Ask Nar Shaddaa Don’t Cry For Me Nar Shaddaa

[Bast Emblai]

Bast had arrived at the Orange Lady ten minutes early. She could wait no longer, nervously pacing in her hotel room, for the meeting. She was both dreading and looking forward to seeing her partner again. It had been half a dozen months since duty had once again ordered them their separate ways, and despite her eagerness to embrace the man she trusted more than anyone, the cold notion that they had drifted apart hung heavy over the woman’s thoughts. She had changed. He must have to. The crisis on Coruscant... The last time she had laid eyes upon the man was in a hospital. She had said nothing, for there was nothing to say, but she had wept when the other woman was not there. Wept not only for him, but for her own loss. Not knowing where the ache of emptiness had come from, she had left him flowers. Then he was discharged, on a mission, before a word could be exchanged between them. More than once, Bast picked up her comm to dial to the familiar channel only to put it down for a reason she could not place a finger on. Now fear and guilt mingled with anticipation.

There had been the other woman, too. Ms. Morata, the nurse had called her. Stunning and cold. Bast knew without effort there was something between her and Corran. No other woman besides his mother would wait so dutifully at his bedside. She bit her tongue. Corran was her work partner. She was not entitled to information about his personal life. Yet... had he changed so much that he had fallen for someone and begun a new life? Should she have known? Why was there a knot in her chest? Now they were to meet officially, to exchange information should anything... happen while infiltrating a Sith base.

The establishment itself was well kept. Given it was late afternoon, there were few patrons, and classical music played gently in the background. A waiter handed her a glass of ice water. Everything seemed distant. Slowly swirling the drink, she waited patiently. There was no hurry. An extra fifteen minutes after six months would do no harm.

@Killa Ree
@TerranSteel

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

Ilana herself wasn't the most eager for this meeting. In fact, this planet was possibly one of the few places she would have willingly avoided, but here they were. She arrived under the radar, in Kai's old RangeMaster, and her old alias in place. No one, save one person, would know she had even left Coruscant. When she left her own hotel room, she had dressed simply in a white cream sheath dress. Long white hair was pulled away from her features and down her back, and a soft white cardigan settled over slim shoulders.

There was no hiding her condition now. And though walking was a bit more difficult, she managed to accomplish it with a certain easy grace. She had yet to see Corran, but she had no doubt he would arrive soon. However. golden eyes settled on the sitting woman on the other side of the room.

She couldn't forget that face. Couldn't forget that when Corran needed her to move, to be strong, she froze. There were no secrets between herself and him now, yet that didn't mean she didn't have questions. In many ways, she could understand why the woman loved him. He was a good man; far better than she felt she deserved. No doubt the woman wouldn't react in the best of ways seeing her first; for a moment, she considered waiting for Corran's arrival.

But that would be cowardice. So shoulders back and head tall, she made her way across the room, the jacket slipping from her shoulders. Shamelessly, there was the appearance of her cybernetic limb, in and of itself a work of art and science. The jacket was scooped up before it hit the ground by the host, and when she arrived at their table, she inclined her head slightly to the other woman.

"I apologize to have kept you waiting." Her voice rasped, gaze calm and cool. She could manage this.

Just for a few moments. Sitting down with unearthly grace, a glass of water was also set by her side, but she didn't drink from it immediately, instead folding her hands neatly in her lap. "I'm sure you have questions."

@Kestrel @TerranSteel

 

[Corran Velt]

Nar Shaddaa was a lawman's worst nightmare. A planet that was literally lawless except for the codes of gangs and the random whims of fancy by crime lords. One street corner might hack off your arm for being in the wrong place at the wrong time while another might just require some "small" protection fee. Not to mention nearly everyone was guilty of something here. There weren't enough stun-cuffs in the galaxy to arrest everyone on the Smuggler's Moon. If anyone found out there were Sector Rangers among them, everyone with a badge would be killed outright or sold into slavery. But that risk wasn't what made Corran nervous. Ilana and Bast meeting, formally, made him more nervous right now than any of the worst outcomes possible on this forsaken world.

Luckily the Orange Lady was in the Corellian District of the moon. Not the nicest place, but certainly one where they all could blend in. It was a gambler and smugglers area, so crime was typically loan sharks and spacers trying to either offload illicit cargo or get some. Not too threatening as long as deals didn't go south. Corran, for his part, looked everything like a smuggler captain. His hair was ruffled, he had let some five o'clock shadow grow in, and his jacket was unzipped. A blaster hung from his hip and he looked more casual than ever. Except for standing perfectly upright. That never went away.

Keeping to his temporary persona, he didn't arrive 10 minutes early but instead a few minutes after the decided meeting time. Lieutenant Velt wouldn't ever dare arrive late to anything; surely this was someone else. It still irked him though. Entering the cantina with only a nod to the doorman, his worst nightmare had already manifested. Oh... that's bad. Bast and Ilana were already sitting. Together! What had they talked about? Was it him? Is Bast already mad? Is Ilana already mad? Is he going to be alive to complete the mission? Facing down Red Sabers was easier than this.

With some measured strides, the blond ranger approached the table of the two most important women in his life - save his mother. Corran anxiously cleared his throat, letting them finish any conversation if they had started one already, "Ladies. Good to see you both." As nervous as he was, that was true. It really was good to see them both. Even if this his last drink before the social gallows. He took a seat a bit closer to the Arkanian woman but not right next to her, forming an odd triangle between them all. A two-fingered gesture wordlessly summoned a server droid to drop off some water. He'd likely need it.

@Killa Ree @Kestrel

 

[Bast Emblai]

Hearing the door at the entrance slide open, hazel eyes flicked up. The woman at the door stood for a moment. Even if she had never seen the slender, pale figure before, it was clear Dr. Morata was there to see her. The other woman’s eyes were singularity focused on her own, boring through her. She was dressed elegantly, a white dress hugging a slightly swollen stomach. Pregnant. Bast swallowed. There were no rings on the lithe fingers. So it had to be then... Corran. If not, he would not have brought her. Damn. They needed to talk. But he had not contacted her either. One of her own hands ran instinctively over her flat stomach, as if hoping to find something. But of course there was not. There never could be, according to the doctors. She had never wanted children before, not even considered them. Work came first. But something had changed during her time as a Ranger— a maternalistic desire she could not fulfill- not without risking her own life and that of the nine month old being within her, and that was selfish. The thought left a bitter taste in her mouth, a slight trace of suppressed jealous. It was not the pale woman she envied, but the choice that she had.

Straightening, Bast forced a smile, but it did not reach her eyes. The lieutenant had on a suit jacket and slacks, her chestnut hair twisted into a neat bun. Extending a hand, she gripped the woman’s prosthetic firmly, wondering if she had seen the grace of metal that crept up the back of her own neck, barely visible beneath the jacket. But this was the burned arm. She had lost it for Corran. The Corellian’s scars were not noble. They traced out the shape of mistakes, of silvery, raised flesh. Dr. Morata was a reflection of something she could never achieve: graceful beauty, sacrifice. She had awakened something in her partner that had never before been touched- a new kind of love. Long ago, before Coruscant, Bast had left and buried her affections that represented anything more than friendliness, and there they stayed. Still, the sting of surprise was painful.

“I am Lt. Bast Emblai, Corran’s former partner.” Hopefully the tone would imply she meant in business and friendship only, despite the fact that she knew better herself. “I take it you are Ms. Morata? Corran’s... girlfriend.” It was a guess, but the word held the weight of something she knew to be true. Pulling out a datapad, she checked the time. He was late. Corran had never been late. Had it been so long that she no longer knew him? Fear and loss tinged her face in red. Nervous fingers tapped out the rhythm of her thoughts on the table. “It is nice to finally meet you.” There was a pause. So much was to be said but none of it came to mind. Asking when the woman opposite her and her best friend had decided to try for a kid was hardly an appropriate conversation starter.

As if on cue, a familiar figure strode into the quiet establishment. Relief and annoyance flooded her expression before she could successfully hide it. How dare he come late to visit her! Thank the suns he was alright. The man looked a touch tired, and his shirt had not been pressed. Still, his vibrant blue eyes were as clear as ever. Bast stood, as if to open her arms to embrace him, but quickly sat again. He cleared his throat shyly, as if somehow they might have missed his presence. Any contempt she held towards him melted into the back of her mind, forgotten for the moment. The smile did reach her eyes this time, if only slightly.

“Corran. Lieutenant Corran. It’s good to see you!” The words were shallow, but she hoped the sincerity would come across. She had missed him, missed him terribly. It had taken everything she had had to leave him in the hospital in the hands of the other woman. Her care had, for the first time, not been enough. Now he sat straight as a cadet close to Ilana. Even his proximity, the subtle way he angled his body towards her, attentive and on-guard made something in her gut twist. He was different.

“I... can I get either of you anything?”

@Killa Ree
@TerranSteel

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

She firmly shook Bast's hand, making sure to meet the woman's hazel gaze firmly. She could sense the slight tang of jealousy, envy, and surprise. She had expected as much, however, she suppressed the urge to rest her own hand over her stomach. Surprisingly, the woman didn't seem to resent her outright. "Doctor Morata, actually. But a pleasure to meet you as well."

Like a planet gravitating towards its' sun, she knew the look on Bast's face and the familiar warming presence of Corran made her turn slightly to glance over her shoulder at him; almost despite herself, there was the faintest warm smile, golden eyes glancing up. She noted the lack of a pressed uniform, the riotous hair. He was undercover, of course, but seeing him this way brought an odd ache to her chest, and she lightly settled a hand over his, a brief snowy touch. "Hey, cowboy."

The sharp emotions radiating at Bast made her turn her attention to the other woman once more. Golden eyes assessed steadily, and even Bast would know that she knew. And what was more, understood. There was a calmness, an acceptance. She should have been jealous, she knew, but there were no secrets between herself and Corran. Just as there would be no secrets between herself and Bast.

There was little she actually knew about the other woman, other than that Corran couldn't sing her praises enough, and that piqued her curiosity. But the silence was starting to stretch, which never began any meeting well. So instead she took a careful sip of her own water, then set it down carefully, glancing between the pair of them.

"So. How will this work? And is there anything you would like to know?" The second question was leveled at Bast, her voice cool, every inch the professional. The head of MC, though in her downtime, never really faded off. And no doubt each would get over their social shyness.

If there was anything she disliked, it was a thick atmosphere. She could always feel it acutely, and it left a sour tang in the back of her throat.

@TerranSteel @Kestrel

 

[Corran Velt]

Mere mention of his name and rank made Corran physically duck as if dodging a blaster bolt. Out of all the things he expected to happen, his real identity being exclaimed aloud wasn't even on the list. No one in the immediate vicinity got up to murder them, so it didn't seem like anyone cared or didn't put the pieces together. The somewhat-less-undercover ranger sighed heavily in relief before returning the greeting to the Corellian woman. "Bast!" He exclaimed with visible joy. "I heard you had received a promotion. Seeing it for myself is beyond words. It suits you." There was no denying the aura emanating from the blond man. He was brimming with pride. In his eyes, no one was more deserving of promotion than Bast. She had endured incredible hardships to be a cop and a ranger. More than that, she exemplified a steady ability to lead, a will to adapt, and a commitment to duty. The former CorSec officer was incorruptible. There was none better. Corran's beaming grin was aided by how... pretty Bast looked. When she cleaned up, she could dazzle in that business-professional way.

As if reading his natural thoughts, an airy, breathy voice summoned the young man's attention with his ironic nickname. Shrouded in white, Ilana looked as it winter itself. A regal, aloof calmness enshrouded her like the first snow fall. Thugs, goons, drunkards, smugglers, and gamblers filled the cantina but they might not have existed it all given the Arkanian's coolness. It reminded Corran of the first time they met on this moon. Amongst the greedy and the dishonest, she gleamed in gold. "Doctor Morata," he finally replied in greeting with a nod and some obvious shyness, "Good to see you well." Blue eyes glanced down to her bump and the blond ranger would grin absentmindedly. If the child was a fraction of her mother, they'd gleam just as bright.

Pregnant glow was washed over with social dread when Ilana's down-to-business question filtered into Corran's ears. He immediately sat up and glanced between the two women like a startled hound. "W-w-w-we don't have to start off like that, do we?" In a vain attempt at calming his nerves, Lieutenant Velt took a few calming sips of water. Some of the drink went down the wrong pipe and so he ended up coughing a little and resorting to thumping his chest. "I'm... uh.. I'm just happy we all got together." Almost certain his distraction didn't work, Corran slumped back in his chair and awaited the end of his universe.

@Kestrel @Killa Ree

 

[Bast Emblai]

Everything seemed distant, as if she were in some dream or training simulation. Bast lifted the glass to her lips, but it did not feel like her hand doing it. The effect was slightly dizzying. She swallowed with effort, watching the couple across from her greet each other. Corran could hardly take his eyes off Ilana. It was obvious as day that they loved each other, and a small, barely detectable warm feeling rise in her chest. They were happy. For someone who had so callously corrected her, it took only the presence of the man to melt the icy woman’s exterior.

Not responding to the drink offer, Ilana cut right to the point. The directness felt like a bit of an attack. “I know who you are and what you want. Stop playing games and leave us be.” So she did. Corran’s attempt to ease the situation was halfhearted, so the Lieutenant ignored it. At least he was happy. She wouldn’t ruin the moment for him, so she took the blow and leveled her gaze to meet amber eyes.

Of course, there were thousands of things she wanted to ask. When had they met? Where had they been? Did she have a criminal record? What did she do for a living? What did she want out of Corran? But something about the other woman’s feline gaze stopped her. She would find something, anything to pounce on if given the opportunity. If the woman could see through her so easily, there would be no need for questions. Thus, the answer was simple.

“No. I do have something for you, though.“ With that, she handed over a thick folder of printed documents, backups for emergencies. Inside was identification, relevant medical records, insurance information, and a will. “To be safe. My next of kin are on the second page. No resuscitation order is on the third. I trust you will take good care of these.” The last phrase, said through a cold but polite smile was less of a suggestion and more of a command. They could play these little games, but she would be damned if she did not have her own autonomy in life and death.

@Killa Ree
@TerranSteel

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

She had to suppress the warmth that threatened to tinge her cheeks the slightest rose at his glance to her stomach; this time, her hand settled lightly over it, and she felt the answering smile lightly touch her own lips almost out of instinctual reaction, before schooling her features once more.

Amber eyes took in the packet before her, and then the woman's features, with a grave, sharp stare. For a woman who barely knew her, she seemed to know her profession well enough and came prepared with documents. Printed, no less. How charmingly archaic. She flipped through it idly, however one detail caught her eye; mention of history. A prosthesis. Her gaze traveled back up to the woman's face, and she set the folder aside, taking a sip of her own water as well.

"Of course. As I know you'll take good care of your partner." A quiet promise hummed in those words; she was counting on her to protect his back.

"And that you will be the guardian for our child if one, or both of us, is incapacitated or unable to raise them." She had almost let it slip, that their child was to be a daughter; however, she didn't want Corran to know just yet. They had barely been talking names before, so she couldn't say anything yet.

@TerranSteel @Kestrel

 

[Corran Velt]

Tension was so thick you would have to cut it with a lightsaber. Well, that's how it felt to Corran. Between the two most powerful women in his life, the young man was like a speeder being crushed by the enclosing walls of a compactor. The silence after Ilana's blunt question was unsettling. His blue eyes darted between the Arkanian woman and his Sector Ranger partner. What were they thinking? How much of a grilling would this be? Why won't someone just say something? Only Lieutenant Velt's ingrained discipline prevented him from slowly slouching in his chair into oblivion. It was times like this he wishes he was an empath.

Nothing ended up being asked at all. Bast presented a folder with... physical records and offered to the doctor. He blinked in confusion staring at the papers until he heard 'no resuscitation order.' Corran quickly swiveled his head to say something but Ilana was too quick; likely sensing the coming protest. A small, subtle cock of the eyebrow in Ilana's direction signaled a small hint of dissatisfaction, but nothing that wouldn't be obliterated immediately by the expecting mother requesting Bast to be the God-mother of their child with no build up. Just blunt and plain as day on Tatooine. They had discussed it, but the blond man had hoped they could have explained a little bit of background before signing someone up for a lifelong commitment.

But... there was no one else. Lieutenant Emblai was the person that had been through everything with Corran. Trust was instinctual at this point. She could report that extra-galactic invaders were coming and he wouldn't even question it. She could protect and raise the child; he knew that without a doubt.

Corran cleared his throat carefully and leaned on elbows, interlacing his fingers to steady his hands. "I had hoped to... broach this topic a bit slower." Sky blue briefly glanced at golden eyes. "You are so good with children. Like that baby on Corellia we protected. You're my best and closest friend, Bast. I... would hope you would consider it." He examined the female ranger's features pensively for a few moments. Corran unlaced his fingers and pointed at the Corellian woman. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that 'no resuscitation order' too." With as serious as it was said, she would know he meant it tenderly. A galaxy without Bast would be unimaginable.

@Kestrel @Killa Ree

 

[Bast Emblai]

The doctor fingered through the papers casually, scanning them likely more as a formality. Her face was unreadable, although a moment of curiosity flared in the amber eyes at the sixth page. The prosthesis. Bast straightened, though whether it was pride or discomfort that drove the rod down her spine she was unsure. It was just then Bast realized her hands were clammy, still clutching her badge. She breathed deeply, swallowed under Ilana’s gaze. Quiet words from the other woman broke the painful silence.

“As I know you'll take good care of your partner” There was no question, but there seemed to be a sliver of doubt in the tone. It was resigned, perhaps. Despite years reading people as easily as she did books, the Corellian could not decipher her partner’s lover.

“My duty is sworn to my partner, as is my life.“ The lieutenant’s lips pressed tightly together. She stared back with equal intensity. Cowardice had no place in a Ranger. If Ilana thought she would let her partner die before she did, the well-educated woman was wrong. He had everything to live for. She had everything to die for. There would be no question.

What came next was a shock. The doctor spoke the words as calmly and matter-of-factly as the rest, so it took a moment for Bast to process their meaning. Guardian... child... incapacitated... child? The child Ilana was carrying? She had never had any children. They were so... fragile. She could not take care of one. Fate had willed it. Why did they trust her? She had killed 13 men who could fend for themselves at Outpost Blue. A child would depend on her. There was no way. Bast’s eyes became unfocussed, blurring her spinning vision. She inhaled shakily. The room was suddenly very hot. The pain from gripping the sharp edges of the badge did not register. Those hands, that pain belonged to someone else. She waited for the cold shock of reality but it did not come. The pale woman sat across from her, completely unaffected, unchanged. As if in an attempt to form words, the lieutenant’s mouth twitched, but no words could be found. Neither of them would die. She could not parent a kid. Not their kid. Not any kid.

Corran was saying something, his tone pacifying. She was shaking her head slightly. He should know better than to trust her. He had seen the bodies. He had seen the nightmares. The baby on Corellia had terrified her. He had not been there when she had panicked, but she was ashamed. She had never been the nurturing type- never had needed to be.

“I.. I won’t let it come to that. I promise.“ It was not a direct answer, but Ilana’s words had not been a question. To cement the promise, shaking hands pressed a warm badge into Corran‘s palm. If she were going to die, he was not going to die trying to retrieve her badge for a funeral. “You can give it back when both of our missions are completed.”


@Killa Ree
@TerranSteel

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

The look Corran slid her way didn't go unnoticed; amber eyes flicked to his, briefly, and ever so slightly she shook her head before a protest could be formed from him. She understood Bast's motives, however, the woman's stunned silence made her pause, once more considering the woman. She puzzled out why this woman seemed so stunned at such a bald, plain statement; she had erroneously assumed Corran had discussed such things with the woman as well, but it seemed he left many things out of the loop; their child included.

"I know you won't," she spoke quietly. Her voice held a gravity, a calmness that belied years of pain, years of aggression and anger and torment that had been survived. Much like the woman before her, Ilana had her own scars. "As he trusts you, so do I. He can be impulsive in action at times..." the barest flicker of softness flared to life in amber eyes, "but he has a good judge of character. And you seem worthy of my trust." Once again, a pale, slender hand gripped the glass; the faintest flicker of metal where flesh ought to have been, the evidence of gears and wires beneath the thin, almost translucent synth skin.

She settled back into her seat, then, staring at the woman and then Corran once more... before taking in a soft breath. "If I could help you both somehow, I would. But... I need you both to return soon." She couldn't explain it, but seeing Corran be so shaken at Bast's admission of no resuscitation changed things. Her hand settled over her stomach once more, expression pensive a moment.

"This child needs their whole family, after all."

@TerranSteel @Kestrel

 

[Corran Velt]

A world of weight had been placed onto Bast's shoulders. Without any fanfare or charismatic words. To watch over her partner's life, his life, and that of a child yet to be born. Anyone could have turned that down, flinching in the face of so much responsibility all at once.

But she didn't.

Instead, Bast embraced it. Like so many other dangers. Storming space stations, taking down spice dealers, rushing headlong into burning buildings; and now she promised to protect his life. More importantly - her own. Corran's mouth dropped open as his Corellian partner shoved her badge into his hand. He immediately curled his fingers around it to shield the official symbol from prying eyes. His eyes flicked down to the metal in his hand. What it meant. His gaze rose to meet Bast's stare. "You'll get it back. Even if I have to come get you." She would know that was a promise he could uphold.

To the blond ranger's surprise, the two women were coming to an understanding. While they both may not fully trust and inspire one another, they had faith in him. Both of them had left impressions so powerful that Corran wouldn't be the same man without those experiences. As much as they had given, they had suffered as well. Bast had her spine shattered in the line of duty yet risked burns and death to save him. Ilana had lost a limb in his defense.

He wouldn't let that happen again.

"Nobody is going to get hurt," the male ranger declared, "We are all going to see each other again. Just like this. In a nice bar or restaurant, and we are going to be together as a family." His blue eyes glanced to the Arkanian mother-to-be's belly only briefly, before rising to meet her golden eyes, then shifting to Bast's green. "People are counting on us." The people of Nar Shadda. Those in bondage on Sith occupied worlds. The baby. They could not fail and if they did, they could not die.

Lieutenant Velt tucked the gifted back into his jacket and pocketed it safely away. He tipped his water glass back and nearly perished it off. Getting all that out there felt good. And it didn't blow up in his face. "Is there any other documentation we need to exchange or do we feel satisfied?" A playful boyish smirk indicated that was a joke of sorts.

@Kestrel @Killa Ree

 

[Bast Emblai]

“You aren’t coming to get me.” The words were kind but definitive. The woman had been broken before. All it had taken was a few prods with sharp objects and no food or water. From there, her unraveling had been all her own doing. She could have fought it harder, but she hadn’t. If the Lieutenant were captured or injured, she knew full well she would do anything and everything for an escape, even potentially and unintentionally endangering Corran. Only a fool would believe the promise of rescue would not lead to recklessness and divulgence. There would be no trading secrets for life. “If for some reason my body is left to rot in that cesspool, know that I died without giving intel or risking lives. It’s damage control.“

Finally breaking eye contact with her partner, she gave Ilana a slight, awkward smile. Perhaps she had been a bit too blunt. The conversation had lulled into a collective moment of silence. The quietness did no favors for the Ranger’s mind as she considered the logistics of the operation. To say they were dangerous was an understatement. If she gave herself time to fear death, to hope for a future, she would die a coward. In all her years in the Rangers and CorSec, Bast had never known a man afraid of death to stand under fire. They ran and were shot fleeing. It was not for lack of character but base human instinct. If she dwelled on the thought, she may very well end up with a bolt between the shoulder blades rather than through her forehead.

Nervous blue eyes flicked back and forth between the two women, as if Corran was waiting for some sort of explosion. That would never happen, his girlfriend was cold enough to freeze anyone in her vicinity.
“That is it for my documents. But uh...” -she needed to know just in case- “when is the baby due?”

@Killa Ree
@TerranSteel