Private There is much to be thankful for

[Yularen Nova]

His brow arched in interest at her question. While Pryce had been talking about Ava to some of his comrades, he most certainly hadn't asked to recruit her. He gave her a knowing smile and shook his head in response.

"No Miss Cartwright, we've had our eyes on you for some time now. Where you are from matters less to us than where you call home and well," he gave Pryce a look where he was standing across the room, "I believe you call Corellia home now do you not?" He coughed again.

"No, we need excellent pilots to aid in the defense of Corellia and to be frank to have one of the heroes of Rogue Squadron flying in Corellian Black and Orange and leading our wings would be an amazing opportunity for both of us." He leaned in closer now and brought his voice to hush tones.

"War is coming to Corellia. We do not know when, but we have a vague idea of who and we will need every advantage we can get." He leaned back into the booth, "Excellent leadership and great piloting skills are hard to come by these days. We could really use you."

 

[Ava Cartwright-Pryce]

Boy... [member="Yularen Nova"] did not sound nor look well. Was he under medical care for what ailed him or was the man being stubborn like most of his gender... Probably the latter.

"Yes... One could say it has grown on me, Admiral," she answered with a soft grin. It was a shame Ava had not been able to experience the old Corellia, but the new one had its own charm especially with [member="Dracken Pryce"] to share it with.

War...It was brewing on many fronts. The Ralltiiri needed to decide which one she wanted to put her efforts into defending. It did make sense that Corellia would be the one to fight for. She'd nearly died doing so already.

"I have indeed been privileged and honored to fly with true heroes during my time with Rogue Squadron, and to be commanded by a dedicated son of Corellia. It's not hard to learn such things from great people," Goldie answered with a nod.

She was referring to Dagger and Skyhawk, who had been her wingmen and gave the ultimate sacrifice in the fight against tyranny while as Rogues. The latter was a shout out to Commander Vigil, who had taught her what it meant to be a leader. There was a part of Ava that felt she'd let them all down in some way. Going forward, that wouldn't be an option anymore. The stakes were too high now to not do the right thing the first time, and always.

"Thank you for the offer, Admiral Nova. You have made good points and a valid argument," Ava smiled, then looked over her shoulder to Dracken for a moment where he stood with the two shock troopers before her blue orbs went back to then Quarth with a silent sigh. I suppose it was inevitable... Drac is going to be 'I told you so'.

"Alright, sir. I'll fly for you, and the Corellian Confederation."

 

[Yularen Nova]

Yularen gave a satisfied nod and a warm smile.

"Thank you Ava. I'll have the paperwork sent to you within the next few days," he stood up and reached out his hand for a shake, a cementing of her decision. "I look forward to working with you."

 

[Ava Cartwright-Pryce]

Ava grasp [member="Yularen Nova"]'s large, outstretched hand and returned the shake.

"You're welcome, sir... As I, you," she answered with a nod of her golden head before the Quarth walked off towards the door to pick up his armed escort before leaving the diner.

The Ralltiiri just sat there in the booth for a moment a little in a daze actually... I mean what the kark had she just gotten herself into, right?! Any hoo, when the droid server came by to get the payment left on the table for the meal, the commotion brought Goldie out of her musings.

The tall blonde slipped out from the bench seat, then made her way to where [member="Dracken Pryce"] was patiently waiting near the front counter. A lopsided grin grew on her face with a shrug of her shoulders as she sauntered up.

"What?! He made me an offer I couldn't refuse. Just means I'll be sticking around here on a more permeant basis is all," Ava said, then a playful smirk graced her lips. "I didn't think you'd object too much.... Now, shall we get going? So much to squeeze in before our busy lives take us over again, hmm."

 

[Dracken Pryce]

The CDF Shock Troopers began to move away from Pryce as the short impromptu meeting concluded. After what felt like ages they could get on with their day. Pryce turned around to face the blonde pilot and gave her a quizzical look, his brow cocked and his mouth turned in a confused frown.

"What? Object to what? What did you two talk about?" He was only getting more confused by the minute, but he saw no reason to stick around in the diner and talk about it since they'd already paid and tipped. He shook his head and shrugged. "Let's talk on the way back. What exactly was he offering to you?"

 

[Ava Cartwright-Pryce]

She gave him a "wouldn't you like to know" look as they stepped outside the diner.

"Admiral Nova asked me nicely to join the Confederation's Startfighter Corps..... and I said yes," Ava answered as the two walked hand in hand to the Corellian's speeder.

"We didn't actually discuss the particulars, but I think it may be in a more advisory capacity for now.. He wants to prepare for war. Needs to train more pilots... or at least that is what I was getting from the conversation. Paperwork will be delivered later.. It was only a verbal commitment so far. I still want to see the conditions before signing on the dotted line."

The Ralltiiri sighed.

"At least it keeps me here, and closer to you, Drac," she smiled softly. "I'd say that is a win-win, don't you?"

[member="Dracken Pryce"]

 

[Dracken Pryce]

It was win-win, for somebody, and he wasn't so sure it was him. He put that thought off for another time though. Like they'd planned earlier, Ava had family to meet. Luckily they weren't headed up to Socorro's belt this time as that event was later in the year.

The event was beautiful and turned out large crowds. The Pryce family was smaller than it ever had been before with only his immediate family being left alive in the wake of Corellia's destruction. His father was a tall man, like his son though admittedly a bit shorter. He had salt and pepper beard and a bald head. His sister was almost 19 now and was a bookish young girl with round glasses, freckles and shoulder length auburn hair in two pigtails. They were an odd looking family when all put together, but they were his family, and one that invited Ava with open arms.

The evening was lovely and filled with talk. Mostly from his younger sister, a curios one who asked Ava all sorts of questions. The basics like how they met, why her dumpy older brother, and a few more...embarrassing ones. She seemed incredibly interested in her piloting career and the minute details of the fighters she's flown and if she'd ever raced. His father stayed mostly quiet throughout the event. When all was said and done it would be a good night to remember.

---------------------​

​

After The Battle of Kuat - Corellian Defense Medical Station - Selonian Orbit

What had happened after the Starchild was ripped apart was a blur. Drack had used the bulk of his vessel to help cover the retreat of New Republic forces, a retreat that ultimately saw the near routing of Republic forces that had been in the system. The New Republic had ultimately decided to be silent on then Fleet Admiral Pryce's actions as they went directly against his orders, or rather lack there of. Regardless, his sacrifice was squandered by the New Republic and now he was floating in and out of consciousness as they moved him from bacta treatment to surgery and back again. His injuries were severe but within a few weeks he was ready for visitors, even if he wasn't conscious for them.

When he finally did wake up, his blurry vision spotted a familiar head of blonde hair. His words came out weak and scratchy, as if he'd been asleep for fifty years in a desert.

"Ava...?"

 

[Ava Cartwright-Pryce]

Ava had been by [member="Dracken Pryce"]'s side ever since arriving at the medical station in orbit over Selonia in the Corellian system. The severely injured admiral had been blissfuly unconscious, well from a certain point of view, while undergoing multiple surgeries and immersions in the healing fluids of a bacta tank to save his life. The starfighter pilot knew only too well from her own experiences after her EVA at the Battle for Corellia. Though the longer Dracken remained unconscious while out of a medically induced coma, the lower his full recovery odds were.

The Ralltiir had fallen asleep at Dracken's bedside with her golden head resting upon the her arms atop the mattress. Before doing so, Ava had shaved the Corellian's face as his beard had gotten out of hand, and given him a bed bath. It would take weeks for him to get rid of the awful aftertaste and grimly feel of bacta on his skin and hair... at least it had been that way for Ava.

Goldie had gotten use to all the noises in the medbay by now, but when a familiar yet very weak and scratchy male voice spoke, the blonde immediately rose her head up and looked towards the man laying in the med bed. A huge smile broke out on the pilot's face full of relief and joy as her blue eyes met Dracken's. Taking the man's larger hand into her smaller one, Ava moved closer so he could visualize her better and not have to project his voice too loud yet.

"I'm here, Drac... " she said, squeezing his hand tenderly and blinking threatening tears away. "You were injured badly when the Starchild was destroyed at the Battle of Kuat, but you are going to be okay. Would you like some ice chips?"

 

[Dracken Pryce]

He groaned and blinked a few times, his eyes never opening past a tight squint. He felt like he'd been hit by a transport and the light was so bright it felt like he was staring into the sun even with his eyeshalf closed.

"Ice...ice chips?" He ignored it for now and instead gave the smaller hand a squeeze. "The New Republic...Did they get out of there?" All his mind could think about was the slaughter they'd narrowly avoided. He knew they hadn't won, he wasn't naive enough to think that his sacrifice had meant that much to a fleet as small as the New Republic's. He grimaced as pain shot up through his leg and he squeezed Ava's hand even tighter until the pain subsided.

 

[Ava Cartwright-Pryce]

Ava bit her lip as she could tell just how much pain [member="Dracken Pryce"] was in... She remembered how it was for her. It had to be twice as bad for him with the severity of his injuries.

Well one thing for sure the man hadn't lost his strength yet. But the Ralltiiri would take the crushing of her real hand rather than not feeling a thing from him because he was still unconscious or worst, dead. There had been touch and go moments whether the Corellian would live or die. Ava didn't know what she'd do without Dracken in her life. She had to push that thought away before tears formed in her eyes.

The blonde let go of his hand just for a moment, hit the PCA button to deliver him some regulated, self dosed pain med, then picked up a small cup on the bedside table and used the spoon sitting in it to shovel a couple of ice chips into Dracken's parched mouth. "Just let the ice melt. I promise it will sooth that scratchy, desert-like feeling in your mouth," she smiled knowingly.

Goldie didn't know if it was the right thing to talk about the after action report for the Battle of Kuat at this juncture in his tenuous recovery, but she knew the Admiral in him would want to hear it otherwise it would eat the career naval officer up inside not knowing - It was on his watch. They were his people. He was responsible for all of those serving under him in that theater.

The whole mess made Ava sick. Dracken was set up to fail. The Republic had been too weak and gutless to back up their chosen Admiral of the Fleet, though she did give kudos to the other two ship captains that tried to help at the end. Course, it was a day late and a dollar short as they say.

"By sacrificing the Ol' Girl, it created enough of a diversion that the other two capital ships from the Republic were able to retreat though they did not leave without casualties of their own. I'm just so thankful before doing so, a rescue shuttle got to you... Drac, you scared me. Please don't ever do that again," Ava said with measured emotion in her voice as she brought his held hand up to rest upon her cheek.

"I don't know what I would do without you.... I mean, nobody else would ever put up with my scruffy, nerfhearder jokes like you do."

 

[Ava Cartwright-Pryce]

Chapter Two
Two plus one is three four.
​

The last few months had been hard. The gradually worsening numbness in her left hand had given Ava no choice but to have something done about it if she wanted to continue to fly starfighters. So the Commander underwent a revision of the prosthetic limb she'd acquired after barely surviving a horrific EVA back during the Battle for Corellia in which her left forearm was cut off. Rehab this time was more difficult than before, but the determined Ralltiiri didn't let it deter her from getting back into the cockpit and to excel to her previous elite pilot status.

Though, that was not to be... At least for the next nine months or so. The lab results came back positive.

"I don't understand, doctor.... How could this be?" Ava asked the female white coat incredulously with a dumbfounded look upon her face. Seriously! OMG... really?! I'm going to be a mom? Drack is going to freak!

"Do I really need me to explain the process to you of how it came to be so, Commander?" the military doctor replied with a small knowing grin.

"Um... No. Thank you, I get it," the blonde answered with cheeks red now in embarrassment. Of course, she knew the-how of it. "I just... We have been so careful. I know you told me the anti-rejection drugs post-surgery might throw things off a bit, but I wasn't planning on this to happen well not quite like this, and right now. I thought the way I have been feeling lately with the fatigue, body aches, and nausea was the residual effects of the meds being tapered off."

Ava was still trying to process the news when the doctor patted her on the shoulder and handed a bottle of prenatal vitamins to the pilot.

"I'm afraid what you've been experiencing are the early joys of pregnancy. Nausea and vomiting are part of what's called morning sickness and they should ease up as time goes by, hopefully. Take one of these tablets per day, stay hydrated, and of course, you know this means no flying starfighters going forward until after you deliver the baby. Pulling High-G's will put the fetus at risk and may cause serious complications for yourself. You may though still pilot standard transports and shuttles. Just no combat. I'll see you back in one month."

Well if that wasn't the nail in the coffin... but this was a blessing as well, right? She was going to have a baby, Drack's baby, their baby! Now, how in the Nine Corellian Hells was she going to tell him he was going to be a father?!?!

***​

On her way back to their residence from the Coronet Medical Center still in shock yet coming to terms with the news, Ava had stopped off and bought a small stuffed bantha cub at a children's store and a baby bib that said: 'I love you Daddy' on it. Gods they were cute and maybe just maybe would help soften the blow. The spontaneous purchase gave the Ralltiiri joy but mostly hope for a more meaningful future together, not that the two didn't the way they were just in a different sense. It didn't matter if the two weren't married... right, or did it?

She decided to make Dracken Pryce his favorite dinner, the whole time trying not to throw up from the normally yummy smells of the one dish the pilot could do well, then waited for the Corellian to walk in the door with the dining table set and candles lit...

 

[Dracken Pryce]

The Core Alliance, the High Republic, and all the back and forth that came with dealing with the two had left Pryce drop-dead tired. They were in peace-time, relatively, and that meant more meetings than ever as the two nations hammered out trade and military exercises and mop-up operations. Apparently there were a lot more Imp Warlords out there than the Greyson Imperium's initial reports suggested but that was fine. It meant that someday soon he might be behind the transparisteel of the Starchild and in the seat of his captain's chair where he felt most comfortable. He'd accepted a commission with the High Republic after the Corellian Confederation and High Republic's joint Frozen Hand campaign but his service to the Confederation came with perks, and a lot of them, including most importantly that they let him and Ava keep this swanky apartment.

The droid at the lobby had been a little extra sassy today, and Pryce had half a mind to send a report to get the droid wiped again. He was thinking all of these thoughts as he entered their apartment and the smell of Corellian spices over what he could only assume was a perfectly cooked paralope steak and mashed tubers hit him right in the gut. He was a simple man when it came to his food and could already feel himself start to salivate.

"Ava? You cooking babe?" He slipped off his black officer's shoes. He didn't wait for a response, the question was more to let her know that he was home. He really needed to get out of this uniform. He had to say, he much preferred the old Black and Orange of his Corellian uniform. He still didn't feel comfortable in the High Republic's stiffer clothes and pants and shoes. After he took off his pauldron and set it aside, he tossed the rest of his uniform into the laundry shute. The complex they were in had a large number of high ranking military and so they had a CDF and Republic approved facility to wash and press the uniforms. He slipped on a plain white shirt and comfortable CDF lounge trousers in their sharp black and orange and walked back out to the kitchen. He wrapped his arms around Ava from behind and let his head fall on her shoulder.

"You treat me too good," he said dramatically. "How ever will I make up for this," he groaned sarcastically. "Thanks for cooking Ava."

Ava Cartwright-Pryce

 

[Ava Cartwright-Pryce]

Ava was popping the prenatal vitamin when Dracken Pryce walked through the door of their apartment and called out. The Ralltiiri nearly choked on the horse pill but was able to wash it down with a big gulp of water. Quickly the bottle was tossed back into her purse on the counter.

"I am! So don't doddle too long as dinner is nearly ready," she answered, putting the finishing touches on the air cake that was made for dessert. Her ryshcate was still a work in progress and not ready for prime time yet.

When a man's stomach is invigorated, much like when other things are, it doesn't take long for them to come hither. A pair of strong arms wrapped around the tall blond'es slender waist and heated breath was felt upon her neck as Dracken's head rested upon her shoulder.

"I do... don't I," Ava quickly retorted with a knowing chuckle, then the pilot added with a playful smirk playing on her lips as she turned around in his embrace to face the tall, dark, and handsome admiral. "Oh, I'm sure I can think of something... "

A welcome home kiss followed with a hint of more to come later if he played his cards right... though who knew what kind of mood they would be in later after the news was shared.

"You're most welcome, sweetheart... So how was your day, hmm? What's new on the galactic front?" she inquired while grabbing the prepared plates of food from the warmer to carry over to the table.

 

[Dracken Pryce]

The Galactic Front eh? Pryce mock groaned and withered away back to the dinner table before slumping defeatedly into his seat. There was so much going on that it felt like he had been thrown into a waterfall. He could start with the easy stuff, that they were busy preparing the space lanes for the Velser's Pod migration or that the High Republic was running into immigration issues with the Jedi Order and refugees from the recent raids by the monstrous Bryn'adul. But then that opened up that whole can of wasp worms and how the more bleeding hearted Senators were pushing for military action against the brutes. The war tribunals were on-going for the captured officers of the Frozen Hand, Jerec Asyr had vanished off of the High Republic's radar after running off with a sizable fortune's worth of mutated Kyber Crystal, not to mention the diplomatic talks the High Republic was in the middle of with the Core Alliance. No, there was too much going on the 'galactic front' to even begin talking about now that he had officially accepted the commission of Admiral in their navy.

So instead he sighed heavily and said, "The galactic front is a dumpster fire," and chuckled tiredly. He decided to turn the questioning on her now. "How was the visit with the doc?" He leaned back in the chair and played with his own growing hair. It was time for a cut. The chair's micro-repulsors keeping him from tipping too far and falling over, but he'd read somewhere that it was still just as bad for your back as leaning back and slouching in just about any other chair, despite the advertising on this particular model. "I know you weren't thrilled about the prospect of another prosthetic...But if it means you can still fly..." He knew how much that meant to her. As long as she could fly for what she thought was right, he knew she'd be happy.

Ava Cartwright-Pryce

 

[Ava Cartwright-Pryce]

"That good, huh?" Ava retorted while taking her seat at the dining table. "Well, I'm sure things will even out here sooner than later, hopefully for all our sakes, hmm."

The Ralltiiri spread a napkin across her lap before lifting up the cloth covering on a small basket in front of her; taking a warm roll out for herself, then passing the basket over to Dracken Pryce as he sat in what seemed to be a defeated slump. The admiral was weary and frustrated with how everything was going down, and who wouldn't blame him, though that hair of his! If only the stubborn Corellian would let her cut it...

She wasn't quite ready for him to toss questions back at her regarding the doctor's appointment so quickly. It actually had caught Ava a bit off guard.

"Um, doctor? Oh yeah... It went well all in all I guess. My new prosthetic arm has recovered fully so that is a great relief to me. See... " Goldie moved her left hand and fingers about in a fashion to show that her keen dexterity was all intact once again. "Don't know what I'd do if I couldn't fly anymore... you know in the long run. I realize things are bound to come up from time to time keeping me out of the cockpit, but it's kinda who I am and are good at, right? Ava said, flashing a hopeful smile.

Another wave of nausea was beginning to build. It seemed this 'morning' sickness from the new hormonal imbalance in her body was not named correctly as it was near 1800 at night. The pilot's stomach had been upset all day, and the delicious aromas from the prepared food that would make her mouth water in delight normally didn't help either. She took a few small bites of the roll, then a sip of water to follow though it seemed to only make things worse.

"Excuse me," Ava announced in haste quickly rising from her chair with the napkin in hand; long legs of the commander carrying her purposefully toward the fresher just off the kitchen in the main hallway of their apartment. The blonde barely got the door closed before having to lurch forward to the toilet bowl and praying to the porcelain goddess.

Ugh. Life is going to royally suck for the next nine months! Though, aren't blessings worth the sacrifice? Maybe this is what they mean by the ends justify the means.

 

[Dracken Pryce]

"That good, huh?"

He gave the blonde sitting across from him a knowing frown before digging into his food. It was good! Honestly he hadn't thought Ava COULD cook. She was a tough girl and before all this he'd always seen her as sort of tomboyish, a flyboy reincarnated into a woman. But the Galaxy was full of surprises these days. Little did he know he was up for another surprise shortly...

Something was wrong. Was she sick? For a minute he looked at his own food and wondered if it was safe to eat. He frowned at the potentially lost steak dinner and set his fork down to go check on Ava. It sounded like the waterfalls at the Green Jedi floating temple back there. He gave the door a light tap tap tap.

"Ava, everything okay? Should I toss the steaks and get ready to join you?" It was a lighthearted joke, though he had a feeling he was sleeping on the couch for that one. He should have brought some medicine with him or at least something to wash her mouth out with.

Ava Cartwright-Pryce

 

[Ava Cartwright-Pryce]

Ava wiped off her mouth with the napkin brought from the dining table, then flushed the toilet. She took a deep breath and blew it out before pushing herself up off the fresher floor and stepping over to where the vanity was. A pair of distressed steel blue orbs stared back at the Ralltiiri as she stood before the mirror. Bending at the waist, the blonde splashed cool water on her face trying to strain away...

That is when there was a knock at the door and the concerned voice of Dracken Pryce was heard. She quickly shut off the water and reached for the hand towel to dry off her moistened face. The Corellian had tried to make a joke, but he wasn't the best at it.

"I'm okay... Be out in a minute," Ava replied. She had really wanted to wait until after dinner to share their news, but the train was already leaving the station with her abrupt trip to the fresher.

Another deep breath was taken and blown out, then a hand smoothed over her golden locks before opening the door with shoulders square and face schooled... well she tried to, but her hormonal inbalance ruled the pilot's emotions.

"The food is not the problem, sweetheart. Well, it is for me right now, but not you... Let's go sit down, hmm?"

Ava took Dracken's hand and led them quickly past the dining table and the aromas of their dinner lingering to the living room where she sat down on the sofa. After he joined her, she looked deeply into his eyes feeling her heartbeat start to increase as a moment of anxiety stuck. The elite pilot pushed that feeling down, then took both the admiral's hands into hers and flashed him the tenderest smile.

"Dracken... We're going to have a little one."

 

[Dracken Pryce]

There were a million things he could say. How they had been so careful, how they weren't ready, how terrified he was, how excited he was. But he didn't say any of them. The shock was evident on his face but before the shock even had a chance to set in fully he pulled Ava, the love of his life, into his arms and embraced her. He was going to be a father? Who was he going to tell first? His list of close friends seemed to get shorter and shorter with every war. Maybe his father? Did her parents know? That was when it dawned on him.

He'd never met her parents before.

Sure, she'd met his father and younger sister but when it came to her...He didn't know the first thing about her kin. He only had the slightest inkling that they were a very well off family, Ava gave off that rich girl rebel vibe, and the only family member she talked about, her grandfather, seemed to be someone important somewhere in the Galaxy. By the 9 he couldn't even find Raltiir on a map if he tried. He pulled away from the embrace, his eyes wanting to ask a question but his mouth somewhere between a scream and a smile.

"Ava...I-I don't know what to say," He was starting to babble now.

 

[Ava Cartwright-Pryce]

Ava bit her lip rather nervously while waiting for Dracken Pryce 's response to the news dropped of them having a baby; a little Pryce. There were so many emotions noted on his face she didn't know which way the situation was going to end up, but It didn't take long though for her fears to be for naught as the Corellian just pulled her into a loving embrace. The Ralltiiri melted into him with tears of joy and relief rolling down her cheeks.

When he finally pulled back, Ava searched his blue pools. "I know, right?! I mean, this is something we never erm talked about, but... I can assure you it's the real thing, sweetheart. We are going to be parents around late spring," she smiled softly, giving the man's hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Well, it's definitely going to put a wrench in my plans to return to Wildcat Squadron as flying starfighters is out of the question... for now. The good news is it shouldn't affect your career or what you are striving to do right now for the Repub... I mean Alliance," the blonde nodded with encouragement.

"I do love you with all my heart, Dracken, and making a family with you... well, I can't think of a better way to punctuate it, scary as hell as it is," she chuckled. "We'll get through this together, hmm?"

 

[Ava Cartwright-Pryce]

A year later...

New Coronet City, Corellia
Pryce-Cartwright Residence
2200 hours local time​

Ava stood up carefully from the old-fashioned, wooden rocking chair that was handmade by Dracken Pryce 's father, a lifeday gift for his grandchildren well more so for the parents' benefit actually, then she padded across the carpeted room to a yellow-themed crib and laid down the bundled infant inside gently. After a moment she moved over to a green-themed one right next to it and lovingly gave a soft caress to the other infant already asleep. The golden blonde checked to see that the baby monitor atop the dresser was switched on, then she exited the nursery, giving one last motherly look at her children before closing the door.

The Ralltiiri sighed heavily, then walked out into the kitchen in a tired state. She stared into the fridge, steel blue eyes looking hard and long at a six-pack of Corellian ale, kept in the cooling unit for when, not if, Dracken came home. Ava had to keep a positive attitude especially now with him fighting on the front lines once again, and the Wing Commander was grounded on Corellia still on maternity leave... It was more that she wasn't out there with the Corellian to watch his back that grated on her nerves the most. But if any comfort could be gained, the High Admiral's loyal VI, Garvey, was by his side in her steed now that she wasn't leading Wildcat Squadron that was assigned to the ANS Starchild II.

Being a dutiful wife significant other waiting on the homefront and a mother wasn't the elite pilot's natural calling, but it truly had become the most important thing in her life. It didn't mean Ava sometimes didn't wish for the good ol' days of simple command and just the two of them. That was a selfish thought she knew, though an honest one. Now there was so much more at stake yet isn't that what moving forward in the big picture of life was all about? Having a family gave hope and meaning to one's existence, and more so something to fight for to the bitter end if need be. Dracken was the luckiest man in the galaxy, well in her opinion. He now had two beautiful namesakes and a woman who loved him with all her heart. What more could he really ask for? lol Probably a faster, bigger, more hard-hitting powerful ship! Yeah, Goldie was well aware of the fleeter's addiction to ship porn.

Settling on a glass of milk and a couple of cookies for a bedtime snack, Ava made her way out to the living area and turned on the holo flat-screen mounted on the wall across from the sofa. A basket of clean baby clothes was on the floor next to the knee-knocker table. She had started to fold them when the twins decided it was feeding time. Gabe and Gabby, short for Gabriel and Gabriella respectively, were still being nursed, though she was starting to wean them to bottled breast milk in hopes of being able to begin simulator training once again.

Right now, she was only a reserve pilot on paper for the Corellian Defense Force's Starfighter Corps. If Goldie was ever going to regain her old command, she'd have to really put the effort into getting back to elite-level stats. Then again, perhaps it was only a dream to think a command position would ever be offered to her with all the time off she'd taken between having her prosthetic limb redone and having a baby... Boy, did the doctor ever get that wrong! One baby turned out to be two?! Gabe had apparently been shielding his younger sister allowing Gabby to surprise everyone including the Laber & Delivery team at the Galactic City Medical Center on Coruscant with her unexpected arrival only minutes after her brother's on Unity Day of all days to be born. Hopefully, that was a good sign of things to come for the two Pryce children.

While the weather and sports portion of the local news was on, Ava munched on the two cookies, then downed the milk. Seemed summer was here to stay in balmy Coronet, and that Team Ralltiir and Team Tralus might end up playing one another in the Galactic Cup of Limmie to be held on Coruscant this year. That is if both bolo-ball teams stay on top in their respective divisions and galactic war didn't shut the league down. Time would only tell.

The recap of the galactic news though was what she was most interested in. The GA's 3rd Sector Fleet had been at the Siege of Muunilinst, more so Dracken's beloved Colony II-class Battlecruiser had been at the forefront once again leading the fight against the Sith Empire naval forces. Ava tried not to think about what had happened at Kuat, or nearly did... She pushed that thought and the following worry away while feverishly folding tiny little onesies hoping to get a glimpse of him or something regarding his or the ship's status or even a hint of her old squadron's fate.

He hadn't messaged her yet... No word one way or the other was definitely a double-edged sword.