Two Words: Nine Letters

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

Normal. Galina certainly didn't see herself as that, at least not yet. The abilities made her something else, something different. Something she didn't particularly like. In time she was bound to get used to it. Perhaps seeing it used in a good light more would help. The Priestess had already saved her life with it. So did Siobhan with Tempest, on the island. Flight allowing them to get to her easier.

The redhead nodded slowly. Her mother was right, she had done well with the force in that instance. "Alright." She said quietly, and she was about to lift the rifle to take another shot when her mother spoken again. Her brow knitted together as she thought about those words. "You can?" She seemed surprised by that now, even though she had seen Sio fly before. It had been one reason that she was so frightened of them on the island. Biting at her lip, she thought about that for moment longer. "I'd like that." It wasn't a ship. It wasn't how she had crashed upon Kaeshana. "I mean .. I am a little afraid of it, but .. I used to like flying until .." She but hard at her lip not finishing the sentence, implying the crash that killed her parents.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"]


"I know, sweetie. I know," Siobhan spoke gently, an air of sadness in her tone. She gently took Galina's hand into hers. "If we go flying...I'll never let you fall. You'd have to hold on very tight, but I'd use my powers to make sure we cannot be separated." Basically she would be conjuring up a telekinetic sphere that would surround both of them, binding Galina to her. Needless to say she would be flying a lot less fast than usual, both to ensure she could concentrate better and because she did not want to scare her daughter.

 

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

She gently squeezed Siobhan's hand in return. "I can do that. I trust you." Said with a smile as she turned her mind to happier thoughts. Namely her mother, and the trust she held in the woman. "I'd hold on extra tight."
Maybe it was more benign uses of the Force that Galina really needed to see, to get over her fears that all of it was just associated with Evil. It took a lot to get her to see what the Priestess had done, to save her life wasn't evil at all. She was alive because of it, and that could never be a bad thing. But still, Siobhan had to point it out before she could really see it herself.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"]


"Ok, sweetie," Siobhan gripped Galina's hand tight and pulled at the tangled web of the Force to make its energies flow through her. Suddenly her muscles were filled with strength as the Force poured energy into them. Moreover, invisible telekinetic binds manifested, forming a sphere that bound both her and Galina together.



"We're going up," she spoke. "Remember I'll never let you fall." Then suddenly both mother and daughter lifted off the ground and took off into the sky. One could compare them to two organic rocket ships shooting up, though the speed was far beyond the one Siobhan normally used, for she did not want to scare her daughter. At first they were merely levitating, but then they were truly flying as the shooting range and indeed the entire villa became smaller and smaller for them.

 

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

Galina tightly held onto Siobhan, not wanting to let go. Though she could feel a shift around her. Strange things were happening and she suspected it had to do with the force more than anything else. It was far too unnatural otherwise for what she was feeling.

She breathed in deeply, her eyes on the ground for a moment as Siobhan started to lift them both from the ground. It seemed quite the miraculous thing in her eyes. Human flight without any outside aid. The higher they got the tighter Galina held on, pulling herself closer to her mother. Part out of fear, but she did trust that Siobhan wasn't going to let her go. It took a while but she started to relax a little, the tenseness in her body starting to melt away as she became fascinated by the things below them. Flying until now had been a source of the young woman's fears. Always afraid that something like what happened to her birth parents would end up happening again and she'd lose more family. "It's pretty." She said quietly.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"]



"Yes, it is. Look around you, Galina, see the beauty. Look at our garden down there, at the trees, watch the birds fly and hear them chirp. Feel the breeze of the wind against your skin, look at the white stone buildings of the city ahead of us, at the mountains rising up into the sky. Look at it all," Siobhan said warmly as they flew through the air.


She was keeping their speed deliberately slow. Not only for safety reasons, but because she wanted Galina to have the chance to take it all in, and so they flew across the grounds of the villa, further towards the Firemane Headquarters that could be seen in the distance. "All of that is life. And the Force is inside it all. It's not just fancy magic that can be used for good or ill, it's life. Everything is connected to it."

 

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

The redhead's eyes searched everything below them. She still was quite tense against Siobhan, feeling still a bit worrisome about the height and the fact that nothing held them up but the force and her mother's grip. Her gaze drifted to the Villa gardens below, to the city ahead, the mountains. For a moment she seemed to get lost in the sight of all of it, taking every last detail in. Every sound and smell. At that she finally started to relax a little. The tenseness starting to ease off. "Never thought I could like flying again."

A smile soon spread across her lips, and she glanced to Siobhan seemingly happy in that moment. "It is mum?" She asked softly, her curiousness getting the best of her. She'd never really looked at everything around her in that way before.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"]


"Yes, angel." Galina's happiness proved contagious and, though Siobhan did not weaken her telekinetic grip, she allowed herself a moment to give her daughter a maternal kiss on the cheek. "Look at this way, the Force originates in and flows through all living things in the Galaxy. Spoken abstractly, It is an energy field created by all living things that binds the world together. Above all, it's life. Through it, we are all connected."



By now they had left the villa and the Firemane grounds. Now they were flying towards the very same forest where Tempest would be training Galina. Or presumably had started doing so in another thread. Beneath them was a highland valley with a trickling steam and tall trees. Birds chirped happily and if they looked down far enough they would be able to see an Eldorai family going on what happened to be a trip with their children. "The only thing that makes you different from your parents is that your connection to the Force is strong enough to use it. That's all that separates you from them."

 

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

Galina 's eyes were gazing over everything, trying to take in every last detail as her mother spoke. She smiled a little brighter at the kiss on her cheek, and squeezed tightly against her mother for a moment, in the most loving manner possible. She was starting to understand this mystical thing called the force. "I think, I might be starting to understand. So it's energy." And she knew energy could neither be created or destroyed. It all had to go somewhere, and by that same logic while she couldn't create energy, she could use it. And somehow she was connected to this mystical source. Though, somehow it seemed a little less mystical than it had been to her a few minutes ago. "And it's in everything.... I can see how that works."

Her gaze drifted to the forest below, to the family. "So it's not really good or evil. It's just energy, that we can use. And I can just use that power, unlike my parents...." Slowly she was wrapping her mind around it. It was taking her time to get it, to understand it. But this, certainly was helping her. The little redhead had just needed a better understanding of it, a different perspective to help remove some of her fears.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"]



Siobhan smiled very brightly. Her daughter was finally understanding. Baby steps, but well worth it. "Yes, angel. Energy. It's not inherently bad or good. There are plenty of folks who'd tell you the Force has sides, that there's light and dark, but I say the Force is just that...energy. Life. Everything around you. Whether it's good or evil depends on how you use it," she began to explain as they glided above the beautiful forest and the river below.


In order to allow Galina to take in the wonders below and to explain things better she had deliberately slowed their pace, so that it was more akin to levitation above the trees. "Take your bow. It was a tool you made on the island to protect yourself against wild animals. It served a beneficial purpose. Same with a gun. You can use to protect yourself and those you care about...but also to hurt innocents. That's the why the Mages on Sigmar did it. And the Rebels, for that matter, they just used man-made tools instead of the Force. What matters is that you have the choice. It's your fingers holding the bow and shooting off the arrow."

 

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

It was about time that she started to get it, and understand that the force wasn't some inherent evil. It was simply energy, that she could choose to use how she wanted. It was her choice to tap into that resivoire of power or not. Though, control would have to come first before she could really make that choice for herself.

She sighed softly, as she thought about it. "I understand." Galina finally said after a long while. "I still don't like it, but I understand. I'm not comfortable with it. And it still frightens me a fair bit, mummy."

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"]


"I know, angel. But you'll learn in time that you don't need to be scared. I'm using the Force right now to fly and show you the forest. You're not scared of me," Siobhan pointed out reasonably, though she kept her tone gentle and soft. It might surprise many but she had a strong aversion to being what she considered forceful or authoritarian in her parenting.


There were areas where did put her foot down and expected her orders to be obeyed even when Galina hated it, such as when it came to Force training. But in general she preferred to take a gentle approach, be patient and use reason. Firstly this was because she believed that Galina was a smart cookiee. A bit immature at times, but that was understandable given what she had went through. Treating her like a young adult rather than a child seemed the better way to her.


And secondly, there were Siobhan's....own childhood experience. She did not want to be a parent Galina was afraid of, who shouted or thought force was a good idea. They glided across the forest and Siobhan lowered the altitude slightly, allowing Galina to better see the beautiful river stream beneath them. Birds were chirping, frogs were making noise, further ahead one could see a family having a picnic in a clearing in the forest. "Are you enjoying flying, sweetie?"

 

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

"I hope so, mum." She then nodded as her eyes drifted downward, looking to the forest below. "No, I'm not afraid of you. I feel safe right now." The young woman said softly as she gazed upon the beauty below.

"I am." Something she certainly didn't think would be possible ever again. Not after she crashed so painfully into the island, losing her family. "It's pretty below."

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"]


"It is, my lovely daughter. Let's go down and land," Siobhan beamed. A feeling of pride was radiating from her. Galina was being able to enjoy something that had scared her so long. Perhaps this would hel her heal. As soon as Siobhan had spoken these words the pair began to glide downward. It was a slow, controlled descent.



Flying was more difficult and energy-intensive when you were levitating someone else as well instead of just propelling yourself. Moreover, Siobhan did not want to scare her little angel. They would eventually touch down upon the grass near the river bank, once having solid ground under their feet. Now Siobhan released Galina from her telekinetic bindings, allowing the girl to walk and move freely again.

 

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

Undoubtedly it was helping the young Firemane to heal. She needed to see that flying, wasn't the horrible thing she knew it to be. Nor were space ships. She needed to get over those fears, as well as her fear of the force and using it. "Okay," She said softly, and clung a little tighter to her mother as she lowered them to the ground.

After she felt the telekinetic grip loosen, Galina smiling stepped away from her mummy. Between the forest and the river, the young woman felt quite at home. A happiness, joy and comfort radiated from her so easily. "I love being outside." She said brightly, looking up towards the sky and basking into the sunlight for a moment. "Makes me feel comfortable, safe." Even with the possible dangers in the forest, she still felt incredibly comfortable there.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"]


"I'll have to remember to take you out on a camping trip some day. Maybe on Dahomey. It's very wild and untamed there, plenty of animals to see and hunt," Siobhan said happily as she walked up to Galina from behind and wrapped her arms around the young wildling, planting a gentle kiss on her firemane.


Her amazing daughter, her little angel. Yes, Siobhan was feeling extremely mushy, but her daughter's joy was contagious. "You want to continue with gun practice, sunshine? I brought a couple weapons with us." This writer has arbitrarily decided that before taking off Siobhan stuffed a couple death dealers into a rucksack.

 

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

"I would like that." She said with a grin, clearly loving the idea and where they currently were.

"Oh, yes ... I would." The need to learn the newer weapons, was unfortunately a necessary to protect herself. The young woman wished it very much was not that way. But that was not the reality they lived in. "Was just starting to get used to them back at the Villa."

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"]


Siobhan opened her rucksack and took out a blaster pistol, holding it so that her daughter would be able to see. "This is a blaster pistol. There are a number of differences to slugthrowers, but once you get past those the way you use them is the same. You'll probably understand the physics better than I do, but it fires fires bursts of particle beam energy called blaster bolts from a replaceable power back." After having said these words she would take out a power pack and loaded the gun, demonstrating for Galina.


"The beam consists of compacted high-energy particles and intense light that can kill or stun a target. You can switch the setting." Here she paused to demonstrate. "Common slugthrowers suck against personal armour because they can't penetrate it. Blasters can, depending on type and how tough the armour is, and hurt a ot more. Strong word of advice, never use a blaster against a lighsabre-wielder. Even an apprentice is going to deflect it with their blade. Blasters against a Jedi or Sith only works if their opponent has overwhelmning numbers."


Having spoken these words she walked towards a tree that was a bit away and pinned a target to it. After having returned to Galina, she assumed proper firing position, took aim and then squeezed the trigger. A crimson blaster bolt shot out of the gun and impacted upon the target's bull's eye. Presumably it left a very nasty burn and shore wood.

 

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

Galina watched closely as Siobhan pulled the blaster from the rucksack. Briefly she studied the device curiously as her mother demonstrated for her. "Particle beam energy, interesting. I think, I want to look more into that when we get back home." Her mind ever curious and always wanting to know exactly how things worked and what the math behind such things really looked like.

"Does it have a recoil like other weapons, or is it less so than slug throwers?" Her curiosity definitely getting the best of her. Keenly she watched as her mother took aim at the target, eager to know what it was like to use the weapon herself.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

@Galina Kerigan-Alcori


Siobhan had the distinct impression that her daughter would end up understanding the way a blaster worked way better than she did. After all, she just used the guns to shoot things! Without thinking about what particle beam energy actually meant. Maybe someday Galina could team up with Elanil Saedaris to create death dealers!


"Recoil is a lot less than a slugthrower, which makes it easier to handle. Another reason for why a blaster is more popular. Of course, as you just saw, blaster rounds are very visible, so stealth is almost impossible. Unless you're using a shadow rifle, but that's another matter." This one thinks that Galina would make an awesome sniper, especially if she used Shatterpoint. She passed over the blaster pistol to Galina, giving her time to familiarise herself with the weapon. "Get a feel for it, then have a go," she said warmly, pointing at the target pinned to the tree.