Private Wicked Game

[Inanna Harth]

"Intention means a lot to me, Inanna. And at the gala... That's hard to forgive."

Inanna's lips parted slightly, as if she were about to respond with a wisecrack or comeback of some sort, but then she shut her mouth just as quickly. If he couldn't forgive her, nothing she said could change that. In fact, even trying to do so would probably just make matters worse.

He asked her if she had healed, and for a moment she thought he was referring to something else. Apart from the Shiftglue, she hadn't been injured, had she?... Oh.

"I found someone else," she replied. "A Jedi Knight. We're engaged, and now we have a baby girl. Well, she's not mine, but that's a long story. Still, it's nice to have a family again."

She hadn't directly answered his question, mainly because she wasn't sure of the answer and didn't want to admit it out loud. The implications were too troubling, and she was no longer interested in hurting anyone. She only wanted to be done with it all. If only it could all be done with her…

"That night in Sanctuary City," she began, rubbing her arms. "Did you really only do it because you wanted to make me feel good? Or was there something else you discovered about yourself somewhere between the thranta and dinner, maybe something less selfless than having pity for a refugee?"

Though she certainly seemed to be implying something about him, her tone wasn't accusatory or condemning. She seemed to want to believe he wasn't so perfect and selfless. She needed to humanize him, to destroy what was left of the idol in her mind and kill whatever lingering feelings remained. Perhaps then she could heal.

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

"I found someone else. A Jedi Knight. We're engaged, and now we have a baby girl. Well, she's not mine, but that's a long story. Still, it's nice to have a family again."

Alicio found a little smile at that. They'd both found their own Jedi, then. "Good," he said, after a moment. "You deserve to be happy." Perhaps not the most eloquent the Count had ever been, but he was recovering from being shot.

Though her avoidance of his question was noted, curtailing his joy on her behalf.

Her question didn't sour his mood, per se, but he did seem to grow more introspective. "When you asked me out, I said yes, because I was attracted to you. But... mostly, I wanted to make you happy."

He'd done plenty of thinking about that night, after the fact. Restlessly trying to figure out what he'd been feeling. "I... wasn't in a good place, back then. I was... self-destructive. Still am, probably." He shrugged, a bit of humor leaking into his face. "I thought that... since I was given such an opportunity with Sanctuary, and because I had so much privilege, I had to use every waking moment to help others. So, during our date... I tried to forget I was blowing off work, by focusing entirely on you. And... In the process, I didn't try to enjoy it myself."

"But... I did. And didn't. I felt guilty for... doing something for myself, I think." Alicio's hands suddenly became very interesting again. "I only figured that part out... later." The same thing had happened with Amani. The only difference was he'd learned what the feeling was from his first date, and was able to talk with his second about it.

"I was... unhealthy, and I'm sorry for dragging you into my issues."

- Inanna Harth -

 

[Inanna Harth]

Inanna listened quietly. She agreed with his assessment that he was ‘self-destructive’ and selfless to a fault. Still, she had been hoping for something worse, something more… but it would suffice.

“I did my fair share of dragging you into my issues as well,” she said, after he had finished. “I wanted a replacement for what I had lost. That wasn’t very fair to you, and it was selfish of me.”

She inclined her head, looking embarrassed. “I also wasn’t honest with you about my age. I’m two hundred and three, not one hundred and three. I’m not really sure why I thought lying and saying I was a century younger would make a difference…” She had been insecure, clearly. Two hundred wasn’t old for a Shi’ido, but she had been afraid of how Alicio would react. Maybe one hundred would seem like a less intimidating number to him. That aspect could at least be rightly mocked for how ridiculous it was in hindsight. “If I had told the truth, would you have said ‘whoa’ a little bit louder, maybe?”

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

Alicio twitched a smile, still keeping his eyes down in front of him. There wasn't any admission of forgiveness between them, but there was a feeling of mutual understanding. Maybe that was better than saying it out loud.

He forgave Inanna.

"I did say that, didn't I?" Alicio barked out a little chuckle, then held his chest with a mild grimace. "Most of that night is a bit of a blur to me, now. I'm sorry if that was rude, I was just... a little surprised." And perhaps a little intimidated, too. This new reveal that she was ten times his age, rather than five, was still a bit shocking, but he'd gotten more used to Shi'ido ages since their date.

The Count turned serious again, looking at Inanna with a new intensity. "Are you happy now?"

- Inanna Harth -

 

[Inanna Harth]

“Yes, you did. And then I kissed you, because I was afraid you’d say something even worse than ’Woah.’” After her near-perfect vocal mimicry of his reaction, Inanna held up a hand as if to dismiss the subject. “Look, I’m just glad you admitted you weren’t sure before things went too far that night.”

Alicio sobered up and asked her if she was happy. Her eyebrows rose. “What a curious question. Is anyone truly happy? What is ‘happy’, anyways?”

But then she smiled. “I think so. As happy as I can be in this crazy galaxy. And as the high priest’s daughter says in the show you unfortunately didn’t get to see last night, ‘Though we’ve ended now as lovers, does our love for one another have to end? And if love has gone and passed, but the good yet exceeds the bad, can we not still be friends?’” She tapped her lip. “Or something along those lines. I’m still working on the translation into Basic...

“Anyway, enough about the problems of two little people. Your assassin was a member of a terrorist organization calling themselves ‘Free Lao-mon’. Ever heard of them?”

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

Alicio cracked a grin at Inanna's perfect parroting of his words. Yeah, that was embarrassing.

Inanna's continued response to his question brought a true, if tiny, smile to his face. It was self-centered of him to think that he had ruined her two-hundred year life that night. In the moment, it certainly felt that way. As she said, he had Amani to go to, and she had no one.

But she didn't have no one anymore. It truly seemed like Inanna had found some joy, despite her unsure wording. Maybe that was enough to let Alicio forgive himself, too.

"It sounded passable to me," he responded easily, leaning back against the headrest of his bed. "I like it." Whether he was speaking about the quote itself, or the implication, who could say?

The reveal of his attacker's association cut the good mood from the Count. He stared at his datapad from across the room. "'Free Lao-mon'... No, I haven't heard of them. But based on their name, I have a good guess as to what they want."

"Are they who's been giving Maranatha so much trouble? Why assassinate me?"

- Inanna Harth -

 

[Inanna Harth]

She shook her head. “Maranatha’s worst enemy is itself. Our main problem right now is crime, gang violence, and clans vying for control of the city. Free Lao-mon, on the other hand, hates Maranatha and everything it stands for. They want all the Shi’ido to go back to our homeworld. They’re afraid Maranatha will become our permanent home—all that’s left of our species in a little city on a planet that doesn’t belong to us. The Shi’ido will grow too used to living under the watchful gazes of our benevolent Alderaanian overlords, and become complacent. Perhaps we will even die out here, go extinct.”

Taking a seat near the foot of his bed, she sighed. “Now, as for why they wanted to assassinate you… You’re one of the main people responsible for Maranatha. They want to sow discord between the Shi’ido and the Alderaanians, keep us from getting too friendly with each other. Assassinating Alderaan's senator and a member of its royal family would do the trick. The fact that it happened while you were visiting the city was no coincidence either.”

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

Alicio stared past Inanna as she explained the group, his face growing more and more somber with each passing moment. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, ignoring the slight jab of pain in his bare, bandaged chest, as he inspected the floor.

"I see why I'd be a target," the Count muttered, a bitter smile finding him. "I was the one that offered to bring the refugees here, after all. I'd be a pretty good bridge to burn."

He grew quiet, staring beyond time at the floor.

"I... wish the Shi'ido could go back, too," he finally said, some amount of emotion catching his tone. He didn't have to tell Inanna why it wasn't possible yet. "Their concerns are valid. I just... I want to help them, too."

If only there were a way to show them, beyond the violence, that he wanted nothing more than to give them their world back. But he didn't see it in the granules of the floor.

- Inanna Harth -

 

[Inanna Harth]

Inanna’s gaze was drawn toward the bandaged wound as Alicio shifted positions. She frowned as he spoke, her expression uneasy.

“Don’t start blaming yourself,” she said, knowing him too well. “Or thinking that you could’ve done better, or didn’t do enough. You have helped. This is the best you can do, given the circumstances. It’s the best any of us can do.”

She laid a hand on his shoulder. “At the end of the day, Free Lao-mon are little more than a bunch of killjoys. They’d rather we all died in a blaze of glory trying to take back a lost world than risk our learning to adapt and coexist. It’s madness, appealing only to people who are desperate and without hope. Maranatha has improved our chances of surviving long enough to reclaim Lao-mon, and for that I have you to thank, Alicio.”

Though she tried to keep her cool, she found herself getting a little bit choked up, her voice breaking on the words. All the fighting she had done, the losses she had incurred, the terrible cost to build this city—it all seemed to hit her then. She had done it. They had done it together. And she’d be damned if she let anyone try to take it away.

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

“Don’t start blaming yourself.”

Alicio turned his distant eyes her way, letting the thunderstorm break into a bit of dark humor.

How did she know?

He smiled at her when she grasped his shoulder, simply watching and listening as she spoke, his moment of happiness broken by her description of Free Lao-mon. He noticed as emotion caught her tone, too, and he offered a small, sheepish smile in return.

"I only signed the papers," the Count replied, folding his hands together. It was as if he were allergic to taking credit for anything. "You should thank the people out there. Maranatha made Maranatha, sculpted it from the trees themselves. I'm glad I could provide them this place, but they made it a home. At least, until we can get your old home back."

But then, Alicio grew pensive again. Held a quick inner-debate on whether to speak or not, before seeming to decide to voice whatever was rattling around in his head. "If Free Lao-mon feels hopeless... Maybe that's what they need. A bit of hope."

"I don't know what that means yet, so don't ask me... But... I can't write them off yet. I want to help them, too."

- Inanna Harth -

 

[Inanna Harth]

"Oh yeah, you signed those papers after months of meetings and deliberations, dealing with me making a fool out of myself, and who could forget—almost getting killed when we first met. Not to mention almost being assassinated because of all the work you put into this." Her tone was edged with sarcasm, but there was a satisfaction in her eyes, as though she were perfectly content with this current state of affairs. "I suppose taking credit isn't for people like us. We're the songwriters, not the singers."

At what he said next, Inanna's lips parted in surprise. "You're a very rare man indeed," she said softly. "Showing kindness even to the people who tried to kill you." She gestured toward his bandaged wound.

Though she was a worldly creature all too familiar with how the galaxy "really" worked, she felt a vague shame at how much Alicio had stunned her. After all, weren't people supposed to treat each other with that level of compassion? To care, even for their enemies?

If only.

"I don't know what that would mean, either," she said. "But I'm willing to help you, if I can."

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

"As long as someone enjoys the tune," Alicio responded, quirking a smile. He didn't argue the point further, even if he felt he should. There were so many people that had been through so much, that deserved their names in the spotlight more than a privileged nobleman.

Alicio caught Inanna's surprise, turning his head away from her, and regarding the holoscreen in the corner of the room, which continued to run coverage of the day's attack. "I understand why they're upset." He pressed a hand against his chest, finally taking a moment to heal himself. The song of the Force intensified as he felt a blossoming warmth begin to knit up his torso. "They're frightened of losing their home. Their heritage. Their legacy. And... people who are scared will do a lot of things they don't mean."

He frowned. "But... how to comfort them... show them a brighter future, if that's even possible... that's a conundrum for a day I haven't been shot." The Count stifled a laugh, resting his shoulders on the backboard of the bed.

Then, he took a page from Inanna's book, cracking a smile. "So... engaged with a kid. Moved on fast, didn't you?"

- Inanna Harth -

 

[Inanna Harth]

“Whether they play it out of tune, or too much…” she continued, waving her hand. “Or if some sing it better than others…”

Seeing Alicio heal himself with the Force reminded Inanna that he still had the Star she had given him. She motioned to take it back once he was finished, whether he was actually using it or had put it somewhere else.

Meanwhile, Inanna wracked her brain for something to offer. “I don’t know much about Free Lao-mon yet,” she said. “I know that they were getting their weapons and other gear from criminal connections on Narsh. Uh, I mean, Nar Shaddaa.” Not everyone knew the shortening Cato used for the planet. “Take the gun your assassin used. Slugthrowers aren’t unheard of, but they’re not as common as a blaster. That weapon almost certainly came from the Hutts.” It probably wasn’t much to work with, but at least it was a start.

“By the way… don’t ever try to deflect a bullet with a lightsaber. But you already know that from experience, now.”

Her teasing smirk widened into a smile. “I could say the same thing to you, Your Excellency. I believe you found Amani before I found Cato. As for us already being engaged, you two are just slow. I can't imagine why, considering how short your lives are... And to be fair, things have happened faster on my end because of unforeseen circumstances, like a newborn baby girl being left on our doorstep with nothing but a note saying ‘she’s yours’. I hope you won’t ever have to deal with such shenanigans.”

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

Alicio gladly passed the Shi'ido back her gem, continuing the metaphor. "Maybe we just need to learn how to sing. To make sure the song sounds right."

The mention of Narsh brought a confused look to the Count's face, which gave way to a subdued, bitter sadness after the clarification. "Nar Shaddaa. That's where Victoria- my sister- lives. Last I heard." Assuming the prodigal Organa wasn't dead in a ditch. A question that Alicio wasn't sure he wanted the answer to.

"I imagine there are plenty of Hutts on Nar Shaddaa. And plenty of forms a Shi'ido could take to purchase a slugthrower." It seemed like searching for a needle in a haystack.

"The one thing we do have is the weapon itself." The Alderaanian scratched his chin line, thoughtful. "Maybe the manufacturer left a signature, or a Hutt left a brand. It's something, at least." And if they found the terrorist organization... Alicio wasn't sure what happened next. He proselytized until they changed their ways? That seemed a bit optimistic, even for him.

“By the way… don’t ever try to deflect a bullet with a lightsaber. But you already know that from experience, now.”

Alicio laughed, feeling a bit less pain in his chest. "Yeah. Figured that one out pretty quick."

The story of Inanna's life since they'd last spoken forced a smile to his face. "Too fast and too slow. Make up your mind." The story of a mysterious child showing up at their doorstep sobered his good mood, but didn't banish it completely. "Fair, fair," he responded, leaning back a little further. "But, also to be fair, marriage isn't the goal. Being with Amani is. As long as I'm spending my short life doing that, I'm happy."

A longing hand traced over his left forearm, lingering on his new tattoo.

"When did you know? That you were ready?"

- Inanna Harth -

 

[Inanna Harth]

“Unfortunately some people are tone deaf.”

She sobered up as he mentioned Victoria. Truth be told, she had forgotten about his unfortunate sister. Given that she now lived partially on Narsh, perhaps she could… but no. She had better not offer to try and find Victoria. That was too risky.

“A Shi’ido of advanced age and prodigal talent could pretend to be a Hutt indefinitely,” she remarked. “Although they’d risk getting stuck in that form permanently, which no Shi’ido wants unless they are playing a seriously long game. The longer you spend looking the same, the harder it is to shift into something else.” That was why she’d gone through three significantly different physical appearances since Alicio had first met her, changing her features and coloration to keep from becoming stuck.

“It’s unlikely that they would’ve been that careless, but I can certainly have the gun checked out.”

It was nice to see Alicio laugh. He was normally as somber as a funeral—or he had been before. Now he seemed to have mellowed out a little. She probably had Amani to thank for that.

"Too fast and too slow. Make up your mind."

“I did say that, didn’t I? My bad. I only meant that you were too quick to forget about me, because my pride will accept nothing else. But in all other respects, you’re too slow.”

Her teasing tone faded as he asked her a question. After a few seconds, she softly replied, “Many people seem to see marriage as the end of the love story. I see that in you, too, when you say marriage isn’t your goal, as if it were something to work towards and then be done with. But I was taught to see it as the beginning. It is certainly where things get serious—without the total commitment of marriage, love is like child's play, all about feelings that could change at any time. Don't expect those feelings to be the basis of anything. When you marry, you are making a conscious decision to be with one person for the rest of your life, through thick and thin, when they are at their loveliest and their ugliest, both inside and out. In return, they will have to put up with your ups and downs forever as well."

She fiddled with the broken chain of the Star pendant in her lap, becoming lost in memory. "I agreed to marry Hal, my first husband, the same day he first told me he loved me. We had known each other for many years, and he had been with me through some of the worst periods of my life. I knew he was a good person, and reliable. But we had never been ‘romantically involved’ until then. Only friends and coworkers. So that really was where the love story began...

“As for Cato… I said ‘screw it, why not?’ and he agreed.”

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

Unfortunately, they couldn't solve the mystery of the slugthrower tonight. If anything, the interrogation of Alicio's would-be assassin would yield the best results.

Questions better asked after a good night's sleep. Healing such a deep wound tired him more than he cared to show. And his rib was still most certainly cracked.

"Yeah. Ah, let me rephrase," Alicio offered. "Marriage isn't as important to me as just enjoying our time together. But... it still does feel important. Significant."

Still, as he listened to Inanna speak about commitment, and her relationships, Alicio couldn't help but stare down at his forearm, studying his new Mirialan tattoo. A small, lonely triangle resting on a line, separated from it's partner on Amani's arm. He already felt that commitment, sure enough to get it declared on his skin.

Maybe he was more ready than he thought.

"Those are two wildly different stories, Inanna," he noted, skewing the Shi'ido a smile. "But... I think I get it."

His eyes sparkled like polished riverstones. "As you said, life is short. I'll... give it some thought."

- Inanna Harth -

 

[Inanna Harth]

“Yeah,” Inanna murmured, smiling at his observation. Two wildly different love stories, and she got to experience them both in a single lifetime.

Granted, that was partly because she was reluctant to admit she had felt a little… compelled to marry Cato. He was a newly minted single father with a highly dangerous lifestyle. It felt necessary to tie herself to him. Like she had a moral obligation, even. He needed stability—and even if he didn’t, little baby Serena did.

Or maybe her motives were more selfish than that. She had missed being a wife and mother, after all…

“Well, if you do get married, I wish that your children will be healthy, your home will be comfortable, and your union a success.”

Her eye caught the tattoo on the inside of her wrist, but before she could ask about it, Enkidu poked his head in. “How are things going in here?” he asked.

“We’re talking about love,” Inanna drawled. “And marriage.”

“... Do you want me to kick her out of here?” Enkidu offered to Alicio in a half-serious tone. His amusement was replaced by something a little more professional as he asked, “By the way, ah… I don’t know how Alderaan handles assassins. Will you be interrogating him yourself? After you’ve recovered, of course.”

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

“Well, if you do get married, I wish that your children will be healthy, your home will be comfortable, and your union a success.”

Alicio looked at Inanna, ponderously studying her face, before nodding slowly, layers of meaning roiling in his eyes. "Thank you." He was about to offer a similar response, when their moment was interrupted by Enkidu's entrance.

The Count sent another smile the man's way, pretending to consider the offer. "Well... I am a little tired. Chest full of metal will do that to you." His mood shifted with the Shi'ido's, his grey irises darkening like a coming storm.

"I... would like a chance to speak with him, if that's alright." Alicio shrugged his shoulders. "As far as Alderaanian law is concerned, they should treat him well. No torture, or forced labor."

His lips pursed, addressing both Enkidu and Inanna. "He probably thought he was doing the right thing, for his people, and his home. I don't want to see him hurt for that." Intention was important to the Count, after all. Even if it was misguided.

- Inanna Harth -

 

[Inanna Harth]

“The Alderaanian authorities have already taken over, so luckily for him, he’s no longer in our custody. Not that we torture or enslave our prisoners, that is...” Enkidu cleared his throat. “I’m sure something can be arranged to allow you to question him, and if you don’t mind Inanna and I would like to be present. But for now, we will leave you to your swift rediscovery.”

“Recovery,” Inanna gently corrected.

“Recovery,” Enkidu echoed, backing out of the room, muttering to himself. “I said it right the first time…”

Glancing back at Alicio, Inanna rose to her feet, getting ready to leave. “He likes you too much to come out and say it directly, but it bothers him that the Alderaanians don’t want us involved in the investigation. I don’t like it either. If you can pull a few strings to at least get us in there when you speak to your would-be assassin, it would help us learn more about him and Free Lao-mon.”

Alicio Organa​

 

[Alicio Organa]

Upon learning that the man was already in the custody of Maranatha's surrogate government, Alicio frowned a little. It had been, what, a few hours? Usually, only a heinous crime would deserve such swift attention.

Like the attempted assassination of an Alliance Senator.

Oh. Right.

"Of course," the Count affirmed to Enkidu, his hands folding over his chest once more. "I'll see what I can do. Thank you, Enkidu."

He turned his attention back to Inanna, his shaded concern coming into light. "I don't like it either. Thankfully, as the offended Family, I should be able to secure the investigation for House Organa. Meaning we can take on any consultants we deem fit."

"Even if not all of Alderaan trusts you yet, I do."

Alicio rested his head against his pillow, turning his cheek towards the holoprojector. They were showing clips of his speech before the Assembly now. Alicio frowned, blinking a little sleepily. "I wish they would stop talking about me."

- Inanna Harth -