Freedom comes at a cost

[Faith Organa]

[SIZE=12pt]Assumed captured - [member="Lady Kay"][/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Faith looked over the intel one more time. She knew she had to involved the Prime Minister @Geneviève Lasedri . Pulling the information together she headed toward her office, this was the first time she would have to bring her such new.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]She outlined in her mind what to say, and what was needed. There had to be someone they could send to find her, someone that could slip in and extract her.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Right now Faith had agents trying to find lady Kay and where she would have been taken. She was not above asking [member="Sempra the Hutt"] for information, nor to ask operatives to speak to her known associates. Faith thought back on the meeting she had with Kay a few months back could something from that meeting be related to this.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]She kept trying to sift through information in her mind, dark eyes staring intently ahead as she moved. Secretaries and paiges moving out of the way as she walked with a direct purpose until she stood before the secretary, "I need to see the Prime Minister, it is important" Faith nodded and waited, she would not take no for an answer.[/SIZE]

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

"Hi, Faith," the Prime Minister said, having made her way to the doorway of her office. "Come in, comrade." She turned about without further delay and carefully tread back across the floor towards her desk as if the floor might perhaps be slippery. Yet the only liquid to be found was in the wine bottle before her chair.

Bracing her hands against the desktop to steady herself, the unusually wobbly Lasedri took her seat and motioned for her political associate to take the seat across from her. "It's important, isn't it?" she asked, speaking more out of the corner of her mouth and thus somewhat without clarity. "It's okay."

[member="Faith Balor-Organa"]

 

[Faith Organa]

[member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

"It is otherwise I wouldn't be here in person, I'd send a droid" She smiled but did not sit, and she would not wait, "I have intel that suggests [member="Lady Kay"] has been captured by the Hutts, I'm not sure which Hutt yet, and I'm not sure where she is. I have agents working on finding her"

Faith looked at Gen. "I'd like to ask the Jedi if they can help us look for her, do you think the Grand Master can spare a couple?" Faith handed over the datapad, "If she's in the hands of the Hutts we really need to get her back, her opposition to slavery is well known and, they could decide to make an example of her"

This was serious.

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

Geneviève took in an elongated breath, the cup of her fist pressed against her lips. You know, it used to be adrenaline that gave you a kick. Alcohol was getting to her these days.

"Lady Kay? How'd this happen?" She brought her hand back down and set it on the desk, though her inclinations were to scoot the half-empty wine bottle to the side so it was not directly in front of the senator, but that would likely call too much attention to it. It was a precarious position to be in, and Faith would have every right to question her judgmental capacity if she was drinking in her office. Though Lady Kay's judgmental capacity might also be in question about this moment.

"I'm sure I can get Corvus on the line..." Her opposite hand fingered her datapad lackadaisically. Still, the Prime Minister maintained eye contact with Organa. Maybe the young senator did not notice...

[member="Faith Balor-Organa"]

 

[Faith Organa]

[member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

"That would be great why don't you call her own down" Faith was trying not to have a critical eye on Gen but she couldn't help but feel she was acting strangely, very strangely. Still Faith smiled at her, "Want some hot tea?"

She arched a brow at her, you know when you're in a room and something just tickles at you pushing your buttons and yelling in your ear to look, move, or know that something was wrong.

Yeah, that was happening right now. "What are you doing Prime Minister?" Would Gen just tell her.

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

It was a pain to hold herself together like this. She had not been expecting too many prolonged visitors today. But Gen had always held Faith in high regard--even when they disagreed--and could not refuse her associate. Besides, this one was in charge of GRIM. Who knew what she knew? "Hot tea? Yeah, sure." She held a hand to her temple. "We can do that."

What was she doing? Trying to keep things from getting worse yet wetting her tongue far beyond what one would consider appropriate. "We all need a way to get through this..." the raven-haired woman answered with her usual deflective manner. Maybe she could shift the subject. "Lady Kay..."

Ouch. At that point, her mind went blank. She never lost track of things. This was not a good situation to be in. Of course, telling the truth was never the easiest thing to do. But her body did it for her as she absently tapped her fingers against the glass of her wine bottle. Half empty or half full?

[member="Faith Balor-Organa"]

 

[Faith Organa]

[member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

Yes those little warnings bells had gotten louder now, Faith looked down at the floor again. "I'll have your secretary get some for us" By sending her away Faith would be alone with Gen, well as alone as was possible. Walking to the doors Faith opened and peered out, "Would you go get us a pot of hot tea, you can ask Ana in my office she generally has a pot on hand"

Gently she closed the door and turned, "Your eyes are glassy, are you on something?" That much she could ask her, and how was she going to get Lady Kay out, if the person she needed was...well...impaired. Was Gen impaired, goddess have mercy please don't let her be impaired.

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

Gen watched Faith get up and arrange for that tea to be brought to them with slightly curious eyes, but she knew why the order was carried out deep down. The senator was well aware of the PM's current state. And it became blatantly evident when she so much as directly asked what Gen had been consuming. The answer was not as bad as she might expect, but neither was it good. "Chandrilan wine. It tastes like home..."

Now that the secret was out, Lasedri supposed she might as well go ahead and help herself to some more. She had nothing to hide now. Faith knew. And so she took the whole bottle and tipped its neck back and let the fermented fluids pass through her lips. It was hardly in good taste, but she was at the point of not caring anymore. "Would you like some, Faith Organa? I have another bottle or two in my cabinet." The Republic's leader offered a sorrowful smile and tried to regain her dignity, but surely it was all lost in this moment.

[member="Faith Balor-Organa"]

 

[Faith Organa]

[member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

"NO" Faith reached over for the bottle, "Stop this nonsense" She was angry with Gen "What is this some kind of crutch? I need the fething Prime Minister of the Republic, not some lush who can't handle her emotions or job right now. I've got a Senator in trouble"

Faith could spit nails right now at the one woman who was supposed to be tough as nails, what was that conversation they had a few months back. Faith found herself growling low in her throat.

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

Gen had never seen Faith become cross before, and her state of cognizance made things no easier to reconcile. The bottle was snatched from her grasp, and she had little choice but to acknowledge the senator's concerns. "I'm sorry, Faith." Her glossy eyes scanned the emotions drawn upon the younger woman's face, vision flitting across the smooth contours of the Alderaanian's visage. The Prime Minister shifted in her chair and steadied herself with hands bracing against the edge of her desk.

"Everyone relies on me. Who do I get to rely on?" Her gaze readjusted to focus on the confiscated wine bottle now in Faith's hand. "I'm losing. I just lost my dad. I've been losing this war. Now I've lost Lady Kay, apparently.

"I've been here too long, but I can't quit." How the office had become a burden to her by this time rather than an honor! She needed something to help her love herself, because she sure did not love herself most of the time. "Help me. Please."

[member="Faith Balor-Organa"]

 

[Faith Organa]

Faith understood, "Gen get a grip, you're not the only one around here who has lost people, you aren't the only one who bears responsibilities for the war, and I lost two operatives last week, so don't get all soppy on me. I've been down this road and its easy to get lost in the bottle, but you're tougher than the fething bottle."

The only way she knew to help her was to tell her straight out, "now put your prime minister panties on and find me someone who can help me get the Senator back before the Hutts throw her body out onto the floor of the Senate" Faith stared hard at Gen, " we can discuss loss and pain later right now use it to push through" That is what Faith had done swallowed the hurt, and used the anger to push through her duties.

[member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

Gen dragged her open palms down the fore of her face in personal frustration, knowing Faith's words were bitterly true. Focus. Where was her focus in these times? She had been through more pressing situations. But maybe the dam had broken. Maybe she was no longer that strong woman. Now she was just like the rest of them, except with a large, white hat. "I know, Faith. I know." But I can't lose anyone now when I had no one to begin with.

Things looked grim enough as they were, even for an organization known by the acronym of GRIM. And if a dead senator went on Lasedri's record, that could sway the wobbling popularity she had into a plummet. She had enough support for now with her maintenance of that classic charismatic warhawk persona, but anything too serious such as this Hutt debacle turning deadly could ruin her term for good. Not that she was entirely sober enough to consider all that. "What was she doing with the Hutts? There have been rumors lately that her 'extracurricular activities' are more than a little dangerous. Though I'm sure GRIM would be aware..."

Get that fire back. Get that fire.

[member="Faith Balor-Organa"]