Private Sturm und Drang

[Alicio Organa]

DENON
ABANDONED COMMERCIAL DISTRICT, EVENING

Alicio decidedly didn't like political espionage.

All of the secret conversations, the encrypted messages, the meetings on dingy rooftops... It wasn't what he wanted to do when he became Senator. It felt too much like lying. Which, to be fair, was something he was rather good at, when he needed to be.

But he knew it was the best way to help the people of Denon. Keep his cards close to his chest, until he had enough to lay them all on the table, for the whole Alliance to see. Then, maybe the people's lives would improve. Maybe all the subterfuge would be worth it.

Usually, walking arm-in-arm with Amani would be a treat. But today, dressed in a dark trenchcoat and in what the haberdasher assured him was a very cool, very discreet hat, lightsaber stowed at his side, Alicio had his reservations. For one thing, the street was poorly-lit, with flickering, battered neon signs and streetlamps giving them just barely enough light to see the ground ahead of them. Downtrodden gaits and suspicious eyes decorated everyone who walked the street. Various tall buildings lie in disrepair around them, occupied by small communities and firms, struggling to keep lights on, failing to compete with their corporate overlords. Family businesses who couldn't feed their families.

He'd felt just a little guilty, asking for his girlfriend's help. It was his duty, and he didn't want to take her away from her own important work as Chief Healer. But tonight's meeting was... especially dangerous, and it wouldn't be fair to either of them if he went without telling her.

And... he was glad to have Amani along. She gave him just enough courage to keep going. He squeezed her arm for comfort, as if to assure himself that she was still there.

"She should be in an alley, a few blocks ahead." She being a human woman named Velasco. Alicio and Amani knew quite literally nothing else about her, except what she mentioned in her message to one of the Count's encrypted channels. That she was a member of a Corpo-sponsored gang, that she'd caught wind of a mysterious person asking for whistleblowers, and that she was willing to tell everything for passage off-world for her and her young brother.

It could all be a lie. A set-up. But it was worth the risk.

"It's hard to think that the Alliance could let... this... happen," he said quietly, perhaps a bit of bitterness in his tone as he looked up sadly at the half-constructed buildings. Just on the horizon behind them, the polished glamour of Denon's upper crust shone, the shining monument built by the Corporate Authorities. He gave them only a moment of thought before turning back to the love of his life.

"Ready for anything?"

- Amani Serys -

 

[Amani Serys]

Denon
Alicio Organa​

---

Amani had been to Denon once before. She thought she had at least some understanding of what life was like here then. But now? She was getting the sense that she hadn't quite gotten the full picture. Urban sprawl led to urban decay, which led to more sprawl. A vicious cycle with no end, and only one clear winner. Those at the top. The ones who continued to siphon power off whatever and whoever they could, with no regard. How a place like this was continuing to fester in the Alliance was something neither of them seemed to have an answer for.

When Alicio asked for her help, Amani was quick to make room. She was relieved, in fact, that he was honest about the dangers this particular meeting might entail. They already shared their woes over his work on Denon, but at the end of the day, they both wanted to see things get better. That he could come to her for assistance was peace of mind for them both.

Amani had decided it best she matched her boyfriend's choice of discreet attire. A long, dark coat paired with an equally dark scarf, that made her feel like they were walking straight into some holoflick. She had been tempted to go for one of the darker, stylish outfits she had already gotten with Valery. It might have fit in with the scene, but… she wasn't really looking to be leered at by anyone around these parts. The less attention, the better.

She scanned the streets around them constantly, unable to hide a concerned look on her face as he pulled her attention. But Amani's resolve seemed to harden soon after, and she nodded, "Anything." With him, anything.

"So… how much do you trust this? Her?" She whispered as they began to move into the alley.

 

[Alicio Organa]

Walking down the street, afforded some limited privacy by a populace that knew to keep to their own business, Alicio thought about Amani's question for a second too long. "I don't," he finally said, keeping a frown on his face. "So be careful. But... we have to try."

To trust.

Dressed like the leading couple in a detective drama, Alicio and Amani stepped slowly into the shadows of the alley. At first, everything seemed entirely normal- as normal as a Denonian alleyway could be, at least. Cold, wet, and entirely secluded, silence punctuated by the sounds of blaster bolts to their south. Probably a shootout between rival gangs.

The only thing out of place was a datapad, lying cracked on the ground. Dipping his face into the future, Alicio cautioned forward, stooping low to pick it up, and power it on. It seemed like a personal device, with one audio recording, created only a few minutes ago.

Alicio flicked it on.

//Hey Hope. Sorry I ain't here to see ya,// a feminine voice barked, a little out of breath. Alicio turned to look at Amani, shrugging sheepishly. 'Hope' was the codename he'd decided on. Perhaps a bit too on-the-nose for an Organa. //My people found out I was trying to bail on 'em. Got a little cross with me, heh.// The forced chuckle was accompanied by the sound of a blaster shot in the background.

//Keep your head down... You want my info? You better show up on time. I'm running south. Catch me before they do.// The audio cut out.

- Amani Serys -

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani’s brows ticked up, “Oh. Good.” She said sarcastically. But his affirmation earned a nod. She believed as much as he did in the good of their work. And she believed in him. “Good thing you brought me along, then.”

Her head flicked towards the sound of distant blaster fire. There was plenty to be paranoid about in these parts. How anybody was able to live here was baffling. Then again, most people here didn’t have a choice.

All the more reason to try.

They stepped into the alley, and Amani was immediately on edge. No one was here. It screamed trap, yet there was no flare of her danger senses. No indication of a hidden presence waiting to leap out. She watched cautiously as Alicio picked up a lone datapad, like she was half-expecting it to explode in his hand. But it didn’t, instead simply playing a message from their would-be informant.

The codename of ‘Hope’ did manage to crack a slight smirk on Amani’s face. She silently mouthed the name teasingly, but at the same time found it sweet, in a way. Definitely on the nose, but the sentimentality was nice.

There was little else to find nice in the message, though, as the stakes revealed themselves. Amani blinked, and slowly turned back to the echoed screeching of blaster fire. Also to the south. Her brow twitched, “...I think I know where our whistleblower is.” And by the sound of it, they didn’t have much time.

Amani grabbed Alicio's hand, and pulled them both out of the alley toward their new destination.

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

Alicio just rubbed the back of his head with an embarrassed smile.

Yeah.

He was awful at naming things.

“...I think I know where our whistleblower is.”

Alicio's gaze turned towards the firefight in the distance. A sudden, desperate need to help filled him. It could have been a trap. A very elaborate, overly-complicated trap. But more likely, it was someone in danger. Even if she wasn't going to tell them anything, they had to try.

The Count could tell Amani would probably feel similarly. He gave her a brave smile. "Then let's go get her."

The shootout was... messy, to say the least.

At least six armed, tough looking street bravos, wielding blaster rifles, peppered a downed speeder on the side of the road with bolts. Already, two seemed to be on the ground, unmoving. Behind the vehicle, a woman could be seen crouching, hiding a shock of green and pink hair. She cradled a whole rifle under one arm, spraying over the side, while grasping the hand of a ten-year-old boy in the other. Both appeared to be injured, the kid sporting black carbon scouring on an arm, while the girl had wounds on her shoulder and stomach.

As they turned the corner, Alicio wanted to rush in, and start drawing attention to himself. But he didn't. Amani was the more experienced combatant here, by far. Instead, he looked her way, urgency and concern in his eyes. He would follow her lead.

- Amani Serys -

 

[Amani Serys]

The duo skidded to a halt at the street corner, posting up behind a tumbledown project. From there, they could see the firefight playing out just ahead: A woman, no doubt the Velasco in question, and a young boy, were harried by a gang of shooters. They wouldn't hold out long on their own.

Instinctively, Amani held out an arm to keep Alicio from running in, but despite his obvious urge to do so, he withheld. For that, she offered an appreciative nod, before returning her focus ahead to devise a course of action. Both runaways were injured, but how extensively was hard to say. Considering they were both still up, though, it hopefully wasn't anything they couldn't handle, provided they didn't waste time.

"Okay…" The Jedi spun back to the Count, "You can heal, right? Some? I am going to play the distraction. I'll keep the thugs busy, while you head over to check on them." She gestured to their extractees, and enunciated her next point very clearly, "Make sure Velasco's okay first. Then check on the boy," From the looks of it, the former was hurt more, and from a pragmatic standpoint, would be of more use in their immediate struggle. Not to mention, with how draining Force Healing could be, it was better to make certain they got that problem out of the way. She knew it would be tempting to start with the boy, because it's exactly what she would want to do. But this kind of triaging was the sort of decision healers had to make all the time.

"Make sure you're okay, too. Okay? I love you," It was a scary note to end on, in a way. One last 'I love you' before jumping into danger. Just in case it really was the last. They had handled worse before, but it wasn't the kind of thing to be cavalier about regardless. Not even Jedi were invincible.

With that, Amani pulled her scarf over the lower half of her face, and ignited her lightsaber pike; Twirling it as she leapt high into the air, making as much of a show out of her abilities as she could to draw their attention. A few were too confused to react, while others immediately turned their guns on the surprise Jedi. The shots were deflected by her staff, and she landed with a quake of Force energy, knocking back the surrounding thugs and giving herself a bit of breathing room.

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

Alicio noted Amani's clothesline arm in front of him with an amused, false annoyance, looking at her with a raised eyebrow. "Some," he repeated, as she continued, directing him to run triage. He nodded with determination.

"Heal Velasco, then the child. Got it." Amani was right; it felt counter-intuitive, to protect the more capable fighter first. But it made sense, to give them both the best chance of survival. Her parting comment left them on a bit of an unsure, dour note. Alicio's storm-grey eyes bored into the Mirialan's soul.

"I will. Stay safe, Love," he blurted, as if speaking it out loud would ensure it's fulfillment. With one last affectionate smile, he sprinted into the fray, tilting his hat lower on his head.

As he dashed forward, keeping tabs on Amani out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the woman pause in wonder at a Jedi in action, then turn her weapon on him. Alicio's hands went up. "Hey, hey, hey! We're here to help!" Velasco's expression ran the gamut of fear, suspicion, and finally, resigned trust, as Alicio sprinted their direction, taking cover under the speeder. Without much pause, the Count brushed his fingers along her shoulder, letting healing energy flow between them.

"Cool trick," she muttered, the wounds on her body beginning to close. As Alicio swayed a little, taking a knee as he turned his attention to the younger boy, Velasco bolted from her cover with a blood-curdling yell, blasting down a criminal with savage glee. "And stay down, idiot!"

She was fearless... in a bloodthirsty, reckless sort of way.

Velasco closed the distance with Amani, backing her up. "You must be Hope," she said, a savage glint in her eye as she sprayed blaster bolts at their enemies. "Jo Velasco. Kinda figured you'd be a hot, badass Jedi!"

- Amani Serys -

 

[Amani Serys]

The first thug was quick to get up, but his efforts were only met with a streak of white, severing the barrel of his gun before he even had a chance to raise it. He was then knocked back to the floor with an unpleasant clang, as the blunt end of her staff spun around to collide with his skull.

Amani watched as Alicio disappeared behind the speeder, smiling faintly before abruptly launching a knee at the next thug in line. Not long after the Count took cover, Velasco charged in with a battle cry that nearly distracted the Jedi. But her senses warned her of the incoming punch, and she merely used the thug's weight against him to throw him to the floor.

"You must be Hope,"

The mirialan blinked, staring at the woman as she dropped her staff onto the downed thug's nose, knocking him out. They were then forced back to back as more blaster bolts came their way, with Amani spinning her staff to deflect. In spite of the stakes, she couldn't help but chuckle, "Not quite. You're looking for pretty boy back there," The Jedi raised her hand, lifting up another thug along with it, and launching him into a wall, "Flattered, though."

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

Alicio's attention was pulled completely away from the evolving struggle, as he focused his energy towards the young boy. He released a flood of healing, like a river washing away the pain. The pressure of the Force rippled against his skin, but he didn't flinch away, giving himself into the intense desire to help. The kid's wound began to close.

Meanwile, Velasco turned back towards the far less-impressive form of the Count, then braved a gaze back to Amani, setting her blaster against her shoulder, a surprisingly conversational tone in her voice as her rifle blazed red. "Ah. It's just that 'Hope' is a traditionally feminine... oh, whatever!"

With the sudden arrival of Alicio and Amani turning the battle from a one-sided massacre to a fair fight, the gang members practically tripped over themselves, retreating to the shadows of Denon. The street was left in relative quiet, as Velasco, her brother, and the two off-worlders convened behind the cover of the speeder.

Alicio's attention was immediately drawn to Amani, as he checked her up and down for wounds. "Hey! Are you alright?" He knew she could take care of herself, but she would have to forgive him for worrying nonetheless.

The Denonian woman rolled her eyes. "She's fine, Pretty Boy. 'Hope'." She said the word with a little less reverence than before. "I'm Jo, that's Jaze, we need to get out of here. Please tell me you have a ship nearby."

"We do." He nodded, finally palming his own lightsaber, which Jo seemed to take interest in. "We'll keep you safe. We'll keep you both safe." He shot an affirmative look at Jaze, who hadn't spoken a word since they arrived.

"Good. Because I ain't saying anything until me and my bro are off this rock." She turned back to Amani. "Lead the way, Miss Badass."

- Amani Serys -

 

[Amani Serys]

Jaze watched mesmerized as his wounds seemed to magically heal away. His large eyes then settled on the man responsible, with an indiscernible look. Not quite a smile, but a shy sense of curiosity, and even a little awe. The boy remained mute all the same, overwhelmed by the night's events.

In the midst of their fight, Amani snorted, "Don't tell him that. I think it's cute." It lasted only a short while longer, though, as the easily-spooked thugs soon scrambled at the sudden arrival of a Jedi. Perhaps already acquainted with the presence of anonymous, superpowered crime-fighters here on Denon. "Not bad…" The mirialan's guard dropped, and she disengaged her staff, collapsing it and slinging it over her back as she and Jo returned to the boys. A soft smile returned to her face upon seeing them.

"I'm okay, I'm okay. Are you?" He had been behind cover, but she couldn't stop herself from being paranoid. They were interrupted by the (understandably) antsy Jo, who introduced herself and her brother, the latter of whom Amani then turned to with a warm grin. At the mention of a ship, she nodded firmly. They had brought along her personal vessel for this one, which would hopefully make for a more convenient getaway.

The healer crouched down to the boy, "My name is Amani. This is Alicio," She revealed their true names as a gesture of trust, and tugged gently on the Count's coat as she mentioned him, "We're gonna get you and your sister somewhere safer. Is that okay?" The boy seemed to stew on the thought for a few nervous moments, glancing between the two strangers and his sister, before eventually settling on the man who helped him and muttering a quiet, "...Mhm." That was enough for Amani, and she stood up, taking point as Jo requested.

"Just who are these guys you worked with? Should we be expecting them to come back?" She asked Velasco, already shifting on alert for suspicious shadows. Jaze clung tightly to his sister for now, a similar alertness on his features.

Alicio Organa​

 

[Zoar]

 

[Alicio Organa]

"I'm okay, too," the Count affirmed quickly, gratitude flooding his face.

Amani's reveal of their names was met by the slightest twisting of Alicio's lip, which he quickly dispelled, in favor of a soft smile. He had no right being as mistrustful as he was. It clearly wasn't a set-up, the Velasco's were actually hurt, and nearly died on multiple occasions. Still, all it would take was one slip-up, one wrong word with the wrong person around, to spell disaster.

But he tried to push all that from his head, as he bowed at the waist. "It's good to meet you both. Jo, Jaze. We'll be in space before you know it." Alicio nodded both of their directions, his gaze lingering on the child, having noticed the wonder in his eyes. The Count gave an awkward, but welcoming, half-wave.

"Yeah, I like Hope more. Suits you." Jo cocked a sideways smile, before the group of four began their approach towards Amani's ship.

Velasco held tightly onto Jaze's shoulder, clutching him close as her suspicious eyes surveyed the area. At Amani's quesiton, she simply scoffed. "Hell yeah, they'll be back. Probably calling up the reserves as we speak." The woman snarled at the thought. "We're with the Ninety-Niners. Or, were with the Ninety-Niners. Protection racket, merc work, we were real a-holes."

"Our mom signed the family up. Mom's..." Jo glanced at Jaze, and hugged him just a little tighter. "Mom bailed. Left us with all her debt. Which we had to work off, over the course of several lifetimes, I assume."

Alicio listened on in silence, his head on a swivel. "That's..." He struggled to find the right words.

"Cruel? Unfair? Yeah, get used to it. Everyone here has a story like that. Big whoop." Alicio shut his mouth, obviously falling deep into brooding mode.

- Amani Serys -

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani sighed in relief seeing he was fine. Thus far at least, their first foray into Denon together had gone smoothly. The young boy returned the Count's wave, opening up just a little more as things died down, and the two unfamiliar faces made themselves a little more familiar.

She smirked at Jo's remark, shooting it at Alicio before they began to walk. Something about her spunky attitude the mirialan found amusing. Less amusing, though, was the dreaded confirmation of her old gang's plans. Chances are they wouldn't be getting out of here without another mess on their hands. Amani pulled her saber staff back to her side, deciding it best to keep the weapon at the ready in case of any surprises.

Yet even worse to her was the unfortunate circumstance that threw them into this mess to begin with. Jo, though blunt, said it best herself: Everyone had a story like that here. Theirs was simply a microcosm of the societal epidemic that plagued Denon. "I'm sorry…" Amani muttered, similarly at a loss for more apt words. Instead she walked a little closer to Alicio, bringing him into a quiet sidebar.

"Sorry, 'Hope'," She apologized to him now, smiling a little more sadly as she said the name, "You mad? I know anonymity is kinda the name of the game but… I didn't want to waste any time getting them on board." Amani felt a bit of guilt on the matter. They seemed decent enough folk, but her thoughts were similar to his own: One wrong slip up and everything could get a lot more complicated.

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

"Sorry doesn't fix things. Sorry doesn't get Jaze to safety," the Denonian returned, without as much bite in her voice as one might expect. She turned her head to the surrounding area, cradling her weapon under an arm. "But... Thanks."

Alicio was roused from his musing by Amani pulling him a little away from the others, and offering an apology. He could only shake his head, summoning a smile. "No, I'm not mad. We're asking them to trust us with a lot. It's only fair that we offer them a little trust in return." His smile faded, and he wrapped a tentative arm around Amani's side. "I'm just... worried, is all."

"To be honest, Amani, I don't know if I can be mad with you." The Count quickly nuzzled her cheek, aware of the company, and deciding not to care in that moment. "It hasn't happened yet."

Alicio broke away from the contact, to keep them both focused. Even if all he wanted to do was hug Amani close and refuse to let go, for even just a second longer.

But something whispered in Alicio's ear- a portent of the future. He gasped suddenly.

"They're coming," Alicio managed, holding the hilt of his lightsaber loosely at his side, glancing around. "An airspeeder."

In the distance, above the somber street level, the whine of a souped-up speeder pierced the night. Two gangsters leaned out the sides, preparing to fire their rifles at the group. But they had the chance to act first.

- Amani Serys -

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani simply offered Jo a firm nod, surprised by her more subdued tone than she would've been by a sharper one. But it was her silent assurance that they would continue to do whatever they could to help.

She still couldn't help but feel a little concerned even with Alicio's acceptance, "If you say so…" All of this subterfuge was out of her element, and it was clear that every little misstep made her a little extra stressed. Especially given the stakes. Even still, she couldn't help but crack a smile, and lean into his nuzzling, "That a challenge?"

They broke away soon after, keeping their focus on the present, up until the future came for Alicio. The Jedi tensed up, and immediately waved at Jo and Jaze, "Get him into cover!" She gestured towards a nearby alley, right as the airspeeder came into view. Not long after, the sound of a bike came in the opposite direction, "Behind us," She looked to see another thug, just sitting patiently at the far end of the street, atop a rumbling speeder bike. She could only assume there might be more coming.

"I'll deal with the aircar," Amani posted up at Alicio's back, weighing the situation in hand. If it were closer, maybe she could pull it down, with enough effort. But waiting for that chance would likely be too late. They needed to act before the gang did. And so, Amani raised her saberstaff over her shoulder, igniting the blade and taking a careful moment to compose. Then, she launched the weapon like a javelin, letting the Force carry it and guide it without losing momentum. It rose higher and higher, defying gravity before eventually plunging right through the middle of the airspeeder's engine. At the same time, the first speeder bike quickly spun forward to charge them.

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

"That a challenge?"

"No," the Count added, a joking sort of pleading to his tone. "Definitely not."

Alas, their cute couple moment was interrupted by the sounds of whining engines. The speeder from above, and the bike from behind. Jo was quick to tug Jaze off of his feet, pulling them both to a nearby alley. Back to back with Amani, Alicio tasted the future on his lips. Saw a path to victory.

"I've got this one," he affirmed, finally igniting his blue and black blade with the deep growl of plasma. He stared a thunderstorm at the criminal, who revved their engine, and charged them. And as the Mirialan behind him demonstrated a monumental throw, Alicio ran at the speeder bike.

At the very last second, before he would have collided with the pointed tip of the bike, Alicio seemed to almost slide out of the way, lightsaber extended parallel to the ground where he had just been. The front of the speeder dissolved into slag, and one of the thug's legs was caught in the blade before Alicio could deactivate it. With a yell of pain, both man and machine went down in a tangled heap. Alicio looked on with a sad sort of finality, before turning his attention to the sound of more engines.

Three more speeder bikes putted around the corner, blazing a trail straight for them. Straight for Alicio. There was no way he could side-step them all.

Uh oh.

- Amani Serys -

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani sidestepped on instinct, letting the speeder bike launch past them from Alicio's attack. She merely gave him a firm nod, and acknowledgement of the unfortunate circumstances, but the kind of thing they couldn't dwell on in the heat of the moment. Her gaze stayed locked on the airspeeder, which seemed to devolve into panic as the engine failed.

It sputtered in the air, descending into a fall that was a bit less controlled than Amani was hoping for. It came in at an angle, causing the vehicle to skid across the ground towards them, showering sparks across the street. At the same time, she heard the sound of more engines, turning around to see the oncoming bikes, right for the Count.

Amani found herself overcome by a sudden fear again, "Alicio!" All she got out before flicking her hand and attempting to launch him to the side with the Force, back towards the alley. There wasn't enough time to dodge herself, and the mirialan was trapped between oncoming obstacles on either side. She simply projected a Force barrier at the last moment, causing the bikes to strike the invisible wall and launch off, all varying degrees of intact. The airspeeder, though, was too heavy and too powerful, effectively shattering the barrier. Rather than being crushed by the vehicle though, the recoil of her failed barrier rocketed Amani backwards, making her strike a roadside dumpster before rolling several times across the ground.

The airspeeder flipped over after hitting the barrier, a flame erupting from the engine as the men inside scrambled out. They made another run for escape, apparently thoroughly demoralized by the Jedi's attack, even if it now left her laid out on her stomach, seemingly not moving.

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

Before he had time to react, Alicio was swept off his feet by the Force, thrown into the alley with the Velascos. With his hat completely knocked off, the Count could only watch on in muted horror as Amani had to face them all alone.

He scrambled to his feet as quickly as he could, already charging back into the line of danger. He didn't quite understand what he saw. One moment, the choppers, the airspeeder, and Amani were all about to collide, the next, there was a bubble protecting Amani, and then she was sent flying, into a nasty fall. The senator barely paid the criminals any mind as they scurried away, to become a nuisance again later. He could only see Amani's body, limp on the ground.

Quick steps brought him to her side, falling to his knees as he got close enough. "No, nonono..." Alicio channeled all of his fear, his panic, his care for her, into a surge of healing energy, the Force rippling with pressure across both of their bodies. He would give her everything, if he had to.

Jo stepped out of the alleyway, holding Jaze's hand, watching on with an unreadable expression.

"Please be okay, please be okay, please be okay..."

- Amani Serys -

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani rolled over limply, stricken into a bout of unconsciousness by the series of impacts. Her eyes were shut, and her breathing was faint and ragged. The first sense to return to the Jedi was the Force, its soothing aura flooding into her. And draining from the life next to her; A signature she could instinctively recognize as the love of her life. Before even opening her eyes, the first stirrings of consciousness were her reaching out and weakly grabbing at his coat, mumbling out of concern for him in spite of her own state, "Hey, heyheyhey stop-"

The mirialan's eyes shot open, and she froze in pain as the aching surged back into her spine, "...Owwww…" Amani wheezed, the sapphires of her eyes darting around at the sky overhead before settling on Alicio. Immediately, she felt more comforted, "That… really hurt." She exhaled softly through her nose, smiling weakly to try and assuage his obvious fears.

"Are you okay...?"

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

With Amani's first stirrings, a choking sort of relieved laughter erupted from the Count. He grasped her fishing hand in both of his, leaning his forehead down on them with a relieved smile, even as lights began to dance behind his eyelids.

"That… really hurt."

"Looked like it," Alicio managed, wiping at his eyes with the sleeve of his coat, before letting his tone become more stern. "And you do not get to ask me that right now."

With a small, fragile smile, Alicio placed one palm on Amani's forehead, and the other on her stomach. He took a deep breath, and continued to let the energy flow between them. Sharing his life with hers.

"You need this more than I do," the Count commanded, heading off her protest at the pass, before mumbling under his breath. "Dummy. Gets hit by four vehicles at once, asks me if I'm okay..."

- Amani Serys -