Then all at once he looked over to Starlin again, stumbled to his feet and held himself upright with sheer willpower alone, and hobbled over to give the man an embrace. "I'm glad you're my Master" he said. "One day I'll fight that Terentatek and make you proud."​

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Starlin Rand ​

 

[Starlin Rand]

"Do you think they'd like it?"

"I think they'd get down on their knees and kiss your feet, Eli." Or at least, Starlin would.

"I'd have to clean it out first. Maybe... Maybe I could use some of the credits to refurnish it for them, and the twins? Do you think they'd accept that or would they feel bad..?"

"Would the twins feel bad?" Starlin smirked. "Naw, Eli. Just do it. Miri won't care. If I'm being honest, I think losing her father's ship was a good thing. She had too many memories attached to that thing. But she still needs a ship to get around in, and you have one to give. It all works out."

Eli clearly wanted to move away from the subject of Val Drutin, and Starlin was happy to put the matter to bed. "Why don't you contact them and find out?" he suggested, then paused. "Say, uh... you and Thelma... There wasn't anything going on between you two, was there? It's just, I saw you and her sucking face in the lounge that one time, and I thought..." He made a (comically exaggerated) suggestive gesture.

As far as he knew, Thelma was dating Silas Westgard now, and he was mildly concerned that his Padawan could potentially be a homewrecker. They definitely didn't need that kind of drama, nope, no sir.

Eli suddenly hobbled over and hugged him. Despite his surprise, Starlin immediately returned the embrace. "I know you will," he said, patting the kid on the back. "Alright, cool beans. Are you hungry? We could get some pizza or something. Whatever you want..."

Lief

 

[Lief]

Okay, so then it was settled. Eliphas would have the ship cleared, cleaned, and refurnished, helping where he could. No doubt he'd need a storage unit for all of the lightsaber pieces and the like Val had been collecting. As much as he might have wanted the man gone from his life and his thoughts, he couldn't bear the idea of tossing any of it. So he wouldn't.​

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"Okay, so it's settled then." The ship would go to Miri and Kyell.​

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Talks turned to his best friend and.. maybe potential friend? He wasn't sure where he and Thelma stood, really. One meeting did not a friend make, especially not one so awkward.​

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Made even more awkward by what Starlin soon said.​

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"What?" he asked, eyes widening before he shook his head. "No, no, erm..." Quick, Eli, make up an excuse. "She was helping me figure something out..." He looked down. It wasn't exactly the truth, but the act itself had cemented something within him. "I... I don't like girls, Starlin... Not like that."​

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Not a homewrecker. Most definitely not. As much as Thelma had been covering for herself by kissing Eliphas, she really had worked toward solidifying his mind on matters of the heart. Val's kiss had meant just as little as Thelma's, had also been just a convenient way to fix an immediate problem, the difference was he'd actually liked it when Val kissed him, his heart had fluttered and he'd longed for more.​

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But there was nothing with Thelma. Not even a tiny spark of excitement at what could have been. And she was most definitely attractive, even he could see that, he just... No. There was nothing there.​

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"I'll call Iris Arani and... well, probably just message Thelma, really, I don't know if she even sees me as a friend."​

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Calling was just too much.​

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Embrace ended, Eliphas perked up at the mention of food. "Boy, am I... We had pizza last time, what about Atrisian?"​

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As reluctant as he was to do so the boy slumped into his hoverchair and got ready to leave the room behind. So long as Starlin was satisfied he was ready for that.​

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Starlin Rand ​