So Umm Hi (Sio)

[Glade]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5ZNFMU1Z_8
[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]​

Drifting, always drifting, think you've got those bits healed away, and they bite, then they chew, then you wake with a headache and realise you're late for work, or that months have gone by with no word to anyone you cared about, or genuinely wanted to see. Isolation helps because you can put these little pretty walls up, sling your stuff over them and pretend they are not really there, all decorated and neat, you don't have to look.

Nice day, purple tinted clouds with their sunrise, good breeze up here, fresh, morning was settling down nicely, calmly almost for those people waking their sleepy eyes. Well kinda, there was something way down there, bottom of those hills that her mum's Kerrigan-Alcori villa sat atop. There was this little red dot wandering below, another dot joined her, and an open top speeder eventually was coming up their hill, then back down. Then what seemed like a few minutes later their little dot came up their hill, and then back down. There seemed to be some disagreement below their hill between these two small dots as to exactly which way was up, or more likely if they should be going up.

So they’d stopped mid way up their hilly crusade and were arguing. Reddest of these dots seemed very animated, and her partner dot confined himself to their speeder over intellectualizing their dilemma which to be fair warranted much thought time.

They were stuck between an awkward place, and really awkward places. Big, big, biggggg. She looked out way down out there, across their planet's capital. Yep that was big. Nato felt small at her best of times, unless she was tryin’ stuff on then she never fitted, looking out over those cityscapes she felt really tiny, maybe this was bad, bad idea. Fyor’s twitching eye didn’t help things, at least she’d put him in a long coat so nobody could really see much, oh who was she kidding.

Bad, bad, badness, just bad, really bad, baaaaaaddd, and she was in their speeder again, pulling up at their front door. Hadn’t been home for a little while, kind remembered where they were but well, oh she had to go, she didn't want to break her mum's heart again and again again. Fyor put his heavy hand on her, and tapped twice, long coat covering his body, all mucky and scuffed. Her long red dress looked rough, really rough, not much better but baggy. She sneezed and he tipped up her chin, "chin up, can't be that bad", he poked her nose. Nato smiled very brightly, beaming as usual, kissed his finger, and put her hands behind her back as she walked up to their villas gates like a nervous schoolgirl.

Buzzzzzzzzz Buzzzzz Buzzzzz wait was that too many buzzzzz'zzzzz?
"So Ummmm, hi."

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Natoline Kerrigan"]


The door to the Kerrigan-Alcori villa opened slowly. For a change, there was no perky servant girl standing behind, ready to greet the Young Kerrigan and welcome her into the opulent manour. No, standing there was the young woman's mother.


Siobhan had not changed much from the last time Natoline had seen her. She had acquired additional scars on her face. Here and there, you could find streaks of grey that dared intrude upon the perfection of her glorious firemane. Her expression conveyed tiredness and some stress. Her hair fell down past her shoulders and framed her face in a full mane.


She was dressed in a purple kimono robe and leaning rather heavily on her cane. Presumably her bad leg was giving her grief again. "Natoline," she spoke. For the time being, her focus was purely upon her daughter, not the girl's companion. Siobhan rarely used the girl's full name. "You were gone a long time. I was worried."

Not once did she raise her voice when she spoke these words. However, her tone conveyed that she was upset. Perhaps even a bit disappointed. Then she abruptly stepped forward and pulled her daughter into a bear hug. Two words left her lips and travelled into Nato's ear. "Welcome home."

 

[Glade]

Mum looked like mum, Nato was incapable of seeing any grey hairs or scars, she’d always be Sio, even her cane didn’t stop Sio being someone she’d always feel protected by and safe with, couldn’t blame anyone after seeing mum fight, but parents didn’t need to be force gods to give you that, or an opposite feeling.

Then came her worst fears, and why their hill parade had taken place. Even that slightest smallest disappointed was like huge weight on her back, “I know mum,” she whispered like a rabbit in headlights, answering to sio’s disappointment and her worry, and her tension that Nato would come and go, come and go forever. Her daughter was about to start fiddling, nervously almost stuttering some kinda lie or whatever to make everything okay again, but that never worked even with small things, she was gonna choke up.

Then hugs. Hugs. Hugs. She could have disappeared poof, gone into her hug, just stayed there, probably when Sio stopped hugging she’d try to steal longer hugs, just that little bit longer. Sio might end up with a pancaked kiffar girl as luggage if Natoline had her way, because pfffffffffffrrrrrrrble, she finally exhaled, when her mum whispered those magic words, welcome home.

Despite their impending pancaked kiffar issue, daughters and their companions who didn’t know about hill travel, or seemingly how to wash their clothing. Her belly was quite noticeable too. She was chubbier, and her baggy dress wasn’t hiding that so well as they hugged, maybe she’d been eating too much? Fyor being home with her, she’d forgotten about him. What was with his dirty huge coat he was wearing anyway, had everyone put on weight sharply and forgotten how to do laundry? Anyway he took an intelligent cue to be silent, putting on some shades, and letting their family reunite, just tipping his black hat if Sio glanced to him respectfully.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]​

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Natoline Kerrigan"]


For a long moment they just held each other. Finally Siobhan pulled away and sighed. Before a pancaked Kiffar girl ended up being her luggage. "Well, come in. I'm very glad that you're back, and home and in one piece. But...you can't just run off without even leaving a message! That's not how you do things in a family. I was worried sick, and so was Tegs and Harmony," she rambled on.


Clearly she was in a state of emotional upheaval. She inhaled, breathing deeply, gave her daughter a good one-over while she struggled to regain her composure, checking her any sign of injury. To her relief, she had not suffered any maimings, though she noticed some physical changes. "I suppose you're either pregnant, or you've been eating a couple pancakes too many," she said bluntly. Siobhan prized physical fitness and lacked an internal censor.


"Uh, you're not pregnant right?" she asked, sounding rather concerned. It was always important to check! She briefly gave Fyor, who may or may not be a robot, a look. She sniffed a bit. It seemed their clothes could use a wash and some proper ironing. Siobhan just happened to be a bit of a neat freak.

 

[Glade]

Anything she’d say would be weak, she’d poof and come back, poof and come back. Hands working against her little palms like she might drill holes into them, was she sweating, maybe. Dropping her head up n down to drop her longer than usual hair around her chin, “not how family should kinda be.", quietly hoping she could some how make everything disappear, but things were just, just things, they never went poof.

Pancakes “y’know me mum, always with the eating,” questions, “umm, you remember fyor Sio.” Soooo yeah there was that, she pulled her overcoated passenger, come escort, come #hidingplace out of their speeder and into view.

He extended a somewhat less flourishing bow than usual, and his cap fell off, revealing messier than usual hair too and a couple of small wounds to his forehead, was that a silver substance on top? Perhaps confirming her mothers suspicions about the man, especially as he only seemed to have one arm out of his overblown coat. Nato scrambled to put his cap back on worriedly, walking back in front of him as they entered.

“So beautiful, just like I remember.” Not like her other place, well minus her demons and all, other place was just bad news. She’d not been here long, till she had to go again, but she remembered everything. Allowing herself long looks, but waiting at their door. Scrubbing her shoes for longer than usual, like she didn’t want to bring any more dirt in with her, had to make sure she was clean, clean, very clean. Fyor did a Sio tap on her, as if he’d studied what settled her down, but his jerking arm and poor motor controls seemed to make a hash of any encouragement by almost pushing her. Nato didn’t seem to care about his jolt, and put on her usual very bright face that he had tried.

“Feels good mum, you settled in so well, made your beautiful home again,” she said finding bounce in her step, touching her fridge that she remembered fondly, fridge defenders, finger jabbing their handle, but letting go, like everything was perfect, just as it was. Memories you know, walking in them again, longing yes but also secrets to share. "Are you queen yet?", she smirkled just for little bit, teasing, Sio was all queen-like. At least her gazillion pictures of both her mums and sisters, because she'd totally been snapping still shots off with her droids and fyors-eye to remember them when she was away, she had books and books of holoshots.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]​

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Natoline Kerrigan"]


Unfortunately for Nato, Siobhan was not a happy camper. Her daughter's evasiveness soured her mood. "Natoline, this is serious." There was a strong note of exasperation in Siobhan's tone. It did not escape her attention how mechanical Fyor was moving. Wait, was there a silver substance on top of his head?


Siobhan felt like she needed a whiskey. Or several. "Harmony, please fetch Nato and Fyor some clean clothes," she called to the servant girl, who happened to be passing along. Alas, the Dahomian was sent on her way before she provide a distraction for Siobhan.


The Countess beckoned the two to follow and limped into the living room. It had not changed much since the last time Nato had been in the villa. However, Siobhan had added a couple family portraits to it. One could compare it to showing off a royal dynasty. Her tone was unusually stern when she spoke.


"Now, I believe you got some explaining to do. I'm not in the mood for evasiveness. Frankly, I'm a bit upset. I believe I deserve honesty. Why did vanish for ages without leaving a message? And...," she trailed off. Once again her eyes fell upon the noticeable bump in Nato's belly. Being a Force Mistress granted you a certain degree of perception. Enough to realise there were two heartbeats and a second Force Signature. Besides, there was motherly intuition. "How the bloody hell am I a grandmother now?" Yes, she so needed a whiskey.

 

[Glade]

Plan things, not always kinda of her best side. She never did lie well, pulling her dress over her head which was dress over a dress, offering her linen to harmony as she returned. Significantly cleaner underneath but still all screwed up, she could use a change. That ugly dress her nato-mask to the world, like her happy skipping attitude to this huge problem thing. How unprepared was Nato for pregnancy, she was so scared, terrified, looking a few months pregnant.

“yep, yes, yep, yes. Fyor’s the father, he wants that smelly coat,” She half pleaded but was obviously distressed now at losing her mothers approval further, “We were stupid, drunk, y’know, he was all kind and romantic, consoling me over arie, and he’s totally gonna marry me Sio.”

Then she sat down and slumped in any chair, hormones going off, completely off balancing her.

Not like she had anything left to lose but her family, she did owe sio, buckets, everything, she’d be dead or worse stuck that nervous wreck if not for her, soooo here she went, here went everything. “But he’s dead.” Nato looked at Fyor, his programming seemed unprepared to have to face this, and so he was the one doing the nato freezing for once. “And he’s not the father, not really” emotion would form in her eyes but she was too mad with herself to let herself, rage, yep, rage.

“And stupid portals and stupid nethers, and stupid me going back,” she wanted to scream, more rage. Fyor at this point began to move again, and his arm fell out of the bottom of his coat, Nato peeked an eye through her hands and sagged. #couldthisgetanyworse. He looked so silly, she just started laughing, maybe hormones, maybe despair, maybe those painkillers for her spine, maybe all this being one big galactic joke. One man she loves poofs on her like she poofs on her family after getting her preganant, her only oldest friend is already dead, and she's going insane like Sera from portal demons, paybacks such a’queen, karma.

"Sooooooo" Nato pffffftttt her hair up, "good to see you mum"

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]​

 

[Fyor Nayus]

Fyors coat was soon removed, if only to retrieve his arm, showing quite some damage to our friendly lorridian HRD, who had died many, many years prior to sith assassins hunting his crystal. Apparently someone had tried to kill him again recently, and been more than a little successful, if the head twitching was anything to go by.

The large chunks taken out of the torso didn’t look too healthy, custom weapons fire, expensive too, mercenaries, only with the best gear. “I appear to have suffered,” his voice changed to be entirely robotic in nature, “90% operating efficient decline,” then back to Fyor, “forgive her Mistress Kerrigan, we did this to protect you both as muc..,” his voice changed again, “95% operating efficiency decline,” so the voice was running out of time, the jerking head seemed to lose its vision.

“Do not let girl go to portal, that is m..m..my task… error… unit needs to power down, to complete mission. Errrrrorrrrrorrrorrr…” and his head fell forward, causing Nato of course to run to his side, and throw arms around her oldest friend. “Goodbye m.y… friend….” his head jerked left to watch the girl, Fyor Nayus smiled, jerked his remaining arm up and then left to embrace her, then his program powered off.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]​

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Natoline Kerrigan"], [member="Valiens Nantaris"]


Siobhan took a very deep breath. Things were getting very crazy here. Her daughter had vanished without saying a word or even bothering to call her, she'd been knocked up by an unknown manling, was yammering about portals...and apparently her boyfriend was a robot.


The last part seemed the most normal. Under other circumstances, she would have found Natoline's quirky mannerisms very endearing and cute. However, at present she found them annoying. To a degree, she sensed how distressed and upset her daughter was.


Deep breaths, stay calm, she told herself, as if reciting a mantra. "Nato, who's the father? Did he...hurt you?" Immediately Siobhan's mind considered the possibility of some disgusting manling doing her daughter ill. The thought made her want to force his sausage down his throat and make him choke on it. "And what do you mean with portals? The netherworld is sealed off. Akala was destroyed." Well, actually there was a portal on Corellia and one on Csilla, but she didn't know that!


She glanced over to Fyor. "And your boyfriend is...a robot? I suppose that's the most normal revelation for me today!" she said a bit tartly after Fyor had switched himself off. She walked over to a cabinet and retrieved a bottle of whiskey, then poured herself a glass and downed a good portion of it.


"You're not losing me, Nato. You're still my daughter," she said in a more measured tone. Even though right now you're a terribly frustrating one. "Now, start from the beginning. Leave no detail out." Her tone was softer and less stern than before, but just as commanding. It tolerated no contradiction.

 

[Glade]

Hearing words every girl and daughter wants, but not all of them get, being her daughter perked her up, a lot. World ending stuff didn’t really matter now, she could end worlds, or fix them! Fixing was good too!

As Nato-sibby reunions went, they were BOOM there goes the neighbourhood fun, then hugging, then happiness. Not like planet asteroids falling on their heads, or cannibals eating brains, but yep, no mebbie worse than brain cannibals. Bean spilling time, bring “spoons.” Ew, brain thoughts, Nato mumbled to herself, her head flummoxed about how to start.

Kissing fyor on his non-fyor cheek. “Found out, y’know bout, ” Nato pancaked against fyor. She was able to handle everything, because of all they’d been through, and mum’s guidance. “Chased him, mean um other Fyor, wanted t'know what he’d done with my… ,Fyor,” who had been her oldest friend, nope, family. Nato downed some more painkillers, from her pocket, always her unending nato-pockets, “he said Fyor made him in case, y’know he couldn’t um…, told fyor’oid to look after me.” Nato was choked up, and now did let some tears go, stupid fyor, always looking out for her, not tellin, and then doin anyway.

“He was gonna ‘xplain, fix stuff. Nethers has cracks, tiny, tiny cracks.” wished fyor was telling Sio, she sucked at science. She looked enviously at Sio’s drink and felt like taking more painkillers but her baby, she couldn’t, handing them to Sio, “please take these mum,” they were safe at their dose not more.

Sitting down again, somewhere near Sio. “Like voices, n we keep goin back staying close to nethers, else we go crazy listening, like Sera BOOOM crazy,” Nato did an explosion with her fingers, “or spikey head,” Raien though she never knew his name. Explained some of Nato’s brain-fuzzled moments if Sio was seeing that in her. “Fyor said he knew what happened to us there, how to close nethers, but…” now Fyor was a wreck, and dead too. Nato needed took breath for air, her throat was all tight, n bleh, she hadn’t got to those hard bits yet, like lumps in her throat.

Sipping water, those extremely hard working, very clean maids brought over. she sat rocking with her glass, knowing her mum was still wondering and probably sat there arms crossed. Because every bit of that long explanation above, was temporary, not what she said next.

So her voice was quiet, you could barely hear her, “yep, he did,” she was going to go into this huge defense of her bad choice in men, but yeah he did, “he hurt, well fyor mostly, and me."

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]​

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Natoline Kerrigan"]


Well, I'm pissed. Actually, forget about that. I'm bloody furious - and plotting vengeance on a certain manling. It will be creative. Thank you, Kaelin, I'm better at torture than you are these days. It's well-deserved in this case. The piece of thrash hurt my little girl. Castration is a good start.


The glass shatters into a hundred tiny pieces, spilling whiskey all over the carpet. Some shards of glass dig into my hand. Blood drips out. I do not even notice the pain. The Force works its healing magic as the injuries vanish.


Everything else is blotted out. The fact that there are two Fyors, that apparently she's into robots...and, wait, what the feth, she's being pulled back to the netherworld? Why the feth didn't she say anything? Natoline, I love you, but your communications skills are appalling. Looks like I'll have to storm hell again.


So I do what any good mother does and hug my little girl. "Nato, it's ok. I love you. Nothing will change that. I'm not angry with you. Or disappointed." My words are soft, motherly. Calm before the storm. Speaking of storms, there is one blossoming into being outside. Strong winds, lightning slashing out of the clouds, thunder. I am perfectly comfortable with taking credit.


"Now, what happened? Did he...force himself on you?" Euphemism of the century. Happened to me myself.


Before my angel can respond, Harmony steps into the room. She's wearing the white dress I love her in. The one that contrasts with her smooth, gourgeous black skin and clings to her body in all the right places. Under the circumstances, I'm in no mood to oggle or get distracted. She looks like the deer in the headlight.


"I, uh, brought clothes. Oh, goodness, what happened to Fyor? I'll...call a mechanic. Don't worry, Nato, we can fix him," she stammers. But my Dahomian is unflappable, used to craziness and so she quickly regains her composure. "Sorry for interrupting, Lady Mistress, but there's a letter for you. It's from...Nato's father. Elpsis blew up one of his bars."


I feel like laughing - and then murdering him. Perhaps at the same time, but, alas, that's not possible right now. "Tell him to go feth himself and that if I ever see him again I'll tear him to pieces. Oh, and get me a list of all his bars and assets in SSC space. I want them seized," I grunt. I am so not joking.

 

[Glade]

Mum being mad was something everyone in the room stood up to notice, Nato loved her for how strong she cared, she could put into words how much her girl worshiped her. Wait she’d be a’mum too soon! woah. Oh! she’d cut herself, her daughter had already started dabbing Sio’s palm cuts with her dress, she didn’t answer her for awhile, jus’ makin’ sure her hand wasn’t bleedin’, enjoying hugs n stuff too for a bit, like her old days, or days when her head was okay. Eventually when mum looked up to defend their home against junk mail deliveries and show how to deal with insurance companies sio style, her daughter giggled, but t’was a sad short giggle, even comforted sighing and relaxing into those words, getting all comfy.

“He broke,” Nato answered their kindly Dahomian with her pressed sympathetic smile, Fyors arm tapped a little on the floor independently, as it recited a scene from a holo-movie, fingers wandering slowly off toward their fridge and possibly uncertain yoghurt related ends. Storms outside and in brought her back to their somber present.

She ripped off some material of her dress without thinking, she’d come along way, dresses used to mean so much to her, being all rebellious against wearing armor, but they were just frills and for show now. Wrapping her mums hand up, Nato shook her head to her mum, extra long hair hiding her eyes. Seemed Sio's Kiffar was settling down, ‘specially ‘cause they were talking bout serious bits now. He hadn’t hurt her, well he had, and hadn’t, and had. “I liked him mum, Not like arie love, just” consoling, “my heads going to do a’Sera, thanks for being there to stop me.”

She did a miniature shrug, “nethers.” Always sent things kinda nutty, crazyeee force sickness, “you never really remember what happened, Kei spent years trying to remember till Fyor'oid could record us, Janos helped and we " yeah they. Buuuuttt they never found where their portal was, not exactly, all they could do was sit tight close enough to nethers, freeze themselves and try not to go crazy, wait the voices out. Till really really recently

So her daughter looked up. Her voice was level, serious, mature almost, she’d need to be soon for her child. “Janos cried to me one day, admitted, father paid him.” Nato nodded repeating, “he paid him, wanted to prove, dunno, Fyor’oid found out and they fought.” She did know: That man, she guessed found how to reach her, how to do somethin' she couldn't hide from or forget, something final, just like him. Well cept mailing stuff to taunt them, kinda petty with the whole pregnancy thing, wait she bet he never realised whose house this was, gotta be his employee or company!

"Sio, he doesn't know yet, let me pay him," her usually dark eyes were distant, anyone with an ounce of force ability or empathy, could see in her eyes, feel how betrayed she was, how much she wanted to kill them, all of them.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]​

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Natoline Kerrigan"]


Welcome to motherhood and grown-up life. I'm torn between being murderous and giving you a lecture about responsibility. You won't be able to just run off without notice anymore. Not when you're responsible for a little one. Play time is over.


So the two-faced arsehole is called Janos. I must say, that's an appropriate name. I cannot help but feel guilty for not being there for you when you needed me. For making you think you had to keep this from you. The other part of of me is just feeling awfully angry and ready to choke someone. Sweetie, please remember to use contraceptives next time.


So I pat you on the shoulder and stroke your brown hair. Doing that tends to help me relax and calm down a bit. I'm touchey-feely that way. "So you were lonely, going crazy and that arse used you because your father is a petty jackarse. He used you." My language is very lady-like. I'm not in the mood to care at the moment.


The feeling of betrayal is all too evident in your eyes. I can empathise. I suppose an orthodox Jedi would give you a holier than thou lecture about how to control your anger and so on and so forth. I'm a person, not a code-spouting drone.


But you have a child to think of now. Not to mention your Netherworld escapades. Those are stopping now. "We'll make them pay, sweetie. You were foolish, but I've had enough of your father messing with your life. I spared him the first time we met, I won't this time. But first things first. You've got a baby to think of now. You look like crap, you need rest and we need to fix this Netherworld mess. You're not going crazy. Or getting sucked into the ghost realm. Not on my watch."


A servant girl is cleaning up the glass shards. "Next time you take a manling to bed with you, please make sure he puts a rubber on his sausage first, dear. It'll be easier for my blood pressure." Tact? Who needs that crap?

 

[Glade]

Although her nose was really tense, she tilted her head into mums hand, like some scene out of a holomovie, blank eyes, mind stuck on that one thing, thinking really bad things, but listening, heart not quite racing as fast and so her mouth stopped gabbling off. Waaaaay way long without familiar touch or kindness, zonk she closed her eyes, not sleeping but wanting to. She’d not forgot why she was angry, but she’d forgot she was angry, jus’fa’a’little’while.

She coulda slept there if her stomached hadn’t: kick, what was that, kick kick kick, not kicks so much, too early for that but weird little movements, resting her hand over. “He can’t have this.” Nato said to her mum, holding her slightly bulging stomach, she’d made up her mind with sio too, whatever else happened.

Sio comforted her some more but, she couldn’t think of herself, something that happens to parents, parent that what she was, you grow up, fast. Someone else more important than you is about to be born and you are responsible. Nato did look crappy, messy hair, face, nose, especially the nose, what kind of mum was she going to make? “What do I do?” slightly frightened, okay really really uncertain, like super worlds gonna end, what do I do, total nato-freeze for a good minute. “Scared mum. What if I don’t do things right, what if, y’know,” I suck, break stuff again, or whatever else was written across her face. Slowly our mum to be was not just thinking of herself, she thought of what it’d mean for Sio and her child, yep, she was thinking of her child, and how she'd effected Sio too.

“Their just going to be a baby.” She whispered looking spaced out, shocked, for her first time right then she was a mum, and completely and utterly terrified like so many parents before her.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]​

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Natoline Kerrigan"]


"Sh, it's ok, angel. Don't panic. Mummy's here." I'm not happy about becoming a grandmum, but my girl needs me. "You're not alone in this. You've got Tegs, Tempest, me.." And Fyor, once we repair him. I actually like him more now. Best make sure he doesn't have Clockwork protocols buried inside him though.


"There's a lot you've got to learn, but you'll be fine. There's no road map about how to be a good mother. I was scared when I adopted Galina, but I managed. What you have to do is dedicate yourself to your kiddo. It's the most important thing in your life now. That means no running off anymore. But it's not something you have to shoulder on your own. You've got a big support network."

 

[Glade]

Pffffffttttttttt, nato-freeze, she was gonna be a mum, who had a mum(s), and sisters, that was a lot. “How umm, how are Galina and Abaigel, and Tegs? Are they okay?" In her worry-zone already, she began worry circles for everyone she hadn't seen. Then, "do you, kinda, like think there’ll understand?” Worried that she was bringing more trouble to their door, really clean doors, like super clean, oh! she hoped she hadn’t left anything or one locked in her closet for months. “should we tell them, or should we, y’know, just wait,” wear really baggy dresses for awhile and pretend she just liked cookies, nope, well… she really wanted a cookie, jam cookie, with fudge, and cherries, mmm.

Nato listened really careful to Sio, nodding her fuzzed haired head, in need of liberal soakings of salts and other things you could only find hidden at the back of boxes, three rows down on discount day, because everyone got there early and stole your favorite shampoo.

Settling, with her bright mask smile becoming more rosy, happier “I’ll be good with them mum, we’ll give her everything,” she said quietly “everything,” rocking just slightly in her seat, all those things she never had, all the time and care her child wanted, picturing a daughter who never wanted for hugs. Soooo calming, picturing that, filling holes inside of herself, but up and down her daughters thoughts circled, “You’ll be here, and sis’es, and tegs and maids and tempests, elpsis's and,” but kids too, she wasn’t ready! Small panic! Heart racing, exhale, breath, how do I breath, take another drink of water. Water, that one time you really, really need things that were waaaay stronger.

“How did you learn mum?” Was there books, she was good at books! Galina probably had some, maybe, she could bribe her with cookies, those fudge ones, with cherries and...

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]​

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Natoline Kerrigan"], [member="Valiens Nantaris"]


Siobhan patted her daughter on the shoulder. "They're all fine, don't worry. [member="Abaigeal E'ron"]'s doing well with the Silvers, when she's not running into trouble! She managed to retain her common sense despite becoming a Jedi. But, seriously, she's a sweetheart. Galina recently returned after spending some time with the Angelii. This whole Sigma business has been pretty hard for her, but she's growing. Wifey is very busy with work, but an amazing support and as beautiful as ever," she smiled a bit dreamily.


She paused a bit before responding to Natoline's next question. "There was no handbook if that's what you asking. I just did the exact opposite of what my own mother did. I'd say it worked out mostly. Paying attention to my kids and holding them when they were afraid was a good start." There might've been a trace of bitterness in her words, but she changed the topic soon.


"Anyhow, you should tell them. There's no point in keeping secrets and they'd notice anyway. Tegs certainly would. Giving her the news is your job. Do you already know whether it's gonna be a boy or a girl? Siobhan was biased and hoping for a girl.

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

In another area of the villa, Tegaea Alcori was conducting an interview. Fear not, innocent children, this was an interview where both parties kept their clothing on. Having said that, this writer makes no promises that the curtain of PG-13 might not descend at some later stage!

Tegaea made a show of reading the datapad with the resume on it. She had already read it extensively, but it paid to go through the motions.
“So, Ms Zaridas, I’ve had all of your references closely checked. Former Republic soldier, mercenary, Freespace Ranger. Master Nantaris has good things to say about you and was sorry to lose you. Might I ask why you left?”
Anastasia Zaridas, Ana for short, shrugged. “Was time to move I thought. Besides, I enjoyed my time on the spaceport. Anyway, you and Ms Kerrigan were my heroes growing up.”
Tegaea barely prevented a smile. “Yeah, well, it’s been a while hasn’t it? It’s still a little hard to get used to the fact that I’ve been doing this stuff long enough for people to grow up with it.”
She glanced at the girl’s resume; 24 years old. She’d not even been a teenager when it all started happening for Tegaea. It made the redhead feel rather old.
“And also, your pay offer was better and well, word is that you’ve the better assignments.”
“We only accept the best, Ms Zaridas. However, I’m willing to give you a try. Tomorrow you’ll go ahead and do some trials with some of my troops on patrol. If they think you’re as good as you say we’ll give you an opportunity to show your skills in an operation.”
Ana rose and offered a hand. “Thank you, ma’am. Do you know somewhere close by I can stay?”
Tegaea did not invite her to stay overnight, but gave her a business card from a local hotel after shaking the hand. “I’ll call ahead and they’ll have a room ready. One of my girls will pick you up tomorrow. Dismissed.”

With the interview concluded, Harmony entered. “A good day, Mistress?”
“Potentially. We’ll see how she pans out. Got a good feeling about her.”
“Glad to hear it. I didn’t want to disturb you whilst you were busy, but…Natoline is home.”
Tegaea’s frowned, then sighed. “I’ll go and see her. Does Sio know?”
“They’ve been talking a while now. Uhh…I think…well, it’s a bit odd. I don’t want to say anything more. You’ll see.”
“I shall,” Tegaea said levelly. “Thank you, Harmony.”

As she walked down the stairs towards the sitting room she composed her face to be calm as she pushed open the door.
“Natoline,” she said. “This is a surprise. Are you well?” If she sounded rather stilted it was because she didn’t know what to think in that moment. If Natoline had been in trouble and been unable to contact them, that was one thing. If she had simply not bothered to contact her adoptive parents…that was something else.

She nodded to her wife. She'd discuss things with her when they were alone.

 

[Glade]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

“What sigma business, what happened? Then more questions, so Abby is living away now?” She’d only met abby really quick before she scooted off again, but she’d seemed cool, not like cold but y’know neat, but not tidy, urg one of those brain disputes, like someone was stood over her shoulder correcting her, old habits.

“Opposite of mum,” Nato agreed, really really really really agreed thinking back, but then, “you’re my mum. Maybe I can just copy you, until you write a book,” she was teasing but Sio and Tegs was her role model for parenting and to her they were her world, they'd be her role model for her child. How things went today, she’d be passing that on without realising.

Nato realised her slip, and was saying her daughter sometimes, but she shook her head to Sio, “nope, too soon,” she wanted a girl, but fate’s dice had already been rolled behind their scenes, and their results were #booooooooommm, or large amounts of empty whiskey glasses. “I’ll tell them mum,” hmmm how, well she’d nato-it.

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

“Do you ever dream Si..?” Nato half asked but spotted Tegs, giving her not time much at all to process her latest living room scene. Tegaea would find Nato pancake hugging her soon if she let her, cept, she was a bit slower and more careful with her baby n all, before Teggy could really get much of her considering done.

Before now Nato would have of hesitated, I mean they were family but less familiar her and tegs, and too much hug assuming was maybe grounds for some kind of rule. Things were hard, she was in trouble again, often, and, hugs made them less hard, even if sometimes then roofs fell on your head. She looked up, nope looked good, pretty. Never really looked at their ceiling before, oh wait…

Letting go of Tegaea, “hi, I mean yep! Kinda, but,” her tiptoes took her down, because stairs were hard to hug on, and Tegaea was already way tall in Nato world, her mums were massive.

While in their background a curious new Twi’lek maid was gingerly wondering how to best pick up our broken Fyor, or if he was pick’up’able, or really switched off for all that.

In this as usual slightly busy Nato chaotic scene, very much aware of how she brought the outside in with her, and only here she found any kind of order. How did she say this, brushing a large chunk of hair out of her eyes, she looked at Sio, and remembered what’d she’d promised. “Going to be a mum, mum.” She said to Tegaea, and then waited to see what would happen, expecting anything from whiskey, to strong words, to kind advice, to shoe kicking, to scolding, to being shut in a cupboard, which is just the worst as you can hear people outside, but your just a cupboard to them for a day.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Natoline Kerrigan"], [member="Tegaea Alcori"]


"Galina found out that she's the last member of the extinct, ancient royal family that ruled Sigma a millennia ago. The planet is a hellhole run by evil wizards. So she wants to save it," Siobhan remarked. Perhaps a somewhat flippant response, but she wasn't in the mood to discuss this at length right now. Her tone might've hinted at the fact that she wasn't too thrilled about an idealist crusade.


"Aba still lives with us, but she spends a lot of time at the Silver Temple." So far no one had bothered Siobhan when she came to visit. A few Jedi had tried to convert her. That had not been a success. Master Krook had complained about her seducing his Padawan.


Before she could say anything else, her wife showed up. Siobhan caught the stilted tone, but did not feel like reproaching her wife. After being married for so long, Tegaea would probably notice that her wifey was not a happy camper either. Then Nato dropped the bombshell. "I'll leave it to Natoline to explain the circumstances," Siobhan said simply. She considered this the first step towards Nato taking responsibility.