Private Reunion Over Drinks

[NPC Treasury]

Kay smirked a little. She was the only Queen of Commenor that the planet had ever had after nearly a thousand years. Now it was a fully democratic society, which wasn't entirely a bad thing.

Leave it to Connor Harrison to ask and then answer his own questions. "Outside of politics, what I knew best was tea. So it made sense. Plus....it keeps the Sith off my back." Not to mention a great many other people.

As he asked about Veiere, Kay hugged herself. The pain of his passing still hurt inside. "Due to our Force Bond, the Force was generous enough to show me his death...Though I'd rather it hadn't. He was slain by Praz as the two fought. They seemed to have taken out eachother, but I've heard that Praz survived. Now the bond is severed and there's nothing..." Kay felt emptier. The two had shared a bond for over twenty years, always felt eachother and were always in reach. Now she had no one to go to for advice or a kind word.

Kay then shrugged off her feelings after letting out a quick breath and then got out the steaks from the cool room. She unwrapped them and placed them on the counter before taking out a meat tenderizer and started beating it down on the meat. "What about you? Married yet? Kids? I'm sure there must be some lucky lady that's grabbed your attention by now."

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor had experienced loss in may forms, that of both a mutual and non-mutual gain. It still hurt, no matter how much. It was always there; the pang of "what if" or "why me". Losing a husband would be just as painful. Veiere still meant the world to Kay, as her body language told Connor. Watching her recount his death was sad to see, and it was never easy hearing how a good man fell to that of a barbarian.

He didn't lower his head, or mumble an empty verse. He was beyond that with all he had seen - he kept it real, and honest.

"His legacy will live on, in not just his family, but those he helped during his time. I know that much for certain."

When Kay moved to the meat, she could easily let out a few moments of frustration and loss on those poor steaks. The slams were hard and echoed around the kitchen - and it amused him to see.

"Me? Oh heavens no. I've never found the time or right moment to settle down. Maybe in the past, it could have been." A couple of faces appeared in his mind, those names that would haunt him, never having closure on what happened. The loss was evident for split second. "No lucky lady just yet. I'm learning when I let my guard down someone always get's hurt."

A painful truth.

NPC Treasury

 

[NPC Treasury]

Once the meat was properly tenderized, Kay set down the mallet and began to season the steaks, applying a dry rub. There were plenty of herbs for her to use already in the kitchen and the steak was sure to be full of flavour.

"I know what you mean about getting hurt. And hurting others. That's how politics turned out to be for me in the end. So many.....bad decisions..."

Kay started on the veggies now, peeling and dicing them as though it was all second nature to her. "But neither of us should let fear control our lives. That was one of the last things that Veiere told me when he tried once more to get me to leave and go to Kashyyyk with him. He figured that I'd do better there...." She placed the veggies on a sheet of foil and began seasoning them. "..but I knew that I'd be just as alone there as I am here. At least here I'll never run out of tea." Kay shrugged her shoulders a bit as she smirked. Her daughter was far better at humour than she was.

"You'll find someone eventually. And then you'll wonder how you lived without them before. It's a...wonderful feeling to have." Especially when it was shared and mutual.

Connor Harrison

 

[Connor Harrison]

Part of Connor was ready to help Kay prepare the food, but she was a professional at this sort of thing now; he could tell by the way she moved and how fluidly she went from one item to the next. If he got in the way, he'd just slow it down. He could do one thing however.

"Let me get the tea on brew for you."

Even that was a gamble - he didn't remember how she took her tea, but at least he could get the water boiling. He walked across to the numerous heaters and stoves, which looked like different apparatus for different teas? How many teas could one drink? His eyes scanned them and he chewed his cheek a little, sighing.

"I hope you haven't resigned yourself to being out here alone forever. I mean, have you not wanted to go back towards the Core worlds, see your friends and be around your children more? I'm sure you could so you don't feel so...lost?"

He took a chance on one water heater and pressed a button that would hopefully heat the water within.

"And I'm sure my path will be evident when I walk it. After all, it brought me back to you didn't it? Must be a reason for that!"

Connor smiled to himself and turned around as the gentle bubbles of water started to ripple up from the heat. He just hoped his choice of words didn't sound as forward as they did now he thought about them!

NPC Treasury

 

[NPC Treasury]

Kay nodded in thanks as Connor Harrison offered to make her some tea. It had been forever since someone else had done that for her. Or so it felt.

She turned on the oven and wrapped up the veggies before placing them inside. They'll take longer to cook than the steaks.

"I don't have a means of travel anymore. And the Core Worlds? Where would I go that there's no threat of me being arrested? I have no friends there. All my friends are....I don't know anymore. None came to look for me when I was taken by Tacitus. No-one cared. I got out of my execution myself." With the help of an imaginary friend brought on by PTSD.

She washed her hands and then leaned against the counter, folding her arms across her chest. "My children aren't exactly stationary. They wander the Galaxy far more than they stay put anywhere, saving people and doing great things. I'm not going to burden them or get in the way of their work."

As for why Connor just suddenly found his way to her shoppe? Kay didn't want to get her hopes up or look into it too deeply. "It could be that you just needed a decent meal and a proper sleep. That could be why you found your way here."

 

[Connor Harrison]

She had a point - why would she want to go back to a place that may bring up more pain from the past? He folded his arms and thought about it. He had done his fair share of running and hidiing, and there was always a way forward.

"How about simply going back for a while as....not Kay? Take another personna. Shed some of the old strings from your past to see what the future could bring. It would be a shame for you to be fearful of returning at least somewhere you could make yourself a good life."

He had to watch how that came out!

"Not for a second that this life is not good for you, and the business is certainly a rich one, but you just don't want to let the past dictate what could be for you. Maybe even touch base with your children?"

With a smile, he nodded to himself.

"There is always hope going forward. Trust me." He glanced at the food. "Can I help?"

NPC Treasury

 

[NPC Treasury]

Kay just shook her head a little. "I have a new personna here, Connor. I'm just a nameless owner of a tea company. My face used to be on the holonews all the time, so it's not as though I could hide out anywhere for long." She gestured to the kitchen, yet clearly indicated the building as a whole. "I'm sure that even my time here is limited."

She turned on the grill, yet didn't move to place the steaks on it yet. "My children are quite busy with their own lives, as is everyone else. I had them here to let them know about Veiere and that was about it. They went off on their own to grieve in whatever manner works for them."

Kay shook her head as Connor Harrison asked to help with the food. [color=]"No thanks, I'm good. It's nice to be useful for a change."[/color] At least in some other way that wasn't in serving tea.

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor turned to look at Kay as she spoke, carrying over the tea he had made. The smell of the food was rising, and he could hear the meat starting to sizzle. He placed the cup down beside her.

"Tell me about your children. I don't remember them - well, bar their faces when we were much younger, but I never had many interactions with them. You must be proud of what they do."

He couldn't work out if she sounded sad to be away from them; not part of their adventures or seeing their place in the galaxy. The tea swirled gently and the heat rose.

"Let me know if the tea is good. I have to say I think I got this right. I used the bags by the boiler, if that's ok?"

NPC Treasury

 

[NPC Treasury]

"Give it a few minutes to steep and it'll be fine." She could already smell the tea mixing with the smells of their dinner.

Connor Harrison asked her about her children, and so she took a moment before responding. "Caedyn is much like his father, joining organizations to help others, fighting in wars to protect the innocent. And of course that makes me worry that he'll suffer the same fate as Veiere..." Lori was another story entirely. "Lori is still finding her way. The war between the Jedi and Mandalorians had her torn; caught in the middle like me. I think she's still shipping things and looking for treasures. I'm not sure." Kay had no idea about what Lori was truly up to.

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor made a note of the names. They may come in handy to help Kay get back some relationship with them in future. He wasn't going to stick his nose in anyone's business, but something didn't sit right with him. She was out here, alone and hiding. That was no way for a former Queen to be - she had much to give and much to still change in the galaxy.

She did well to hide her outer feelings, but inside she wasn't as strong. He kept his eyes on her as she spoke, getting a little curious about the war he missed out on.

"Jedi and Mandalorion war you say? Well that escaped my news desk. What happened there? Was it the Silvers?"

NPC Treasury

 

[NPC Treasury]

Kay wasn't fond of the war either. It was another shard that cut into her life and left her wounded.

She approached the stove and turned over the steaks so that the other side can cook.

"I don't know what started it. More than likely a misunderstanding, but yes, it was a war primarily between the Silvers and the Mandalorians. It wasn't pretty. Veiere fought for the Jedi while Lori and I...well we did our best to stay out of it. At one time a planet that I was on was attacked by the Jedi. Veiere was told to arrest me should I be found, yet he let me escape...I cleared my name with the Silvers however. And it was after that meeting that I was captured by the Eternal Empire and lost everything."

There was much pain there. The event changed her life and now with Veiere's death, she wasn't sure that she'd ever recover.

Connor Harrison

 

[Connor Harrison]

It sounded like times - and morals - had changed in such a short time in terms of a galaxy. Connor folded his arms and tilted his back a little, trying to paint a picture of what Kay was saying. It didn't sound much like a war of merit. More like a war of ego.

He frowned. "I can't say I know much about the Mandalorians but a war with the Silver Jedi? I can't see how that would have risen except simple clashing of ideas and politics. And this Eternal Empire? Who are they? An Imperial remnant?"

Power struggles always happened, and splinter cells rose from ashes from fallen empires and leaders. The Eternal Empire didn't ring a bell at all. He gave a small smile.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I can't make any sense of it, and for you to go through that? Not good. Not good at all."

He sucked in a breath.

"Well don't you worry. I'll make sure nothing happens to you as long as I'm around. Not when you make something that smells this good."

Always a little attempt to lighten the mood - but he would not forget what she had said.

NPC Treasury

 

[NPC Treasury]

"Imperials, yes. Much like all the others. I tried to...turn an old Imperial stronghold into something hopeful. I was handed the position by an old friend after he had me sprung from jail. But the Eternal Empire caught wind of it and slaughtered the members of the governnent that worked for me. And then they captured me."

Kay took out the stake and veggies. They were all cooked by now and the last thing that she wanted was for Connor Harrison to have burned food.

"I'm not a leader anymore. I can't be trusted to keep others safe. I only bring harm to those under my care."

She began divvying up the food into portions on their respective plates. "Making teas, giving people a few moments of quiet; that's about the best that I can do." And about all that she could trust herself to do. She was just a shell of her former self and nothing more. Inside she felt empty. Her life no longer seemed to hold any joy.

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor made a note of the name. Eternal Empire. Their crime would not got unpunished in one time or another, he would make sure of that. His quest was to bring balance - and they had tipped it with the slaughter and kidnap of Kay and her party. His face was set in stone as he listened and took it in. Dark eyes flicked to watch her dish up the food; the smells intoxicating.

He put on a small smile, and moved to take the plates and take them to the table within the kitchen for them to sit at.

"There's always hope for those who have struggled or brought pain at one time or another. Look at my track record. I won't let the past dictate what I can become or what I can bring now."

The plates were sat down gently and he indicated for her to sit, as if was suddenly hosting!

"I don't like seeing you this way. It wasn't the way we parted. This wasn't you. It isn't you." He shifted in his seat and moved the plate a little, unsure where to start. "How can I help you. What can I do to help you see this isn't the be all and end all for you."

NPC Treasury

 

[NPC Treasury]

Kay could feel the emotions running through Connor Harrison , yet she tried not to. In a bid to cut herself off from that, she shrunk her Force signature down to that of a small tree nut. That was a trick that she hadn't used in some time.

And as he gathered the plates, Kay picked out the utensils and of course the tea that Connor had brewed for her, bringing them to the table to continue with the set up.

"Our situations aren't the same. They're quite.....different." Her voice trailed off as she sat down. One of the last discussions that she had with Veiere was of her letting her fear dictate her life. It was true of course and she knew it. But there was nothing else that she had.

Kay picked up the tea and had a sip, not really digging into her food just yet. She had a lot on her mind. "I'm sorry to disappoint you. I'm not...certain of what should happen. At least now I'm not in any danger or threat. There's no one relying on me or needing me. I can't do them wrong. No one gets hurt." That was important, wasn't it? No lives were going to be lost.

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor still hadn't touched his food, even though the smell was enticing above anything. His face had some concern to it.

"Disappoint me? How have you disappointed me? If anything, I just want you to have a chance and getting something back from your life."

He now picked up the fork beside the plate, toyed with smaller vegetables to reflect his distraction, and picked one up to eat. A soft crunch followed by a fluffy interior. It tasted nice, whatever it was.

"I was just saying you need to think about taking back something of your life again. There is no reward in letting others win. I know that all too well. I know Veiere wouldn't want that for you. He'd want you safe, and around others to support and help you. And he'd want you to never let the fire inside you burn out."

The fork rested between his fingers and he looked to her, waiting for her thoughts. She wasn't overly happy with the discussion; he could feel that much.

NPC Treasury

 

[NPC Treasury]

"I have tea...That was always something in my life." It was her only comfort. But even now the tea felt as though it lacked heart. Yet that could be only because she lacked heart as well.

As Connor Harrison began to eat, so did she, although she went for a piece of the steak. Kay cut into it almost carefully, her movements a little slow as she wasn't really focused on her meal. Yet she ate the piece anyways, chewing it before swallowing it down with the aid of another gulp of tea.

"I am safe here..." Her words trailed in the air as she thought about everything else Connor had said. She was alone, so there was nothing. No support, no help and she was quite certain that she had little fire left. Tears formed in the brim of her eyes and for a moment she wanted to give in to them. But then she'd just be a weak fool and she just couldn't break down when dinner was just served. As she spoke more, she kept her eyes from meeting his for risk of seeing judgements in his gaze. "Veiere is gone. I can't feel him anymore. So it doesn't really matter what we think he might have wanted." Losing that connection after so long felt as though part of her died too. Force bonds were terrible things.

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor felt her pain, and the mood for dinner quickly was fading. But this was reality - it couldn't be all joy and ignorance about what people had experienced. Connor wasn't expecting this at all. He tapped his fork on the top of the cooling steak, and sighed.

He put the fork down and then gave way to tapping his fingers on the table.

"Well. What do you want. This is your chance. What do YOU want."

He continued looking at her, determined to have some response. His tone a little harder.

"Yes, Veiere is gone. Your throne gone. Lots of things are gone, but YOU remain. What do YOU want."

NPC Treasury

 

[NPC Treasury]

Kay kept her yes on Connor Harrison 's fingers as he tapped them, all the while holding her breath as he asked her what she had wanted.

"I don't know!" Her voice was loud and she immediately regretted it. "I don't know anymore." But that was a lie. She wanted to go back in time to fix things. Yet that was impossible.

Kay wiped at her eyes with the back of her hands now that her tears fell a little more freely. "I'm scared of...causing more trouble; for more to die because of me. So many died to protect me...I didn't deserve it."

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor gave a sigh and put his fork down, resting his hands together in a palm before his face.

"Look. You can't live your life because of what happened before, and certainly not because you're scared. If I did that, I wouldn't be here. I'd still be flying around, staying hidden in shadows and scared of what may happen on my return. You have to take a chance."

He looked at her past his hands, her sadness evident.

"You have no need to be scared. Being scared will just stop you living whilst everyone else moves on, and you'll be left on your own. You don't deserve that, and you shouldn't settle for that. You can still go anywhere you want. I'll go with you if you like, we can take a trip back to the Core - see some places you have forgotten and remind you what good you still can bring."

NPC Treasury