Ask Aftershock

[Dr Ilana Morata]

Denon had been busy enough. Thankfully, with the conflict of Byblos, there were less casualties, but she was no less busy than she was before. After Nar Shaddaa, she had split her time between Thyferra and Paqualis III, meditating over the changes that had happened. She felt restless, and her sleep had suffered. Even around Corran, she felt herself unable to fully relax, to ease into a semblance of daily life.

She had heard whispers of one patient being especially difficult. Once she heard the name, she had to take a deep breath in.

"Why must he be so stubborn?" she grumbled, pulling her hair back into a ponytail.

Stalking in, she knocked on the door before walking in, one nurse instantly scurrying from the room. One look at the Doctor's face taught by experience that staying in the room was a poor idea. She didn't immediately address the patient, but annotated his vitals on the datapad, checked on the machines, glanced pointedly at the door chart as well.

When she spoke again, her voice was cool, calm.

"Tell me, how long were you intending to make my staff's life difficult? Or is that you being your usual pleasant self?" She glanced over to meet his eyes squarely, one white brow raised.

"I never expected to see you this soon. How are you feeling?"

@Sreeya

 

[Sevrin Valtiere]

Sevrin was dressed in Jedi robes instead of gowns or whatever else the staff tried to force on him. By the time Amariel entered, his arms were crossed and he was sitting upright in his bed. His frosty gaze softened just slightly, but it returned as soon as she looked at him. His eyes narrowed at her series of questions. He also noticed her hair was tied which was not how he preferred it. He internally chastised himself for even having a preference, reminding himself of how irritating this situation was.

His nostrils flared just a bit and he pointedly looked away, deciding not to say anything for a moment. However, he looked back again when she followed up with asking how he was feeling. Sevrin matched her icy gaze, his tone just as biting, “I generally am quite pleasant, thank you,” He said curtly at last, “I didn’t hear you complaining when I ferried you around from building to building.”

Sevrin looked down at his feet. If she followed his gaze she’d notice that his feet comically extended way out past the edge of the bed, “I was told I’d get a wookiee bed, but here we are,” He turned to look at her again, “And I don’t see why I need to remove my clothing to have my wounds addressed. Surely there are alternatives.”

He had been in many fights and battles, but he had been able to address almost all of it by himself or discreetly. It was clear Sevrin was in pain with the way he shifted uncomfortably every now and then.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

With his arms crossed, his feet sticking out a good foot from the bed, and that frigid expression on his face... she couldn't explain why, but a twitch of a smile threatened to burst from her lips. She covered it with a cool stare of her own, arms crossing slowly. "Ah, so you were being pleasant," she retorted, head cocking slightly. "I wonder how you are when you're feeling sociable as well then." Turning away to adjust one of the monitors and tap something else on her datapad, she answered without even looking.

"Well-behaved patients always get their demands met," she commented dryly, then pressed a button and glanced up at him, the frost softening ever so slightly. "Fortunately for you, we have a physician that can accommodate patient needs." However, seeing him in pain made her drop her shoulders ever so slightly, a sigh slipping past her lips.

"At least let me look then, so I know how to properly treat you. You don't even have to remove the garment entirely," she offered, setting the datapad on a tray table and setting her hands on her hips. "I can even turn away if you like. But I can't just treat without looking, unless you enjoy being in pain." She could be stubborn as well, but perhaps it was more to his unwillingness to remove clothing than discomfort. Still, she had to try to help somehow.

Or just prescribe a rigorous round of bacta baths, she mused, waiting for his answer. But that wouldn't suit her professional doctor; she was a healer, and anything less than her best would never satisfy.

@Sreeya

 

[Sevrin Valtiere]

Sevrin was silent for a moment when she quipped about his personality. The twitch at a smile would have caught him off guard, but he was too busy being a difficult patient. While he was usually standoffish, the recent nonsense with empathy had certainly made him a bit moody. He was often also projecting the grumpiness of others around him, and it often manifested before he could stop himself. It added an odd bit of new character to the Sephi much to the entertainment of those that knew him.

His eyes narrowed at the comment about nice patients having their needs met, “Of course, me having to be brought in with two repulsorbeds joined together wasn’t enough of a clue that I may need a bigger bed,” He muttered dryly as he pointedly looked away again, staring at the wall as if it were exponentially more interesting.

He pretended not to hear when she requested to look at the injury. Sevrin despised removing clothing around others. It was one of those prim and proper leftovers from his noble upbringing. However, he also recognized his own pigheadedness. It was a few seconds before he finally turned to look at her again.

“Very well,” He said curtly, “But if you must poke at me, breathe on your hands or something first,” He stared at her, remembering her perpetually frosty limbs, “Don’t need your hands to match your eyes.”

With that, he winced as he began to open up the front of his robes. He peeled the fabric away with some difficulty, some of the clothing sticking to his injuries. The initial peeling revealed the well defined upper chest of a fighter, but also the streaking and patterned remnants of a severe lightning attack. The wounds were raw and red burns that went deep into several layers of skin. It would be enough to render most unconscious or dead, but Sevrin was spared for being a Jedi and also having Vahn apply some quick healing.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

Maybe it was just his sarcasm, but there were times when he spoke that seemed to get under her skin. She had dealt with a myriad of difficult patients during her years of practice, but he was fast becoming one of the most difficult she'd had to deal with. As well as the most puzzling. Frigid one moment, acquiescing the next, it was hard for her to get a proper read of him and it promised frustration.

At the comment of her cold touch, she scowled, but wouldn't deign a reply. At least, not yet. Though deep down, a part of her was tempted to put her hands in the staff freezer for a few moments. There was something about him that inspired spite, but instead, she clipped away to a corner cabinet. Not only to grant him at least some privacy but also to cool the urge to lash back.

"Very well."

When she turned back around, she had put on thin synthweave gloves under the typical medical-grade, and flexed her hands, frowning at them. She loathed wearing two layers, it always felt like it restricted her hands' mobility. But she didn't want him to have another excuse to give her grief. However... any personal hurts, any nettled pride, would be brushed away by cool, distant professionalism.

Immediately, she walked closer to examine but did not touch right away. Instead, she noted where foreign fibers had melted into the flesh, the almost starburst pattern where the lightning had struck, the abused layers of skin. When she lifted her hands to touch, she hovered and glanced up at his features, a wordless request of permission.

She kept her touch deliberately light, examining the span of injury, only touching when it was absolutely unavoidable. Brows dented in focus, amber eyes impassive. She had to keep her distance, allow him to just be a patient for the time being. It made things easier, it made her able to think clearer.

When she was done examining she straightened, shucking off the medical gloves. "It will require some plastic surgery to minimize scarring," she said coolly, "and to remove foreign debris. I'll use synth skin, and ask that post-treatment you immerse yourself in bacta for a week, minimally." She wasn't going to soften her words, but she also wasn't going to gape at his exposed wounds. Instead, she would keep her gaze trained on his. He was clearly uncomfortable being seen without his robes to cover his chest; in a sense, she could sympathize.

Giving him an excuse for privacy, she turned away and tossed the gloves into a biohazard container. "Any comments, concerns?"

@Sreeya

 

[Sevrin Valtiere]

Sevrin was mercifully still and patient while Amariel inspected his injuries. He looked off to stare at the wall, silver eyes drilling holes into it. There was a slight wince as she brushed her fingers near the injury, though he didn’t recoil or indicate for her to stop. He knew the scarring would never truly go away, but this was the nature of being Jedi and facing the Sith.

His gaze remained on the wall as she stated treatment options and he was surprised that minimizing scarring was even possible. At the suggestion of bacta immersion, his head whipped back and his silver gaze fixed on her again, “A week?” He cut in icily, “I can’t be out of commission that long. I have..” He thought about his rather crazy plans to infiltrate Sullust, “...Sith business,” Sevrin muttered.

Sevrin decided that letting her inspect his injuries wasn’t too awful, though he still disliked removing clothing. He didn’t move to immediately cover himself up, taking a moment to glance down at his injuries. He thought about how it had been possible for him to come to a lucrative place like this for treatment. Ever since MorataCorp had been chosen for the vaccination research, the company had become extremely high profile. There was a lot of scrutiny and spotlight on the company and its owner. Despite all that, Amariel still made an effort to remain present and make time for her patients.

“Thank you,” He muttered after a while. Despite the distant look on his face, when he gazed at her again, it was clear he was genuine. Amusement glinted in his eye as he finished his sentence, “...For preferring for me to stay alive.”

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

At his protest of taking a week, her lips thinned, nostrils flared as a frigid stare met back with his. Sith business sounded about right... did he mean her? She shucked off the other gloves as well, frowning at his protest. Did he actually want to heal, or was he here to simply aggravate her? She didn't realize she was feeding into his own irritation, letting it ramp up what she already felt. She had to take a break from this, not let it overwhelm her. Instead, she took a deep breath.

"...I suppose a full interval may do," she answered equally icily, straightening her spine. "But only with the request that you return to complete your treatment interval." She had turned away again, swiping up her datapad to tap in one last round of notes, before she picked up his words. Surprise glinted in amber eyes when she glanced up, but then she could feel her face heat in embarrassment.

"...Of course. You protected and aided me. I would prefer you alive so I can repay my... debts." Amber eyes met silver again squarely. Amongst many other things, such as what haunted in her dreams even now; the sins of what she had committed on Nar Shaddaa. But this would remain unsaid. However, she was spared any other words by a chime at the doorway.

Realizing he still hadn't really dressed properly, she stepped smoothly out in front of his bed, pulling the curtain over to keep him from prying eyes, and nodded. "Bring it in, I'll set it in place personally. Thank you."

He wasn't exactly being the most pleasant all the time, but she wasn't going to let him suffer in a too-short berth. She was many things, but abusive against her patients wasn't one of them. Once the nurse went on her way, she began to push the bed in, attempting to try to school her features into a neutral expression.

"Your lounge, sir."

@Sreeya

 

[Sevrin Valtiere]

Sevrin gave a vague grunt in response to her demand request around his treatment. He had no arguments, but he wasn’t thrilled either, so an incoherent noise was all she would get as he was back to glaring at the wall. The half Sephi looked over again when she appeared to stop in her tracks, hearing the sincere words that followed shortly after. He caught her almost bantha in the headlights kind of look accompanied with….was that a blush? A single eyebrow slowly rose but she had already looked away. No, definitely not a blush. Probably one of those hot flashes or whatever some human women appeared to get. Though she did appear too young for that….

The Sephi’s musings were interrupted with a chime at the door. He was thankful for Amariel allowing him some privacy, and he used that time to cover up what little he had revealed. He could hear moving and shuffling, and after a moment it sounded like just Amariel in the room again.

He used the Force to shift the curtain aside, spotting the comically large repulsorbed being rolled in. He had a pleased look on his face, and her words on top of it drew out a half grin.

Naturally stubborn, Sevrin immediately began to move after the bed was placed. He moved his feet off and casually stood up, taking just one step before he unceremoniously collapsed. Sevrin blinked and looked puzzled for a moment. Instead of asking for help or getting up, he shifted his legs to instead cross them and decided the floor suited him just fine.

“How is your research going? Did the head help?” Sevrin decided to make conversation from right there on the floor, pretending that he didn’t just utterly fail to walk a few feet to his new bed.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

She should have known he would be confident enough in his abilities to try and walk on his own, but even Force users weren't always up and prepared to recover immediately. She had heard rumors that they could heal others to a degree, but she doubted they could heal that quickly.

She had set the repulsorbed in place and began to adjust it to be next to the other bed for easy transfer, when she saw him move from the corner of her eye, followed by a sudden thump to the floor. Wheeling around, she opened her mouth to scold him... and then blinked, non-plussed, as he just carried on a casual conversation as though nothing was wrong. For a second, she simply stared at him...

Before she suddenly burst into laughter.

She couldn't help it. Weeks of stress, anxiety, and pressure had built to a fine point. President Thorne had vanished, the virus was being a difficult disease to find a vaccine for, and her hands were full running multiple small clinics, and to top it off, she had to deal with the aftermath of Nar Shaddaa sooner rather than later. Light, silvery laughter, until her ribs ached, and then she groaned, burying her face in her hands.

"By the Force, why are you so stubborn?" she muttered into her hands, taking a deep breath to push a few white strands of hair out of her face. "You could have waited five seconds to just slide over... you can't just up and walk off an assault like what you had experienced. Based on reports I had been given, you're fortunate to be alive." She offered a hand down for him to take, pulling him up to lean against her and lead him into the new bed. "Don't push that luck."

She waited until he would be settled, before pausing to answer.

"The head has helped. But research has been... difficult, as of late," she finally managed to speak, giving a tired sigh. "These specimens mutate over time; I have to be sure the preventative measures can be used without a too high-risk margin; the last thing I want is to put something in production that will harm more than heal." She scowled absently and began to rub the bridge of her nose. "There's so much left to be done, I don't know when it will ever be over."

@Sreeya

 

[Sevrin Valtiere]

Sevrin was expecting an answer to his question, but instead she did something that completely threw him off. The Sephi stared, entirely perplexed, as Amariel suddenly burst into laughter. It was a gentle, flittering sound that was pleasant to his ears. It was weary, exasperated and exhausted beyond belief. Sevrin didn’t know whether to be shocked or offended. In his pain and exhaustion he found the corners of his lips tugging. Though it wasn’t in his nature to laugh, this very strange gesture drew out a genuine smile from him.

Smiles looked almost out of place on the Sephi’s normally stoic face. This one reached his eyes, bringing a whole new level of brilliance to the already piercing silvers. Sevrin shook his head as she began to wind down with her laugh, looking down at the floor. The situation was entirely absurd and clearly out of left field for both of them.

He didn’t have any answers for her. He never knew he was so stubborn, but then he wasn’t generally in a position where he needed a ton of assistance. Sevrin quirked an eyebrow skeptically as she extended a hand to help him. He took the hand and placed his other one against a nearby cabinet to slowly get up.

Sevrin almost toppled them both over, his larger and heavier frame unstable. He was shaky on his feet, half leaning into her as she guided him to the other bed. Sevrin unceremoniously plopped down and helped himself in, wincing from the biting pain that cut through his entire torso.

He heard her out, listening to the obstacles in her path. In many ways he had it far easier than she did. She was front and center with the galaxy’s eyes on her just waiting for her to mess something up. Sevrin watched her for a moment, noting how she appeared as if she hadn’t properly slept in days.

“Come here,” Sevrin stated quietly. If she stepped closer, he would close his eyes and raise his hand to briefly brush against the side of her head. They still had an empath thread between them from the incident on Nar Shaddaa. Sevrin knew that thread could go both ways. He tempered his mind and called upon his training as a Jedi. The result would be a sudden wave of serenity and calmness that would wash over her. The tumultuous waves and whirlpools in her mind would still to flat, placid waters. The thunderstorms would give way to parting clouds and warmth. While it wouldn’t solve all her problems, it would energize and calm her mind, allowing her to focus far better with the empathy temporarily silenced.

The Sephi drew his hand back and opened his eyes to gaze at her, offering a lazy half grin, “Stubborn, yes. But sometimes useful too.”

He looked as if he had more to say, but his eyes rolled to the back of his head as consciousness left him. The mental gesture had taxed him and he was blissfully away from all his pain at least for a while.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

Nothing surprised her more than the sight of an actual smile. It seemed to light up his features, making opaque silver eyes gleam like a Nubian ship in sunlight, and she blinked, the smile still lingering on her own lips. It was ridiculous, all of it. When he accepted her help, she firmed her stance but still staggered when he leaned over, gritting her jaw and beginning to move him over.

When he called her over, she looked up, a wary look in amber eyes. But then she stepped forward, hesitant. She had to trust him in some way, though it was difficult. The circumstances that had him involved in the first place had seemed to affect him just as much as it affected her. She closed her eyes a moment at the touch, fighting the urge to jerk back at the sudden peace that stilled. Her eyes widened, and she inhaled shallowly.

And suddenly... there was silence. Her mind went blank, jaw dropped. In all her years searching for answers, wanting a way to shut down the constant battering of others' emotions... and it was suddenly quieted with a touch and half-smile.

She stood over him for a couple of moments, then sighed, shaking her head. "...Useful to all the wrong people. Why do you Jedi insist on helping?"

The words, however, were without heat or venom. But perhaps... there was hope. A possible answer. She swallowed once, then sighed. She would help him the same way he helped her. She would owe a debt, she would give it back as much as she could.

When he would come to again, bacta bandages were wrapped around, with heavy doses of painkiller. She had taken care that his privacy hadn't been violated, and with the brief respite of peace, was able to focus with a clarity of thought she hadn't had in years. However, she wouldn't be there when he would come to again; she had gone back to her office to discuss terms with her team on Thyferra.

"...So we isolate that genetic code, and with a test study it could work as preventative batch 03416, with a group of volunteers... perhaps it would work better without the aggressive side effects occuring again," and she sighed, shaking her head. "So let's try this again." However... There was time. The answer had to be close, she could feel it.

But then an alarm beeped, and she rose up, sighing. "Comm me right away if there are any problems." It was time to make her rounds again, and then have a break in peace. The answers had to be close. She just had to think about it for a little while.

@Sreeya

 

[Sevrin Valtiere]

By the time she arrived again, Sevrin was doing significantly better. The initial effects of healing from Vahn had kickstarted the process, and when combined with the bacta and other treatment from MorataCorp, he was up on his feet again. He even decided to be less of a headache so her staff didn’t escalate anything to her. She was commed only for a wellness check on progress.

Sevrin was in a new set of Jedi attire, the pain significantly less than where he started. He was currently in the process of convincing members of the staff that he was ready to be discharged. He had already taken a dip in the tank and he felt well enough to leave by now.

The Sephi looked over when Amariel arrived, his gaze less frosty than usual. He never would have gotten world class care like this if not for her, and it was all without racking up an obscene amount of bills. Sevrin knew he could never repay this debt.

“Others need care and I don’t need to take up a room more than I have already,” He finished explaining to a nurse that was rubbing her temples. She looked relieved when Amariel arrived, giving her a helpless look before she shuffled out to leave the two of them alone.

Sevrin eyed the doctor for a moment before he considered his words, “We can work on what we talked about,” He explained, thinking back to the promise to help her get a handle of her empathy, “It will involve going back to locations of your origin. But then you will also be there to monitor my progress so you will not be neglecting a patient. Sounds like a fair compromise. Agreed?”

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

Well, he seemed to be in better spirits at least. She gave a brief nod to the nurse who was leaving, lightly touching the woman's shoulder as she passed. "Thank you, Genna. Could you check on suite 422? I believe they were last of my rounds." The woman nodded, and then left. At Sevrin's words, Amariel looked back at him, cocking her head slightly.

At the mention of going to her place of origin... a flash of trepidation flashed in amber eyes, smoothed over by a frown of consternation. She was about to argue that he shouldn't be moving this soon... but he mentioned her monitoring him. For a few moments, she stared at him, then sighed, shoulders dropping. "Don't you ever rest?" she finally asked, spreading he arms out and gesturing to the room. "If you insist, very well. But..."

There was hesitation, as she dropped her arms. And though there were whispers of it... it was there, a sour note tinging the atmosphere. Dread, a heavy rock of fear that still persisted. Going back there meant facing... Her. A woman she had deliberately kept her distance from for over a decade, for good reason. Immediately, an image flashed to mind, of a tall, narrow figure sheathed in white. Flat white eyes staring down from above, her voice a brittle ring in the air.

So disappointing...

She forced herself to stand taller, fingers laced together.

"...If we have to, very well. But... I ask that we don't linger," she murmured quietly. "And please... don't answer questions those there ask. I have not been to that place since I was young. I--" abruptly, she stopped, then shook her head.

"I will summon a shuttle then if you are prepared."

The ride there was uneventful, in fact it would have been downright peaceful were it not for the physician's silence. She sat apart from him, staring out one of the viewports as they went by, but the swirl of anxiety, fear, and dread mingled in a low-level atmosphere, and she fought the urge to fidget in her seat.

When they arrived, it was to a place of beauty.

A tall, imposing wall blocked off the pedestrian view to a gate that the shuttle glided over, landing on a small pad. Instead of grass, wide ponds filled with lotuses bloomed, and in the distance soft birds chirped overhead, followed by flowing water. Amariel stepped first, and when he would next see her features, a layer of frost seemed to layer over the Arkanian's gaze, her posture seemed tense as though to flee.

Waiting for them was a protocol droid, who offered a short bow, its' vocabulator a mild, female voice.

"Miss Morata, honored guest, please follow me. Mistress is not available, but she will be pleased to hear of your arrival. Please, follow me."

And with that, it would begin to shuffle ahead, and the Arkanian offshoot's shoulders sagged slightly in relief.

"So she's not home. Thank the Force."

@Sreeya

 

[Sevrin Valtiere]

As a Jedi, Sevrin knew when it was best not to meddle. He would only cut in when it was necessary and not beyond that. From the newly formed thread between them, Sevrin could sense the tension in her that manifested itself into his own mind. He caught his fingers flexing and relaxing, along with other fidgeting habits he normally never possessed. Sevrin had to calm his mind once more, exhaling slowly and allowing some of that tranquility to seep into Amariel’s thoughts as well. It wouldn’t get rid of her anxiety, but would at least take the edge off.

Once they arrived, Sevrin was more than surprised to see the imposing building and the perfectly manicured landscaping all around. He also noticed Amariel tensing more the closer they got, and he cast a sideways glance at her. Sevrin didn’t soothe or comfort her though he wanted to - he knew these were not wounds easily forgotten. Part of her learning to combat her past was to live through every pain it brought. The variable she could control would be how she responded to it. It had to come from her.

The Sephi stood slightly behind Amariel when they stepped out, the protocol droid announcing that her mother wasn’t home. He felt the frost that had come over Amariel ease off a bit. There was a spike of concern in his mind - was Ilana returning? Being here could potentially cause a harsh relapse.

The duo were led towards the elaborate building and Sevrin took it all in. Some of the grandeur here reminded him of his own noble upbringing, and with it the sour memories that came with. He never shared those details of his past with anyone. Upper echelons of the Order vaguely knew he came from means, but only those that kept up with galactic wide records would know the weight of the Valtiere name and that he was a prince.

Sevrin remained silent for now. Amariel would likely notice that he fell into stride and carried himself as if he belonged there. There was a dignified and aloof air about him that always accompanied him, and he could tap into it easily enough from his past.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

The path followed into a slow, easy descent to the entrance ahead. Though she hadn't been here in years, it had barely changed. The air was still soft here, filled with the scents of flowers and full of running water. Not far away, the shoreline that shared a similar view of Chateaux Vidalis was visible as well, through the many windows that showed a clear view of the grandeur ahead. And yet... the Knight beside and slightly behind her didn't seem particularly overawed... and honestly, she was relieved.

Once again, she could feel his effect on her, and for a second, she spared a sideways glance before moving on.

The only time her step faltered was at the entrance, looking up. And the sight made her lip curl slightly.

A large portrait dominated a central column, with the image of a white-haired trio; a small, golden-eyed child standing next to a proud woman with similar if older, features than Amariel currently had. Stood behind both of them was a young Arkanian with similar features to his mother, with close-cropped white hair in a pilot's uniform. Even from this distance, Sevrin would feel it in tremors, an echo of the past.

Heartache.

Firming her features, she continued on until they made it to a central lounge. The droid bowed once, "I will bring refreshments," before once more shuffling away. Amariel merely nodded once, before looking away. For a few moments, time ticked on, and she turned her gaze to a sweeping view of extensive gardens, and then the sea horizon beyond that. She didn't speak, until at last the silence was too much.

"It's strange, the last time I was here... it was a party."

If she closed her eyes, she could see it; golden glitter on the floor, live music, the many movers and shakers of minor planetary politics rubbing elbows. "I lived a privileged life here. Anyone would be so fortunate as I was." The words were flat, empty, with all the emotion behind them as words on a typeout. "But there were--"

A sound caused her to turn her head around. The faintest whirr of a repulsor lift; perhaps a droid somewhere was shuffling around, cleaning upstairs. But... they were here for a reason. She sighed... and her shoulders dropped, along with the chill. "I know we're here for a reason... but I can't find the words. This place hasn't changed at all."

The sound, however, grew, and she turned her body around to face it and froze.

He would see the Arkanian Offshoot's face drain of all color, her jaw sag and eyes widen as a figure came through into the room on a luxurious repulsor chair, his features older, but no doubt the same as those on the portrait. A faint touch of stubble silvered on his cheeks, dressed in a simple, light outfit. His eyes, however, stared vacantly beyond, and as the undead of Nar Shaddaa, there wouldn't be any emotion. But it was the woman beside him that arrested Amariel's attention.

Tall, statuesque, white hair was pulled into an elegant chignon, dressed in a robe of ice white. Eyes of the same white, but very present, arrested themselves on Amariel, with only the slightest of smiles curling her lips. When she spoke, her voice was light, accentless cultured tone, almost piercing through the distance.

"If I had known you were visiting, child, I would have prepared rooms," she tutted, then staring down Sevrin flatly. "Though it is a pity you hadn't come sooner; we would have dined in the Aerieal. Who is your... friend?"

And even though the smile was there, beneath the thin veneer of sociability was a well of hatred, disgust and disdain. It laid itself like a thick black shroud into the room, the room itself seeming to grow cold with the mereness of her presence. The man in the repulsor chair didn't blink, though he did shift his head slightly as though to listen. With the silence of it all, the monitor that was attached to the chair beeped on, a droning blip between the chilled silence of Matriarch Iselti Morata and the quiet reticence of her stunned daughter.

When she spoke next, she offered a slight bow, amber eyes leveling on the woman's. But the frost was gone. In its' place was a calm. She had to remember the calm. She had to remember that feeling Sevrin had given her; she had to control it. She couldn't hurt her anymore, but the echoes of pain, of fear, still burned brightly in her memories.

"Mother. Do forgive me. I hope we haven't intruded on your peace."

But the woman ignored her, instead now focusing fully on Sevrin.

@Sreeya

 

[Sevrin Valtiere]

Sevrin was silent as they walked through the halls, his thread with Amariel allowing traces of old, haunting feelings to manifest within him. They were too vague for him to decipher, but everything felt cold and hollow. There was also a sense of dread building at the pit of his stomach, and he knew this was all minimal compared to what was going through her mind. He looked at her just as she cast a side glance, his face calm as always to reassure her on the surface. Mentally he was as steadfast as ever, and she could lean into him whenever she needed.

The Jedi paused when he saw the grand painting, his gaze lingering on the girl with the amber eyes. The eyes had been in transition, still on their way to dimming to what they were now. There was evidence that they were once far more brilliant and vibrant, a light to them that had since faded. His gaze then traveled to the man that he guessed to be her brother, especially because it came with a shooting pang of feeling that made Sevrin flinch. He looked at Amariel again. Her face betrayed nothing, but her emotions and thoughts were back to being tumultuous ocean waves in a storm.

He looked back at the painting and didn’t look at her as he finished her sentence for her, “It was a cage,” Sevrin stated with his gaze still on the portrait. There was one just like this back in the palace of the king, “With a set plan for the way you ate, the way you dressed, the way you breathed, who you spoke to, how you processed feelings,” He said without ever looking at her, his thoughts far away.

Sevrin was pulled back into the present when the others arrived. He stood as a tall sentry beside Amariel, his face devoid of emotion and his piercing gaze rivaling any that was cast his way. He looked directly at the older woman, offering only a cursory glance at the man in the repulsorchair. Sevrin could sense Amariel tense and struggle to find her words, but he would honor her request to stay silent.

The fear that radiated from Amariel was raw and deep, far beyond anything she ever felt even when her life had been threatened by hordes of infected. Sevrin locked eyes with the imposing older woman, unflinching and not intimidated. There was no malice in the way he looked at her, but it was the gaze and stature of someone that was entirely comfortable and confident in who he was. It was the gaze of someone that was not fazed by the presence of high society and any judgment. He was not someone she would strip and unravel with her eyes. She would only see a brick wall. Nevertheless, he would only speak when Amariel felt comfortable enough, recalling vividly her request.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

She couldn't help the sick fear that choked off her breath. Compounded with it was a keen ache of memory; Calum even didn't look at her. His gaze was blind and he was deaf to everything and everyone. She could escape Iselti, but he never could. The matriarch had pulled enough strings that he relied on her forever now, an emblem of her 'kindness' despite the flaws of her children. Despite the genetic inferiority of her daughter.

However... the male beside her was someone insolent. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and when he didn't immediately reply, she stood, waiting. When it seemed no name would be forthcoming, she instead turned her gaze to Amariel and gave her a dismissive wave.

"My home is yours, child. You and your guest need not stand on ceremony here." She wouldn't even look her way; now that the performance had been denied her, she would not deign a look in his direction. Instead, she rested a hand on Calum's shoulder, and the man's head tilted slightly.

"Join us once you have settled," she continued, her lips still pulled into a facsimile of a smile. "Be a good girl and give him a tour; I must attend some business, please excuse me."

Before, being so coldly dismissed would have gutted her; as it was, she could feel the cramps of fear easing, the bands around her throat loosening. However, she didn't move until the woman swept away. Until her footsteps echoed no more in the open foyer.

She crossed the distance and knelt next to the man in the chair. Her throat threatened to close again, but for different reasons. At the blank stare, the limp form, but also, the echo of nothingness she could feel. She rested her hand lightly over his own, but his expression didn't shift in the slightest.

"Hello Captain," she murmured, a thin, pained smile touching her lips. "I'm sorry... I was gone too long, wasn't I?" Swallowing hard again, she lightly pressed a kiss to the palm, then stood. "I'll... be back again. All right?" She closed her eyes a moment, then turned to Sevrin, and nodded once.

"Allow me to give you a tour."

When they would move away, the man in the chair didn't stir until after they had entirely left. But his hand flexed ever so slightly, and a tear glimmered on a white lash. But none would see, nothing to witness but the nodding trees and crashing waves.

She would lead Sevrin up the stairs, keeping silent for now. What could she possibly say, that didn't seem so plain? And yet... she couldn't help feeling the remains of the echoing nothingness from Calum, and how much it rattled her still.

@Sreeya

 

[Sevrin Valtiere]

Sevrin wasn’t surprised to see the woman lose interest. He could read her type - she chewed apart anyone that appeared weak. As he stood there silently for a moment and observed her, he had to wonder if some of those traits weren’t a part of Amariel. Amariel was a self assured and confident woman, driven by ambition and many other things. Did she ever realize how she may have navigated around weak willed individuals?

The exchange of their gazes had been a silent stand off, but she pulled away the moment she realized he wouldn’t follow her cues. He didn’t look her way as she strode past them, his gaze remaining briefly fixed in the empty spot where she stood. He could already deduce the kind of dynamic that existed between the matriarch and Amariel. This was the source of a lot of fractures in who she was. Perhaps even the trauma that may have caused the empathy to manifest to begin with.

He only broke to look at Amariel, her demeanor suggesting that she had released a breath she hadn’t even known she had been holding. The tense energy dissipated slightly when the frosty older woman left. Sevrin observed Amariel and the man in the repulsorchair who appeared to be catatonic.

The Sephi stepped back slightly to allow Amariel privacy with her family, focusing back on the painting for a moment to regard the brother. He was silently curious about what could have taken place for the man to go from this to the state he was in today.

He turned and followed Amariel when she guided him away. Like Amariel, even with all his Jedi training, he felt and sensed nothing from the man. It was almost as if he had been in the presence of the infected.

Sevrin continued to silently regard his surroundings, filing away everything he learned to understand the situation better. He glanced at Amariel when they were alone, knowing she was still pulled far away.

“Amariel,” He said softly, reaching a hand over to rest very lightly on her shoulder, “Come back,” Sevrin gazed at her, the touch intended to help guide her back to the present. It was going to be the most difficult thing to navigate in a place that held nothing but memories. She had to work through this mentally, but only on her own terms. If she let the memories and emotions govern her, she would be lost to them.

“Suffering is voluntary,” Sevrin reminded her, “If you must, do it on your own terms,” He stated. She would have to revisit the darkness in her mind and past, but it was possible to do so willingly and by keeping strictly to her path.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

Her footsteps had been light, an instinct from long ago. She had to keep light, even now, but her thoughts were years in the past. How much she feared that woman and what she represented. She hadn't realized she started drifting away when a light touch suddenly alighted on her shoulder, and she turned to look at him, at his expression.

Amber eyes met those of silver, and she took in a slow, deep breath. She had to be careful, she had to step carefully or the past would drown her. So many memories sparked through just by walking; at his words, her gaze sharpened, looking steadily at his expression. She hadn't realized she stood in front of her old room until she leaned against the wall and it was a door instead. Her palms flattened against the cool metal, and she took a steady breath in.

The knot loosened and the heaviness in her stomach began to fade. It was just an empty, cold house, with an empty, cold room. There was nothing here that held her anymore. She nodded once, for a moment unable to speak but to breathe. When she did, she gave him a faint smile.

"Thank you... for not answering. You seemed to know her type."

And then, the smile faded, and she squared her shoulders, turning to face the doorway. She pressed her palm against the indent, and it hissed open.

Within was a small, barren room. A bed wedged into the nearest corner with the plainest sheets, no decor of any kind but a bookshelf with holos and a single nautilus shell propped against their spines. A desk with a portable datapad sat on it, generously coated with dust. No toys, not many relics of her life to speak of. Her eyes panned around it, feeling for the first time... a true detachment.

There was nothing physically here to tie her in any longer.

Instead, she glanced back at him, hands twined before her, meeting his eyes squarely.

"I'm ready."

@Sreeya

 

[Sevrin Valtiere]

Sevrin could tell when she returned back to the present, the pain subsiding just for a moment at least. His gaze was always unwavering, the sharp silvers serving as bright anchors to guide back from the darkness. He nodded at her words, finally releasing her shoulder when he was sure she was fully back in the present.

He didn’t mention about knowing her mother’s type. Mainly because it reminded him far too much of his own father. This chapter in their story was about her, not him. He kept his thoughts to himself, not wanting to color her experience in any way. Would she think he was a monster for who he was? Did he think that of himself sometimes and simply accept it?

Sevrin stepped into the room with her, taking in sight of everything that was once hers. Dust covered every surface, but he did pick up some specific details like the shell and other small items that otherwise appeared inconsequential.

Sevrin looked at her again when she mentioned she was ready. He nodded, but he knew this would take a toll on her. He grasped her hands and tugged her down so they both sat on the floor. Sevrin closed his eyes, focusing on the empathy thread between them.

“First you must clear your mind. I’ve been showing you how,” He took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly as he calmed his mind, giving her the lead to take it from there, “We will be going into that cage. You hear the voices of others and everything around you, but there are several voices that have been screaming for many years and echoing above the rest. They have never stopped. We have to find them one by one and address them.”

He tapped one of his fingers against the side of her hand where he held her hands, “I will be there with you. If you start to lose yourself, grip onto me in the physical realm and anchor yourself back. I will do the same if I start to lose you.”

With that, he would withdraw into his mind and thoughts, traveling to their thread. In her mind, Amariel would start to see him beginning to form. He stood there as he did in the physical world, but he was illuminated brightly in the Force, a clear beacon in the darkness that swirled around a gate before him.

Sevrin could vaguely begin to make Amariel out in the Force, and he could see the aura around her. He made no mention of it. He never let her know what it was and she wouldn't be able to see it for herself. There was only kindness in his eyes as he waited for her. He stepped aside, allowing her to open the door into the dark valleys, forests and oceans that made up her mind.

@Killa Ree