The Great Outdoors (Sio/Galina)

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"] [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

In the days after their banquet of reconciliation, Tegaea and Siobhan had debated ways to reconnect together and with their adopted daughter Galina.
One suggestion was a family camping trip, and so Tegaea went to Galina’s room and knocked, hoping the girl would be amenable to her plans.

 

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

As per the usual Galina was at her desk reading through her books. Predictable as ever in that. Hearing the knock, and not sensing Siobhan but Tegaea instead the young woman rose to her feet and quickly crossed the floor. Reaching out she opened the door slowly. "Mum?" She asked. "Come in." She said quietly, and motioned for her mother to join her. It wasn't often that Tegaea visited her, so honestly Galina found the situation a bit strange.

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"], [member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"]


Siobhan would not be joining the two immediately since she felt they needed some space to communicate without her. Things were still fresh between her and Tegaea, but they had decided to work towards getting their marriage back on track. That also included Galina though, with whom her wife had frankly spent very little time so far.


Siobhan would join them later. For now she was studying some maps of Tygara for fun places to go camping to. She was still close to Galina's room though. While she wanted to speak to Galina herself, she thought it would be best if Tegaea had a moment of her own with her.

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"] [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

Tegaea entered, smiled. It was all slightly awkward, but she was genuinely interested in connecting, so she pushed on.

“So, Galina, I wanted to come and talk to you. It’s nothing bad,” she added quickly, just in case Galina thought her words were ominous.
“It’s just…since you’ve come to live with us I’ve not spent as much time with you as I should have. I’ve been busy with work, but that’s no excuse. I’m sorry I’ve not paid as much attention to you as you deserve. I’m very sorry…but I want to make it up to you. I was thinking that you, Sio and I might go away on a holiday together?”

 

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

Galina nodded, and smiled a little nervously. "Okay." She still could be a bit shy. That was a habit the wildling had not quite gotten out of just yet.
She gave a small nod, "I understand." A soft sigh followed, "Thank you for the apology." Then she thought about the rest of what Tegaea had said. "A holiday? Where would we go? And what did you have in mind?"

Truthfully she was unlikely to say no. Not when she wanted to get to know Tegaea better. "I want to know you better. Don't know you that well. You are family now." Which meant a great deal to her. Not only that but Tegaea got by without the Force and truthfully Galina wanted to be more like that. Not that she was going to admit that right away. Still this was progress in her eyes.

[member="Tegaea Alcori"] | [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"] [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

“Well, I thought we could go camping together. I’ve not done it for a while, and Siobhan is eager. Is that something you might like?”
She was a little hesitant, just in case it reminded Galina too much of her isolation and shipwreck life.

She took Galina’s hand. “I want to get to know you better too, sweetie. The three of us are a family, so this should help us.”

 

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

Galina considered Tegaea's words for a moment, "As long as we don't go camping with nothing but the clothes on our backs, I'd be alright with that. I wouldn't mind. And I'd be with you both, which makes it better. I do actually like the outdoors, and stuff."

Galina gently squeezed Teg's hand as she took it. "I think you're right. So, we should go."

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"] [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

“Excellent! Well, Siobhan is looking at good spots around that we can go. We have a nice camping set with tent, generator and enclosed meal area. It should be perfect!” she said, getting enthused.

“So if you’re alright with it, I was thinking we might leave even tomorrow or the next day?”

 

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

"Good, good.... That I can live with." She said quietly, though a smile had formed on her lips. Seems she was quite happy with this development. It was finally going to be some family time, just the three of them.

"Tomorrow is fine with me." She paused as she glanced back to her reading on the desk. "Can I bring a book or two with me?" Galina just had to ask, never one to be parted with her books for long. After all, that many years alone on an island and she frankly never wanted to let go of such entertainment again. Or her connection to the outside worlds.

[member="Tegaea Alcori"] | [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"], [member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"]


While her wife and daughter had their sweet moment of bonding, Siobhan had finally found a good place to go to after studying a map. Planning a camping trip was not that different from planning a military expedition or recon operation! There better not be any menaces showing up because then she would be in a foul mood.


Anyhow, she had settled on a nice oasis outside of Zeheb. Plenty of ground to cover, but nothing too far away. Presumably she would have to make sure that Galina did not adopt all the wild animals they met on the way as pets. Having satisfied herself she made some calls so that everything could be organised, then headed up towards Galina's room. She would not immediately intrude though, since she wanted to see how the conversation was going.

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"] [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

“Of course you can, sweetie!” Tegaea said warmly. She liked her daughter learning, and encouraged it wherever she could. She had set aside 200 credits a month for Galina on whatever they used for online book purchases so she could buy all she wanted.

“I think Siobhan’s got some good places for us to go. If you wanted we could go see her and find where she’s chosen?”

 

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

Hearing that made Galina just grin. "Thanks, mum!" She said excitedly, clearly quite pleased with the prospect. The idea of camping with her family, and spending time with Tegaea too, in addition to Siobhan was extremely exciting to her. It was family time. Something she thought they long ago needed.

"I'd like that. I'm eager to see what she has picked out for us." Her excitement clearly growing. "I can't wait to go, mum."

[member="Tegaea Alcori"] | [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"], [member="Tegaea Alcori"]


In this moment Siobhan limped inside the room. Despite the evident difficulty she had with walking she seemed cheerful and in high spirits. "You two wanna go camping? I found us a nice oasis a good walk away from Zeheb. Lots of ground to cover and nature to see, but nothing that far. I can show you on the map." She gave Tegaea a kiss and Galina a loose, one-armed hug.

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"] [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

"Sounds great, love! Galina said that so long as she can take some books she's eager! I think your choice is good, I'd noticed that one before on the maps. The nomads who usually use it are being nomadic elsewhere. We should have it all to ourselves!"
She pulled both of them into a group hug.

 

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

Galina glanced over, seeing Siobhan come into the room and smiled brightly. "Yes, I do." She said warmly, and glanced to Tegaea, "But mum is right, so long as I can bring a couple books, I really look forward to it. Like nature and being outdoors... It feels a bit like going home for me. Relaxing and quiet. Not like the city. Just different. Different in ways I like." Still the redhead was more comfortable outdoors than she was indoors and in large cities. A part of her still actually liking the forest and the woods and such after all the hell she went through on the island. Proof she really did love such things.

Being drawn into the hug between her mothers, she was quick to wrap her arms around both women and hug them closely to her. This felt so much like a new beginning to her. One she felt they all needed. Especially since she rarely saw Tegaea. It seemed the woman was making an effort to be in her life now, and well ... That was all Galina really needed to see, was to see Tegaea try.

"I really just want to spend time with you both..... Without interruptions." She said with a soft smile. That she did worry about, interruptions ... Or something taking Tegaea away from her now. "Can I see it on the map, mummy?" She asked Siobhan. "I just want a general idea of the lay of the land." That way she wouldn't get lost if she got separated from both parents at some point during the duration of the trip.

[member="Tegaea Alcori"] | [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"], [member="Tegaea Alcori"]


"Of course, dear. Come with me. I don't expect menaces when we go on the trip, but make sure you're both armed. There's bound to be wild animals at least," Siobhan said softly. She was not the super trusting type. Besides, the Galaxy was full of quantum tunnelling Sith who could mystically teleport anywhere they wanted. Doubtless if a Jedi tried to do that they would be instantly found out. For her part, Siobhan was a city girl at heart, but she could appreciate the wonders of nature. Hence why she loved animals so much. You did not see much of those on Nar Shaddaa.

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"] [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

They headed next to the study where Siobhan had laid out a map. The oasis was about ten miles from Zeheb, so a speeder would likely be the best method of transport to get there.
“Looks perfect. I’ll get packed,” Tegaea said. She gave Galina a hug, her wife a kiss, and then headed for their room.
First thing on the bed to be packed was her Cylix bolt pistol along with her old knife. Nothing like superior firepower to keep enemies back!
After that she packed more conventional things like clothes. She made sure the things she took were practical and hard wearing. A lot of it was her old military fatigues since those could get dirty without spoiling a hundred credit outfit.

 

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

This trip, she hoped would be a simple and true vacation, without quantum tunneling Sith arseholes. No one needed that level of stupid anyway. In her eyes their family certainly needed such. Galina nodded, knowing all too well about the wildlife. "Right, of course." She followed along with her mothers to the study. Stepping forward, Galina peered over the map, running her finger along it as she committed it to memory. "I like it." She said softly, as she leaned against Siobhan.

[member="Tegaea Alcori"] | [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"], [member="Tegaea Alcori"]


"Best take your shatter pistol and a hold-out bolter. Hell, take your bow and arrows if you like. Try not to adopt all the dangerous animals you find, dear. We only have so much room!" Siobhan said jovially, then gave Galina's shoulder an affectionate squeeze Glancing over to her daughter, she gave her a smile. "Get packing, dear, and make sure you go to bed early and get plenty of sleep. We'll have an early morning tomorrow."

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"] [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

With Galina packing, Tegaea walked with Siobhan back to their room. “That went better than I expected. We still have a ways to go, but she’s receptive to the idea. I’m looking forward to this…I think it’ll be just what we all need. Get away from our problems for a couple of days. Reconnect.”