Re: Friends in High Places
Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2023 6:35 pm
Kismet Dineen and Torian Cadera
The ship touched down gently planetside. Kismet and Torian exchanged a long look.
"You ready?" he asked. Understated, as always.
"Yes," she said.
"Next time," he told her. Next time, or the next... surely someday they would get to be parents, as they had dreamed.
"Sure. Next time," she agreed.
The three children led them along a dusty road to a cluster of rough, tumbledown dwellings. Although it was clear they all knew the way, and although there was no clearly visible hesitation on the part of any of them, Kismet couldn't help noticing Lelleth was uncharacteristically walking a touch slower than her siblings. Kismet frowned slightly to herself. Was she grasping at nothing? It had been a long, terrifying day for all of the children. Still, she vowed to make absolutely certain the children were safe and comfortable before they left to return to Rishi.
They were about to knock on the door when it creaked open and a head peeked out - an elderly Twi'lek, green skinned like the children.
"Yes? What do you want?" the elderly woman demanded.
"We have your grandchildren here--" Torian ventured.
"Yes, I see that. What are they doing here? You think I need more mouths to feed? More trouble in my old age?"
Kismet, raised rootless in bondage, understood immediately, but it took Mandalorian through-and-through Torian another moment to catch up. "But they're your kin!"
"Yeah. Sure. They are. Alright, fine. I'll take Lilias and Tommen."
Lelleth's face fell with resignation and disappointment - but not, Kismet noticed, with surprise.
"Please, Grandma," the older girl said hastily. "I'll be useful. You'll see. I can cook and clean and take care of the little ones. I can work so hard..."
The elderly Twi'lek shook her head. "Nope. Don't want the likes of you around here. This is an honest, respectable house. You think I don't know what you done?"
Torian attempted to step in again. "I can assure you, she killed the slaver in self-defense..."
The grandmother shook her head. "I wasn't talking about that. But I can't imagine why it was necessary. Everyone here knows, Lelleth. You think the rumors wouldn't get back here? You flaunting yourself on the Promenade, selling your body? We're good, simple folk here, and it's too much. If you want to keep plying your trade, try the cantina, and if not there's work to be had hauling rocks down at the quarry, but you're not welcome in my house."
The old woman pointed down the road for emphasis.
Before Lelleth could turn to leave, the two Mandalorians stepped side by side so the children were completely hidden from view. Their blasters were suddenly in their hands.
"Change of plans," Kismet said. "The kids are coming with us after all."
If the old woman was intimidated by the weapons, she didn't show it. "Don't get your knickers into a twist over it. I said I'd take the younger two..."
"The offer is no longer on the table," Torian replied coldly. "All three of these children are under the protection of Clan Cadera. Permanently. Come on, kids. Back to the ship."
Kismet couldn't help noticing that the children's steps seemed much more eager headed back to the Wayfinder than departing it.
Lelleth awkwardly turned to her initial rescuer. Surely this unwelcome revelation required some kind of explanation? "Uh... Torian... I... uh..."
Torian paused for a moment, and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I could tell as soon as I met you that you were strong," he said. "Come on. Let's get out of here."
The ship touched down gently planetside. Kismet and Torian exchanged a long look.
"You ready?" he asked. Understated, as always.
"Yes," she said.
"Next time," he told her. Next time, or the next... surely someday they would get to be parents, as they had dreamed.
"Sure. Next time," she agreed.
The three children led them along a dusty road to a cluster of rough, tumbledown dwellings. Although it was clear they all knew the way, and although there was no clearly visible hesitation on the part of any of them, Kismet couldn't help noticing Lelleth was uncharacteristically walking a touch slower than her siblings. Kismet frowned slightly to herself. Was she grasping at nothing? It had been a long, terrifying day for all of the children. Still, she vowed to make absolutely certain the children were safe and comfortable before they left to return to Rishi.
They were about to knock on the door when it creaked open and a head peeked out - an elderly Twi'lek, green skinned like the children.
"Yes? What do you want?" the elderly woman demanded.
"We have your grandchildren here--" Torian ventured.
"Yes, I see that. What are they doing here? You think I need more mouths to feed? More trouble in my old age?"
Kismet, raised rootless in bondage, understood immediately, but it took Mandalorian through-and-through Torian another moment to catch up. "But they're your kin!"
"Yeah. Sure. They are. Alright, fine. I'll take Lilias and Tommen."
Lelleth's face fell with resignation and disappointment - but not, Kismet noticed, with surprise.
"Please, Grandma," the older girl said hastily. "I'll be useful. You'll see. I can cook and clean and take care of the little ones. I can work so hard..."
The elderly Twi'lek shook her head. "Nope. Don't want the likes of you around here. This is an honest, respectable house. You think I don't know what you done?"
Torian attempted to step in again. "I can assure you, she killed the slaver in self-defense..."
The grandmother shook her head. "I wasn't talking about that. But I can't imagine why it was necessary. Everyone here knows, Lelleth. You think the rumors wouldn't get back here? You flaunting yourself on the Promenade, selling your body? We're good, simple folk here, and it's too much. If you want to keep plying your trade, try the cantina, and if not there's work to be had hauling rocks down at the quarry, but you're not welcome in my house."
The old woman pointed down the road for emphasis.
Before Lelleth could turn to leave, the two Mandalorians stepped side by side so the children were completely hidden from view. Their blasters were suddenly in their hands.
"Change of plans," Kismet said. "The kids are coming with us after all."
If the old woman was intimidated by the weapons, she didn't show it. "Don't get your knickers into a twist over it. I said I'd take the younger two..."
"The offer is no longer on the table," Torian replied coldly. "All three of these children are under the protection of Clan Cadera. Permanently. Come on, kids. Back to the ship."
Kismet couldn't help noticing that the children's steps seemed much more eager headed back to the Wayfinder than departing it.
Lelleth awkwardly turned to her initial rescuer. Surely this unwelcome revelation required some kind of explanation? "Uh... Torian... I... uh..."
Torian paused for a moment, and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I could tell as soon as I met you that you were strong," he said. "Come on. Let's get out of here."