Private Paid Time Off

[Alicio Organa]

Grand Assembly, Fondor
Office of the Chancellor
- Amani Serys -
​

Alicio hadn't seen Amani or the kids in weeks.

It was by far the longest time he'd been without them, ever since he'd been marooned with Kai on Zaathru. All of his time was eaten up by meetings with heads of state, hopping around the Alliance on negotiations, shaking hands and making promises with power no one man should have any right commanding. He was fighting to keep ahead of it all, and so far, he was succeeding. But that just made him feel like the Alliance's next crisis was imminent. It didn't help that the Future was infuriatingly silent on the matter.

In all that time, his family was never far from his thoughts. He'd synced his datapad's timer to Liana and August's schedules, just so he could step out of meetings to wish them sweet dreams, and tell them he loved them very much. But he couldn't tuck them in. It hurt every time he had to disconnect, being too far to kiss their foreheads good night.

All that was changing, today. Alicio stared at his clock, willing the minutes to tick by faster. Any moment, Amani and the children would walk through his doors. And for the first time since his inauguration, their family would be together.

He could hardly wait.

 

[Amani Serys]

The last few months had been incredibly busy for the Organa family. Alicio's responsibilities in the Alliance were amping up; Even before he was certifiably selected as the net Chancellor, preparations were well underway for the transition of office. Meanwhile, Amani had been hard at work overseeing the Vonnuvi Enclave, which was taking a heavy role in Outer Rim outreach. They decided it would be best to have the children taken to the herdship with Amani, where they would at least have one of their parents regularly around to take care of them.

Now, Alicio was settled into his station, and the Vonnuvi Enclave was back to more standard day-to-day operation. The chaos had (mosltly) subsided. August and Liana were practically dragging Amani along with them on the way to see their dad again. They seemed to understand the weight of their parents' work, but it didn't make it any more difficult for a child to be away from them. Amani and Alicio had always strove to try and keep such absenteeism to a minimum. Amani liked to think that, all things considered, they were succeeding on that front.

The two kids burst through the doors with palpable, almost destructive excitement. If Alicio's future didn't bother to give him any warning, he might very well end up tackled to the ground by the twins. Amani appeared in the door frame soon after, removing her hood to reveal a relieved smile, "Hello, Dad," She said.

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

Danger, Alicio's future-vision warned. But the good kind.

Alicio was already rushing to the door before he saw the kids, kneeling to meet them. All the same, they nearly pulled him to the ground with their tackling hugs, gripping onto him tightly and squealing a greeting. Alicio released a surprised chuckle, letting his lips graze across their foreheads, and feeling a speck of moisture at the corner of his eye. It hadn't been that long, in the grand scheme of things... but to him, it had been forever since he'd seen them.

"Hello, Lovely. Hey Auggie. I missed you both so much." Alicio cradled the backs of their heads closely, giving them his undivided attention for a few beautiful seconds. Then, he looked past them, at the love of his life.

Maneuvering his children around so they were each hugging one of his calves, Alicio trudged over to her, causing the little ones to laugh as they were pulled along by each stomping footfall. Without hesitation, he wrapped his arms around Amani, putting his brow to hers.

"Amani." Alicio said her name with the reverence of a prayer. "I missed you. A lot."

"Please save me. I can't stand another minute in this building."

- Amani Serys -

 

[Amani Serys]

"We missed you too, daddy."

Amani laughed cheerfully at the sight, silently appreciating these moments that were once the norm. It had been easy to forget with how busy life had become all over again. After an appropriate amount of showered attention for the kids, the parents locked eyes. Alicio's ankle weights giggled as they stifled his movement, and Amani took a half-step forward to spare him the last ounce of effort. They embraced, the two children stuck between them in the moment. "I missed you, too."

"Please save me. I can't stand another minute in this building."

"Got a speeder waiting outside." She said, then looked down at the children, "Ready to rescue your dad?"

"Yeah!" The twins said in unison, already unlatching themselves to run back down the hall and towards the exit.

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

Seeing them felt better than he could've ever forseen.

Alicio lingered with his family in his arms for a moment, already feeling some lost strength from long days and sleepless nights returning to him. For a lovely moment, the Chancellery slipped his mind. All that mattered was Amani and the twins.

After drinking in that moment for as long as he could, Alicio pulled away, standing as the children rushed towards the door.

"Ready to rescue your dad?"

"Yeah!"

"My heroes." Alicio chuckled, letting his hand entwine in Amani's. "Let's go. Before they rope me into another meeting."

Walking through the General Ministry Canton, Alicio had a new pep in his step. Aides, senators, and government officials seemed to part around the Organa family. A few seemed to think about chancing a conversation with the senator, before noticing the guard dogs that were his children, obviously on a mission to get their father out of the building, and deciding to save it for another day.

"How have you all enjoyed the Temple? Made lots of friends?" Alicio directed the question at each of them, though Amani kept his attention a little longer. "I hope you haven't been too busy."

- Amani Serys -

 

[Amani Serys]

"Can't have that," Amani replied, taking the Chancellor's hand as they left the room. The children did a good job protecting him from any would-be conversations, be it with gazes pitiful (August) or threatening (Liana) directed at those who seemed to be weighing the choice.

"Yeah!" Liana suddenly turned to face her father innocently, "The Vonvee is a cool ship. Lots of nice people there," She didn't seem to distinguish between the enclave and the ship as a whole, and began rattling off a number of figures who piqued her interest as best as she could remember them, hardly gibing August a chance to speak.

Amani smirked, "I have, unfortunately. But the work was worth it, I think. And now it's done with. That's what matters to me." She studied Alicio for a moment, "What about you?"

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

Before Alicio could get a word in edge-wise, Liana was listing off an impressively extensive list of names. Alicio closed his mouth, simply nodding and encouraging Lia to continue speaking, making sure to file away the people she mentioned for later reference. He didn't mind the endless stream of childish consciousness from his daughter- it was very cute.

August didn't seem to think so, though. He waved at Liana to get her attention. "Hey! Lia! My turn!" He raised his hand, as if waiting to be called on by one of his parents.

"I have, unfortunately. But the work was worth it, I think. And now it's done with. That's what matters to me. What about you?"

Alicio's eye twitched a little as the question was brought back to him. He decided to take the meandering route to his answer. "Good. I'm sure the Vonnuvi Temple appreciates all you do. At least, they'd better." He chanced a grin. "Or else I'll have some strong words for them."

"Um... I..." How did he say this? "I haven't been this tired since Sanctuary City. I'm barely keeping up with everything. Lots of meetings. Long nights. Early mornings. Negotiations..." Alicio's expression soured, his gaze suddenly finding the floor. "I don't see an end to it. Not for a good long while."

Finally, they made it to the Canton's private hanger, breezing through a security checkpoint. Freedom was so close.

- Amani Serys -

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani snorted, "They'd definitely better. I'm the one who built the place, after all." Alicio was dragging out his own response, however, and she waited expectantly for him to get around to her question. He admitted that the work was indeed straining. And seemingly unending. It was probably to be expected. He was Chancellor of the largest democratic body in the entire galaxy. Trillions, if not quadrillions, of people were beholden to his office. And it a time such as this, with conflicts on all sides, there was all the more weight to his decisions.

"Well… no one ever said being Chancellor was easy," She tried to make light, but turned more serious after a moment, "I'm sorry to hear that. It must be heavy to carry." As they passed through the checkpoint and headed for the speeder, she offered him a kiss on the cheek, "All the more reason to let it go for one day."

August was still trying to have his turn when the doors to the speeder opened for them. Amani chuckled, and finally gave him the attention he needed, "Yes, dear?"

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

"I'm sorry to hear that. It must be heavy to carry." As they passed through the checkpoint and headed for the speeder, she offered him a kiss on the cheek, "All the more reason to let it go for one day."

"Mmm." Alicio hummed low, discovering a silly little grin. "You know me. Master of leaving work at work."

But he would try regardless. He wanted to be completely present, with his family.

Finally, August got his turn. He hopped on his tippy toes. "Hi Mommy! Ummmm..." He had to think a moment, having spent so much time getting their attention, he had forgotten what he was going to say. "Oh! I have lots of friends. I played starships with Ti, and me and Omar were drawing, and I played on the swings with Shale! Which was hard, because she is a rock..." He continued in very much the same vein as his sister, oversharing the specifics, and not seeming to care how much time he was taking.

Alicio helped the children into the speeder, climbing into the passenger seat alongside them. "So, Amani. Did you have a plan for today, or shall we wing it?" He didn't mind either way. Sure, he enjoyed a good plan... but some of his favorite moments with Serys had been spontaneous.

- Amani Serys -

 

[Amani Serys]

"Quite," Amani said with a knowing grin of her own.

August took a moment to recollect his thoughts, having already forgotten what he was waiting for. When he did remember, he rattled off a long-winded list of people and things much like Liana. Amani listened, though she had trouble keeping track of all the names he was shotgunning off, as well as all the sidetracking anecdotes.

They hopped into the speeder, and the children looked at Alicio expectantly. "Well, our plan was to do whatever you wanted to do," Amani answered, "So, what would the Chancellor most like to do on his day off? Anything he wants."

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

Alicio blinked once, realizing that his family was looking at him for an answer. What did he want?

It had been a second since Alicio had thought about what he wanted to do. His life had been a parade of thing he hadn't wanted to do, recently. It would be refreshing to do something he enjoyed, for a change.

"Mm... What I want, more than anything, I have right here" His smile persisted, even as he felt a slight rumble in his stomach. "What I want second-most... is food."

"Maybe somewhere... fast? I've had my fill of fancy dinners, recently."

There had to be an empty McYoda's or Pizza Hutt somewhere on the planet, right?

- Amani Serys -

 

[Amani Serys]

"Mm... What I want, more than anything, I have right here"

"Good answer," Amani replied, though clearly still waiting for a more actionable answer, which was promptly given: Food. Just what they seemed to have in mind. Nothing fancy, though. Which seemed all the better to the children.

"McYoda's! McYoda's! McYoda's!" Liana and August started a chant almost immediately.

Amani could only laugh and shake her head, "McYoda's, then?" And with a final confirmation, they were off. It wouldn't take long for them to find one either. The damn things practically littered any half-industrialized planet.

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

Alicio found an amused smile, looking at the twins. "Well... I guess it would be a shame to disappoint the kids. McYoda's it is."

He fought to keep the mischievous smirk off his face. In his own head, he'd been chanting McYoda's, too.

Alicio was pleasantly surprised by how fast they found one. Nestled between high-rising shining structures was the sign of a goofy green face, holding a cartoonishly big hamburger. The children's chant became a cheer of joy at seeing the familiar sight. Parking in a mostly empty, lot, the family disembarked, Alicio holding Liana and August's hands after lifting them out of the vehicle. Through the transparisteel door, Alicio could see the chain restaurant was entirely empty, save for a disgruntled teen at the cash register.

"When was the last time we came to one of these? When we lived on Coruscant?"

- Amani Serys -

 

[Amani Serys]

They found a McYoda's in almost no time at all. Together they all hopped out of the speeder as quickly as they had got in, and found a restaurant that was wholly empty. Surprising, really. They were cheap and popular enough, you'd think there'd be a least a few folks inside. Perhaps it was an inconvenient location. "Must have been," Amani tried to recall their last specific McYoda's experience. They weren't exactly feasting on ten-piece nuna nuggets while in the noble palaces of Alderaan.

Amani opened the door, which rang with a tinny ding to announce their entrance. The scrawny teen cashier lazily glanced their way. There was a moment where Amani wondered if he would recognize them. He didn't say anything, or react in any special way, so maybe he wasn't keeping up to date in his current events classes. Or maybe he just hadn't registered it yet. "Hello," Was all he said, his voice cracking slightly, "Can I take your order?"

Amani offered him a courteous smile, then turned her eyes to the menu. There was a new item heavily advertised, the somewhat morbidly named Triple Bypass: a burger stacked with three whole patties, chock full of grease and sodium and cholesterol, with seemingly no vegetables to be found. Liana seemed to find some appeal in both the novelty and the challenge, "Mom," She whispered hungrily, "Can I get that?"

Amani seemed skeptical, "Uhh, I don't know about that. Seems very… unhealthy." That, and she doubted the kid would be able to eat it all in the first place. Last time they got a meal out, she barely ate a quarter of it before declaring she was full.

"Pleaseeee. I promise I'll eat it all!"

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

Alicio's hypothesis? The planet had become oversaturated with McYoda's. And with it being a bit of an odd time for dinner... Well, there was a reason only the skeleton crew was working, now.

The little family stepped into the restaurant, and Alicio was immediately assaulted by the sheer... mundanity of it all. It looked like every other McYoda's, the cashier didn't recognize them... it was as if he'd stepped back in time, to his first days on Coruscant. Stopping for a quick bite on the way home from his office.

"We'll... just need a moment." Alicio smiled apologetically, then checked in with the others. Lia had her eyes set on... oh dear. And of course, seeing his sister trying something new...

"Hey!" Auggie pouted a little, pointing a finger at the picture. "I want that too, please!"

Alicio didn't use his Future vision for pointless things... but this was far from pointless. He dipped into the stream of Time, searching with inerring accuracy...

"Pleaseeee. I promise I'll eat it all!"

...And shook his head 'no'. She wasn't even going to make it through a third.

"How about we compromise, kids." Alicio let a tiny smirk through. "You can both share a burger, if you both also eat half of Daddy's salad first." He had been craving a nuna salad, recently.

"Deal?"

- Amani Serys -

 

[Amani Serys]

Both of the children became immediately invested in this new monstrous burger. Amani glanced back pitifully at Alicio, and caught that certain look in his eye. He was consulting the Force itself over this. She snorted, and shook her head. Alicio did the same himself a moment later, confirming what both parents already knew to be true.

"How about we compromise, kids." Alicio let a tiny smirk through. "You can both share a burger, if you both also eat half of Daddy's salad first."

Liana thought long and hard about this proposal. Her lips contorted in severe contemplation, then, she nodded, "Can we get the kids meal? So it comes with a toy? Then deal."

"Good enough for me," Amani interjected. She turned to the cashier, "Two nuna salads, and the triple bypass burger, kids meal." After they rang it up, Liana also added the concession that they sit in the PlayPlace section of the restaurant. It wasn't much of a request as it was her and her brother making a direct beeline for there as soon as they were able. Amani settled into a booth, while the kids began climbing and sliding around on the colorful set obstacles.

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

"Yes!" August pumped his fist, apparently also happy with the deal Lia had struck with their parents.

Alicio and Amani made their way to a small booth, letting the kids get up to shenanigans in the play place. It was empty save for them, which was a good thing, since August exclusively sped down the slide, landed in a pile on the ground, then popped back up with a giggle to do it all over again.

Alicio watched them both with a growing sad glint in his eye, scrunching his lip in thought.

"First time I ever went to one of these was on Coruscant. After I joined the Senate." His lip unscrunched, and quirked up. "Simpler times."

- Amani Serys -

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani watched the kids triumphantly lay claim to the whole play place. Out of the corner of she noticed Alicio's expression, whatever thoughts were behind his eyes unspoken.

"First time I ever went to one of these was on Coruscant. After I joined the Senate." His lip unscrunched, and quirked up. "Simpler times."

Amani smirked, "First time I went to one was… when I was out of the Order. Exploring the galaxy for myself. Gosh, must have been— over a decade ago now." She almost seemed taken aback by how long it had been, "Simpler times, indeed."

"Whatcha thinkin' about?" She asked, probing for more.

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

"First time I went to one was… when I was out of the Order. Exploring the galaxy for myself. Gosh, must have been— over a decade ago now."

Alicio picked up on Amani's surprise, an amused puff of air escaping his nose. "Really? That long? We first met at the end of your walkabout, didn't we?" Alicio smirked. "I hate to break it to you, love, but... I think we're getting old."

Amani wasn't one to leave his thoughts unspoken. Alicio gave her a warm smile. "Nothing too heavy this time, I swear. It's just that... It feels nice going somewhere... plain, with you. Nobody to recognize us, or bother us, or crowd us. Just us."

"I didn't think we could ever do that again. Be normal people." They had both abandoned all sense of normalcy ever since they'd taken the throne on Alderaan, not to mention both of their galleries of responsibilities since. They had captured it here, for a brief moment... but that was where the blue came from. Alicio knew it wouldn't last.

If only it would.

"Do you... miss it? Being normal?" A question Alicio had often thought, but rarely thought to ask.

- Amani Serys -

 

[Amani Serys]

"I had just started my reintegration with the Jedi around then," Amani clarified. "Older— Not old. Not yet I hope."

Alicio reflected on the rare situation they were handed today. An empty restaurant, with no one to recognize them. No one to hound them with questions or demands or expectations. A rare moment of normalcy.

"Of course I miss it," Amani answered quickly, "Life was much easier when no one knew who I was. Everything we say and do has weight, whether we want it to or not. The responsibility can be... crushing. And I can't help but wonder what their lives would be like, without all the focus and the expectations placed on them," She nodded towards the kids.

"But, I like to think we've done a lot of good things with our positions, too. Things that might not have happened otherwise. For all the details that get lost in the bigger scope, it's also easier to see sweeping differences being made."

"And, if nothing else, I hope our status can at least give the kids a more comfortable life. More opportunities of their own."

"How about you? Do you miss it?"

Alicio Organa​