First Reply Old Haunts

[Gatz Derrevar]

Ship: The Red Night
Equipment: Outfit | Lightsaber
Tag: Open

Gatz had only come to Naboo to put flowers on his parents' graves, but while he was here, there was one other thing he had to do.

Dark cowl pulled over his head, Gatz's boots echoed quietly off of the stone paved streets of Theed. Even here, at the edges of the city where the less fortunate lived, the infrastructure was still mostly maintained. That changed, of course, once he diverted from the street to the alley. The streets were seen, so of course they were taken care of. But this narrow passage between two city blocks was rough, cracked, and uneven.

It was hidden, so the damage wasn't as noticeable. Society so loved to hide away the things it didn't want to see.

He found himself at the end of the alley, in front of cracked duracrete stairs on the back of a small building that led below ground level. Gatz stepped down them, reaching for the handrail, only to notice it had been torn away from the wall. Odd—the railing had still been there, the last time he was here—but not surprising. Homes this far out from the center of Theed tended to be... run down. He should know: he'd lived only a few blocks away from here.

Fifteen steps or so later, Gatz came to a door. He didn't bother knocking, no one ever did here. He simply swung it, and stepped through.

The basement room was smaller than he remembered as a child, but was largely the same: a small table and a chair near the entrance, roughly a dozen and a half sleeping bags on the floor behind it, as well as a multitude of blankets and comforters spread around. Seemingly smaller or not, it was a room he knew all too well, and one he could never forget.

One small safe haven for the homeless: a place to stay for when the nights got cold. Even now, there were slumbering forms wrapped up in the blankets strewn across the floor. Men and women of all ages... and some children too. That last one had always bothered Gatz—Theed had orphanages, but some these children were either never brought to them, or had fled from them.

"One moment!" Gatz remembered that voice, though it had been a decade since he'd heard it.

But Gatz hadn't returned here to catch up with an old caretaker. He simply dug a credit chit out of his belt and left it on the table. A small fortune—and yet only a fragment of the money Roche had laundered for him, stolen from Kragan Garr many months ago. But, fragment or not, Jackie would have the money to feed, clothe, and shelter the less fortunate for many moons to come.

That was all he cared about.

He heard footsteps approaching, probably old Jackie herself leaving her makeshift kitchen. But by the time she'd reached the table, Gatz was gone, door shut behind him, and standing at the top of the stairs once more.

 

[Lossa Aureus]

Equipment: Outfit
Accessories: Bracelet, Echo Stone
Weapons: Lossa's Lightsaber
Tags: Gatz Derrevar

Her naming ceremony complete and finishing the details of her name change to finalize the succession of her lineage, Lossa was already beginning the work she had in mind for her families name. Sanna's legacy was something entirely foreign to her. A bright star she had only witnessed from afar that had died long ago.

One of many stars that dotted the history of the galaxy, and one that required her to search for it. A thing that had not escaped her even as she studied fervently for the coming days of her becoming a noble of Naboo in more than just name. The meeting regarding the fate of the people of Coruscant fresh in her mind as the hollow words of the argumentative noble rung in her mind.

Thesan had made a point of using the people of Naboo to remain steadfast in his intent to keep their hands clean of the possible refugees to come. Their plight in the stretching years having put a strain on their heart and minds, as well as their bodies.

It was for this reason Lossa found herself wandering the lesser visited sections of the city. Eyeing the more forlorn sections that had seemingly been abandoned compared to the majority of the richer districts. Boasting their fresh architecture, amenities, and other lavish expenditures flagrantly displayed as a sign of their personal success. A sign that kept the bubble of rage rolling in the Zeltron's heart as she cast her eyes upward on the state of a particular buildings roof. Squinting a little at a spot that seemed entirely missing, and likely didn't help the occupant inside.

Her one good arm rising to shield her eyes as she inspected further as she stepped sideways. Eyes still glued to the roof as what remained of her left arm pushed into someone coming from below. A zing of pain that started in the damaged limb and ended in her hips. It was enough that her hand fell from her eyes to cover her round stomach with a loud gasp.

Nausea settling in the back of her throat as her stomach threatened to release what little she had ate before leaving the Aureus Estate.

A stumbled step forward as her legs set into a stance to keep from falling over while she regained control of her stomach. A teary eyed stare thrown to whoever had been so rude to-

"Gatz!?" His name burped out, throat tightening against the burning sensation she'd become all too intimately familiar with. Eyes clenched tight and head turned away as her hand pressed against her mouth. Bent forward in preparation for the worst reunion moment ever.

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

Ship: The Red Night
Equipment: Outfit | Lightsaber
Tag: Lossa Aureus

It was a testament to how tired Gatz was that he neither saw Lossa coming his way, nor was focused enough to feel her presence in the Force. But then he'd bumped right into her at the top of the stairs, and she lurched, and Gatz threw an arm out to stop her from falling over.

And froze like a lake in winter, once he realized just who he was looking at.

"Lossa, I—"

What was he supposed to say? He wasn't even sure how he felt. His emotions, which had been kept under ironclad control until just now, were like a whirlwind: strong affection, genuine fondness, joy... but also regret, hurt, and sorrow. Lossa was as beautiful as ever, and he was just as infatuated with her as he'd always been... but he still couldn't help but feel some kind of selfish pain seeing her pregnant with another man's child.

The fact that some part of him was still holding onto that... well, it was proof that maybe Gatz hadn't changed at all. Because a good man would only have been overjoyed to see her.

He tried to find the right words for a happy reunion, but he was cut off:

Eyes clenched tight and head turned away as her hand pressed against her mouth. Bent forward in preparation for the worst reunion moment ever.

Because Lossa was about to hurl.

Before Gatz even knew what he was doing, he'd already placed a hand gently on her shoulder to steady her, and used the other to pull dark locks of hair away from the back of her neck. He blinked, realizing it was kind of an intimate thing to do for her, and that it was certainly going to be awkward to talk about once she was done throwing up.

Old habits died hard, Gatz supposed. He'd done this very thing for his mother many times at the end of her life.

"Don't hold it back, Lossa. This alley has seen worse than a little morning sickness."

 

[Lossa Aureus]

Equipment: Outfit
Accessories: Bracelet, Echo Stone
Weapons: Lossa's Lightsaber
Tags: Gatz Derrevar

Her head was already a whirlwind of thoughts and feelings. The recent events with saving Romi. Ignoring the looming conversation of what happened at the temple during her rescue. The impending fight to happen at Coruscant and how tiny she felt on the galactic stage to help the people there. Never mind helping the people here on Naboo as well. Then on top of that trying to manage her own issues with Jakku.

Seeing Gatz had only added more fuel to the fire. Unsure if trying to keep herself from throwing up was the best choice as the tightness in her stomach shifted into uncomfortable pain.

The comforting hand on her back and the veil of her hair pulled back made the irritation sink away. Made her feel horrible that someone was treating her kindly in that moment. She'd been doing just fine. She hadn't needed help. Pushed against everyone worrying about her and even going against their wishes by showing up to offer what help she could. Of course she was doing just fine.

Right?

The scant moment of softness from Gatz brought a sting to her eyes. Quickly replaced by the pain of being unable to keep her stomach in check. Hand held out against the wall. She did in fact lose her breakfast, which didn't consist of much. The whole ordeal left her drained, leaning against both him and the arm she had against the wall to keep herself from falling over as pain bloomed in the small of her back and radiated up and outward.

Slowly turning her head to address him with a weak smile while trying to keep her breathing steady.

"Sorry. Just. Tired. How-" A deep breath making her wince as she tried to stand upright. "How're you?"

Hand shifting to rub her spine as she winced again, more pushing against her hips to stand up straight than using muscle.

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

Ship: The Red Night
Equipment: Outfit | Lightsaber
Tag: Lossa Aureus

It was kind of morbidly funny, but Lossa being lost in the throes of vomiting actually gave Gatz time to somewhat put his thoughts in order. Now, "in order" for him still meant that his mind was a whirlwind—but lessened enough for him to function. He was sure Lossa wouldn't appreciate that, on account of her breakfast violently upheaving itself past her lips, but Gatz found that it was almost a blessing in disguise.

He, wisely, chose not to voice that opinion.

When she was done, she was left leaning against him, and using the wall for support. Gatz frowned. Far be it from him to tell a woman as strong as Lossa what to do—or any woman for that matter—but... should someone, like, be with her? She was pregnant! Where was Sid? Where was Briana? Hell, as much as Gatz didn't want to meet the guy, where was her baby daddy?

Someone ought to be looking out for her! But Gatz kept that thought to himself as well. Wisdom struck twice today, it seemed. And for someone as stupid as him, that was an act of providence indeed.

"How're you?"

"Well, I was gonna say 'shitty,'" Gatz admitted, "but all things considered, I think you're having a harder time right now than I am."

Did she have water on her? Her mouth had to taste like bile right now, right? She needed water. There should be water present. But it wasn't like he kept a flask of water on him, not on a world as wet as Naboo was. So—

Two seconds in and you're already trying to mother hen her, Gatz chided himself, and you know she doesn't accept help readily.

So the question was: how did he trick Lossa into coming with him to get her water, without her knowing he was doing that? And how did he avoid her ire when she inevitably caught on? Gatz almost wished he could still raid Briana's mind. Briana always had the answers he needed. He meant that in general, but especially when it came to questions about her own cousin.

"I'm thirsty," Gatz gave the absolute lamest fib ever, "give me your arm, Pretty Bird, and let's go get something to drink."

Embarrassing. He used to be so much better at this: the lying part, and the flirting part.

 

[Lossa Aureus]

Equipment: Outfit
Accessories: Bracelet, Echo Stone
Weapons: Lossa's Lightsaber
Tags: Gatz Derrevar

"Well, I was gonna say 'shitty,'" Gatz admitted, "but all things considered, I think you're having a harder time right now than I am."

After making sure the effort wouldn't make her sick any further, she let out a weak laugh. Nodding at his observation before she slowly righted herself.

"Yeah. Slipped away from my watch. Look around these parts of Naboo." Nodding towards the place around them in general before continuing on. "Get a list of what can be done, for everyone."

Rubbing at her throat as she finished her shortened explanation. Discomfort plain on her face as she tried clearing her throat only to grimace and rethink her life choices.

Taking the time to look around once more before letting her gaze settle on Gatz. It hadn't been her intent to interrupt whatever he had been doing, and likely the same could be said of his quiet trip here on Naboo. An idle thought passing her mind about having potentially remembered this kind of plot setup in one of those Lady Velvet books she'd snagged from the holonet to pass the time. Her amusement was topical however, as the wonder of what he was doing back on Naboo came to the front.

But questioning him right now was not on her priority list with the continuing burn in her throat. Trying to get comfortable enough to speak again when Gatz intervened.

"I'm thirsty," Gatz gave the absolute lamest fib ever, "give me your arm, Pretty Bird, and let's go get something to drink."

If it wasn't for the discomfort of speaking, and the want to wash away the feeling quickly, she might have argued. Instead, she offered her arm for him and let him lead the way. Mindful of the path while frowning at the thought of the mess she'd left behind.

"That would be nice." A slight cough behind her words as they walked.

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

Ship: The Red Night
Equipment: Outfit | Lightsaber
Tag: Lossa Aureus

"Yeah. Slipped away from my watch. Look around these parts of Naboo." Nodding towards the place around them in general before continuing on. "Get a list of what can be done, for everyone."

Tears pricked at his eyes, and Gatz had to quickly blink them away. It wasn't... it wasn't that he thought Lossa didn't care about the plight of people like him—she herself hadn't grown up in wealth. But it was always a surprise to see someone on this world give a shit. After a decade spent growing up here, with little food, a dilapidated house, and a sick mother who had been denied insurance even by the government, Gatz had long since given up on the idea of Naboo's wealthy actually helping those in poverty.

"I—thank you," Gatz forced past the lump in his throat, "you have no idea what that means to me. No one else with your kind of wealth cares about the people who grew up like I did."

Gatz had to take a minute to compose himself, embarrassingly enough. He was supposed to be either one of two things: the big bad smuggler, or the stoic and dutiful Jedi. Neither had time for tears. It was appropriate, then, that Gatz refused to be the former, and so often failed to be the latter.

But, there were only two people he was willing to cry around. Mostly because both of them had already seen the worst of him. He didn't want to show Lossa that, lest he scare her off.

"Come on," Gatz croaked out, after clearing his throat, "there's a local watering hole around the corner. Not the best place to bring a pregnant woman, admittedly, but even a bar serves water."

 

[Lossa Aureus]

Equipment: Outfit
Accessories: Bracelet, Echo Stone
Weapons: Lossa's Lightsaber
Tags: Gatz Derrevar

At one point she might have disagreed with Gatz about kindness being in short supply. A rude awakening at the meeting for Coruscant had shaken that belief from her mind though. Nobles had shown their colors in the meeting. At least a few of them at least and those names had burnt themselves into her mind indefinitely.

"I have some idea. But not the way you have seen life." A fact she always reminded herself of when she was trying to move through life. Not everyone had the same experience nor the same outlooks.

Two people raised on the same planet at the same time could very well both condemn and laud their homeworld.

Blinded to both sides by differences in their situation. A fact that Lossa had been made painfully aware of early in her life and carried with her even today. It wasn't difficult to see why those outside the better maintained districts of Naboo despised those that kept their purses tightly cinched. Even with Briana and her own voices raised against such ideas, they had only served to further solidify the beliefs that already existed in the minds of those Nobles stuck in their way.

"I've been shown kindness, and I can't very well keep myself blind to the ones being served poorly." She cleared her throat again when the burn settled right at the back of her mouth.

Pushing her comfort away to make herself clear as Gatz took a moment. She said nothing of his composure, instead silently watching and offering a smile when he spoke again. His rumblings about the bar getting a shake of her head and a small chuckle behind it.

"Bars are bars. Most don't bother themselves to trouble a pregnant woman. Besides." Giving him a grin as they walked. "I'm hardly walking in alone."

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

Ship: The Red Night
Equipment: Outfit | Lightsaber
Tag: Lossa Aureus

"I have some idea. But not the way you have seen life."

"Then maybe..." Gatz started slowly, "maybe we all need to come together more often—people who grew up like I did, people who grew up like you did, and people who grew up like Briana did—and share the things we struggled with. Maybe that would lead to more understanding."

It wasn't a point of view he'd have ever considered before meeting Lossa and Briana. Before them, all he'd ever been capable of was seeing the way he'd grown up, and being furious with those who'd grown up without his struggles. It had bred anger and resentment in him, and on some days it still did. Seeing the Sal-Soren manor, seeing the Nobles' big fancy house, seeing the palace Cora would have ruled from—it was hard not to feel bitter when he'd grown up in a shed of a house, and without enough food on the table.

But at some point bitterness became a poison. Or maybe it had been a poison from the very first taste—just slow acting. Gatz had bore enough hurt. He didn't need to add to it, especially not if he was really just inflicting that hurt upon himself.

And so maybe instead, it was time to see the good that could come from the affluent. Were Briana Sal-Soren and Corazona von Ascania to blame for growing up with wealth? No. Did they reach out to help those in need? Yes. So those with means were capable of doing good with those means. They just needed an example to follow. Gatz had three rich girls in his life who were providing that very example. One of them was on his very arm.

Plus, frankly, it'd be hypocritical to be upset at those born into money when he had a crime lord's entire wealth burning a hole in his pocket now.

"I'm hardly walking in alone."

Gatz smiled, kind of awkwardly.

"That... may not be a good thing. Brandyn Sal-Soren and I got kicked out of this establishment once. The bartender might not be happy to see me again."

 

[Lossa Aureus]

Equipment: Outfit
Accessories: Bracelet, Echo Stone
Weapons: Lossa's Lightsaber
Tags: Gatz Derrevar

The suggestion of different walks of life meeting to speak was not a new one for her. It had been done a number of times in the Outer Rim under her own nose. People setting aside the lingering issues to strive towards a common goal.

It had also been a boiling pot left unattended when the common goal had been achieved.

"Won't be without its headaches since everyone is so stuck in their ways. But. Nothing worthwhile was ever gained by avoiding problems." She knew full well the irony behind her words given the conflict that was soon to arrive elsewhere. But issues like this had a tendency to reveal themselves at inopportune moments.

Her face scrunched a little at the memory of two crews butting heads over a trade route. It had been secured from the local inconveniences that had been plaguing it and the two groups stood to gain plenty without the other involved. And the subsequent mediation required by those that had brokered the tentative peace. A headache she well remembered and was likely to have repeat with the interactions she'd been made to have with the latest talks between those in the ear of the queen.

Pearls clutched and purses cinched at the thought of giving back to those that made up the backbone and body of the planet. Unaware of how willing a body of people could become to detach themselves from the metaphorical and literal head of their people.

A tightrope affair that would no doubt bring with it some form of issue requiring cooler heads to prevail.

A word from Gatz pulling her back from the wandering thoughts as he mentioned that he'd been removed from the place they were going. No less alongside Brandyn to boot. That detail causing a brow to arch as curiosity painted itself across her face.

"Oh that ought to be a story. You'll have to fill me on what sort of shenanigans the two of you got into to warrant removal." A grin appearing in place of the lingering worries behind her thoughts.