A Flower Among Duracrete

[Lief]

Kaas City​

Dromund Kaas​

Intersecting Finding Things In The Dark​

​

To say that she was feeling overwhelmed would have been more than an understatement.

Jyn had not seen the inside of Kaas City since just after her curse kicked in, but during that time she had been so far gone mentally that it was more or less a blur in her memory databanks. No, the last lucid time she could recall walking through this duracrete hellscape was in her youth, playing with Jiaa before the Sith came to break them apart.

She had not seen her brother since that time.

While returning to the remnants of a home she had once known had not pulled up any information on the boy or his whereabouts, it had provided her with some much needed closure. A reminder that part of it was true, real, even if much of her earlier memories had been transplanted and faked by [member='Darth Carnifex']. This was not her place of birth, but it was the place where she had come into her own.

She didn't even remember Serenno.

Didn't even remember Talus.

Kaas City was not a nice place for anyone to be, much less live or be raised. Dreary, eternally raining, and while some infrastructure and rebuilding had been tended to parts of it still felt almost like a ghost town.

Her hood was risen; she doubted the God-King of Panatha was anywhere close by, doubted he would even know her to look upon her - though she had been told by [member='Tracyn'] that she looked just as her Mother had - yet she had to be wary all the same.

For all she knew she was the last of her bloodline.

And she would not give him the satisfaction of snuffing it out for good.

[member='Atefeh Lorr']

 

[Atefeh Lorr]

Atefeh couldn't help but push her short legs to keep on running. Exhaustion and the pain that came with it raked through her entire body, but she didn't stop. Fear had gotten the firmest of grips on her little heart and not even the distance she had put between herself and the wretched place she had to call home eased the panic. Distance was simply not enough. Not anymore. This whole city felt like an extension of the orphanage. Just a bigger and in many ways more dangerous area of the same cell. The one she had been abandoned in with not even a memory from her origin besides what her imagination had created.

Moisture clung to her tattered clothes and to her hair. Atefeh was not sure if it had rained or if it was sweat, not even if she had ever been dry in the first place. All she could process was the fear, the fatigue and the void that despair created within her chest. The scene kept on replaying her mind. She was playing Galactic Expansion with Xym, a Falleen boy from the orphanage. She was having fun and after her turn, had stood up and excused herself to go to the toilet. When she came back, the cries from her friend were the first thing she heard. Peeking through the door, she saw how a group of human kids kicked and attacked Xym, saying he had taken their game. She was used to name calling and the occasional push or hair pull, but never had they gone this far. She was scared and the fear brought a wave of inexplicable emotions forward, the ones that had been bottled up for so long. It culminated in one reckless act. Atefeh ran into the streets of Kaas city, the rain and the night falling on her shoulders and no one to keep her from the many threats lurking the dark mass of concrete and skyscrapers.

Powered by this last burst of terror brought by the images in her mind, she obliged her legs to run faster, as fast as they possibly could. The tears in her eyes too thick to allow for better vision, she did not differentiate the shape of a woman from the rest of her surroundings and crashed into her legs. The blow most probably would do nothing to the young woman besides startling her but for Atefeh the impact was enough to push her back and make her fall on her rump. Immediately her green eyes, wide with fear, rose to settle upon the hooded head of the stranger. Her face was dampened with tears and her heart beat so fast it could have jumped out of her chest. Shocked and with the ropes of stress still closely wound around her, the little girl could do little more than stare like a deer caught in headlights.

[member="Jyn Sol"]

 

[Lief]

Kaas proved to be no less foreboding now than it had been in her memories.

Even as children racing through the streets without a care in the world, looking up at the durasteel plated skyscrapers had been dizzying. Brought about vertigo the likes of which she had never experienced elsewhere... Except perhaps Coruscant.

Her feet led her back the way she had come several hours earlier, her robes were now a tome heavier than they had been when she first stepped out of [member='Alistair Fenn']'s ship. Seemed as though that was becoming commonplace, for the Steward of the Silent Archive to unearth an old flimsiplast book of interest in the places of her past she visited. Further information on her life, on her family, on her.

Rhiari Lorr.

Jyn Sol.

Where did one end and the other begin?

Just who was she?

Drawn from her thoughts by a sudden pain in her legs, Jyn snapped her gaze down and saw a child flounced upon the ground. The poor dear was staring up at her with the widest eyes imaginable, and she didn't even need the Force to sense the dread and panic rising from her. It was palpable, she could taste it on the air.

"Are you okay?" she quickly inquired, doing her best not to frighten the little one any further, "Did you hurt yourself?"

Offering down a hand to the child, Jyn sought to help her to her feet. She could not help but notice the deprived way in which the child was presented, ragged clothes, malnourished appearance, not a state any parent who loved their child would let them get to.

That annoyed her.

Flashbacks to memories she had only recently unearthed arose within her. Back to Serenno, to the Princess of Dirt.

[member='Atefeh Lorr']

 

[Atefeh Lorr]

Suddenly, her fear started steadily declining. She couldn't describe what the feeling soothing it was, only that she had felt it a handful of times throughout her life. A wave of intuition that sometimes reassured her and others warned her. She had been convinced it had something to do with her stomach, according to the "gut feeling" the gloomy old lady at the orphanage always talked about. A few hours ago, that pull within her had her running away from the orphanage in complete terror. Now, as her eyes took in the features of the woman, it made a sad calmness settle within her, drawing with it a fresh well of tears. Crying was not always bad and not all tears meant pain. Atefeh was simply letting go, washing the adrenaline and desperation with the salty drops from her green eyes.

The young woman was quick to ask her if she was okay. She had yet to develop the capacity to process and deliver an answer to that question, she didn't know if she was okay. She wasn't happy, but she had seen people in worse conditions than her. She was mistreated, yet the years had led her to believe that that was simply a part of not being Human. So as the first question had her at a loss, the little one only offered response to the second one. She shook her head, she wasn't hurt. Not physically at least.

Atefeh took the hand of the woman a bit wearily, as if she wasn't completely sure if Jyn truly meant to help her up. Yet she did, and Atefeh was soon back on her feet. She lifted a small hand, clutching at the sleeve of her brown, dirty shirt to try and dry the tears from her eyes. It was of no use, for as soon as the previous ones were removed more surged to replace them. "Are you going to take me back?" The shy, broken voice from the child pushed through her lips as her crying intensified. She didn't want to go back to the orphanage, she knew what they did to the kids that tried to leave like she had.

[member="Jyn Sol"]

 

[Lief]

The girl seemed in one piece, though understandably shaken.

Jyn released her hold of the girl's hand once she was back on her feet, so as not to make the poor child feel trapped, and lowered herself into a crouch to be at her height. She watched as the girl cried tears of relief, and had to resist the urge to reach out and brush them away. It would not do to overstep anyone's boundaries, after all, as much as it pained her to see someone in such a way.

At first she wondered if the girl was a mute. She was using a lot of head movements to convey answers to Jyn's questions, after all, and hadn't even made a move to speak. But then out of nowhere she did speak a question of her own, one which had the woman's brows knotting into a frown.

"Take you back where, sweet thing?" she inquired, feeling the rush of adrenaline which ran through the girl at the thought, her increased heart rate which hinted at fear. "Hey, it's okay... You have nothing to be afraid of. I'm Jyn, do you have a name little one?"

[member="Atefeh Lorr"]

 

[Atefeh Lorr]

In any other case, Atefeh would have already tried to run away from the current situation. Her timidness and fear preventing her from communicating further with whom in truth, was a stranger. But there was a feeling of comfort around the young woman. There was a feeling docking her where she was, as if letting her know it was the right place to be. Her crying began to decline once again, yet tears still draw thin streams on her round cheeks.

"T-to the orphanage." She answered, the last two words clearly causing her distress. "Please. I don't want to go back there." And her little head fell, shutting her eyes to prevent herself from crying further. There was a slight feeling of shame and worry brought to her because of crying in front of her. No one takes children who cry. The words of the old woman who supposedly took care of them resonated in her mind.

Then the young woman told her she had nothing to fear from her and for the first time in her short life, she believed those words. Her name was Jyn, it was a pretty name. The sound of it bidding that pull within the little girl to bring her comfort. Quickly, the youngling lifted her hand while pulling on her sleeve, soaking up the remaining tears. "I'm Atefeh." She replied, slowly lifting her eyes back to Jyn.

[member="Jyn Sol"]

 

[Lief]

"Atefeh."

So the girl was an orphan.

That resonated within Jyn, she had been raised with a family that was not her own, she had never met her mother or her father, though she had more recently come across [member='Tracyn'] who was, she discovered, her Step-Father, and [member='Thurion Heavenshield'] was her brother by adoption. She had people, she hadn't been alone in a great many years. But that did not mean she did not remember how it felt to be exactly that.

Alone.

She could not help but feel some innate connection to the girl who stood before her, wrought with worry and concern that she was about to be hauled back to an establishment that didn't really care about her. Just the funding they received.

"How long have you been there, Atefeh?" she questioned, remaining at a lowered height so as to not seem intimidating, "Will you show me where it is? Don't worry, I'm not going to leave you there alone. Do you trust me?"

Offering out her hand, she wondered if the girl would take her at all. Would her fears prove too much?

Jyn knew that she had not come here expecting to have her life changed forever, Dromund Kaas was a place of horror in her past not some place she ever expected to find a shimmering speck of stardust, and yet here this girl was. Lost amidst a world of hardship and cruelty.

Dromund Kaas was no place for a child.

Much less an orphan.

[member="Atefeh Lorr"]

 

[Atefeh Lorr]

The moments before Jyn's answer had her worrying again. Yet this time, worry came with a sense of hopelessness. She didn't know exactly what she had expected, what the Force -though she did not know what it was- had suggested her would happen. At the end of the day, she'll be another day an orphan. It had always been so.

"I've been there all my life." She answered, feeling the void that came with this realization. She had never known a true home nor true care. Adults at the orphanage didn't really worry unless you died. If you got hurt or ill the better, they could ask for more money. She had even heard the older kids say they purposefully sabotaged adoptions, because one less kid meant one less fee to collect.

Then Jyn asked her to take her back to the orphan home. Yet there was something in her voice that had the child showing the bits of trust she had left. Her small hand reached into the one of Jyn. "Its this way..."

Atefeh started walking her, guiding her down the path she had previously taken in hate. The girl had developed a fairly good sense of direction, at least in the area around the orphanage. It didn't take them that long to make the turn taking to the street they were looking for. Darker than even the rest of Kaas city due to a lack of lightning. Clogged sewers and dirt flooded the block and in the middle of it, among building clearly much newer and solid than it, stood the decayed home. A stump of a building, cracked windows here and there, walls blackened by age and dirt and a big letter sign that had seen better days but ages ago.

It needn't be said that they had arrived, Atefeh only turned her head and placed her saddened eyes on the woman.

[member="Jyn Sol"]

 

[Lief]

Truth be told Jyn had not known exactly what it was she'd had in mind until she actually saw the disgusting excuse of a home.

Any doubts she might have been having faded away into a renewed sense of justice, and the light grip she had of [member='Atefeh Lorr']'s hand tightened ever so slightly in a protective fashion. She wanted nothing more than to shield the girl from all the worlds harms, and that meant not wishing to bring her back inside the building. One last time would not hurt, though, right?

Halting in place, she turned and knelt down before the girl once again - trying to catch her gaze with her own.

"I need you to be strong for me, Atefeh. Can you do that? I promise you, soon this nightmare will be over."

Waiting for a response, it wasn't until after the girl had spoken - or responded in some other manner - that Jyn rose back up to her full height and began to lead the girl into the rundown establishment. She could feel a rage running through her, something she was fighting to keep back so as to keep her curse at bay. The last thing she needed now was to terrify the poor girl. If the child was paying attention she might notice Jyn's hand becoming a little bit warmer, but aside from that she managed to keep the curse from rising.

"I'd like to speak to the owner of this... establishment," she announced once inside, words aimed at the first adult she saw. Her grasp of Atefeh's hand did not loosen at all, keeping her close by in hopes of comforting her. While she waited for somebody to fetch the owner she turned her gaze down to the girl and lowered her voice to a whisper.

"Do you have any belongings here that you care about?"

 

[Atefeh Lorr]

Cold fear run down her spine as soon as she understood the meaning behind Jyn's words. She wanted to enter the orphanage. A feeling of duty overcame her, of wanting to do what Jyn asked her and be strong for her. The child gulped, and tried to regulate the breathing that had almost gotten out of her grasp. After stilling herself as much as she could, she nodded a few times and got closer to the woman as they crossed the establishment's door.

As always, Oogie was sitting at the desk nearing the entrance, doing anything but his job. The children had never known his real name, so everyone called him Oogie. He was a young human man, with a disgusting appearance and manners to match. When they entered, his feverish eyes first set on Atefeh. "What were you doing outside?! You'll see when the old crone hears about this!" He said, as he was about to close his bony hand around Atefeh's arms. Yet the girl had hidden herself slightly behind Jyn, her cheek pressed on the hand she was holding and her eyes closed.

Upon seeing the expression on the woman he had ignored, Oogie sneered but abandoned his attempt to tear Atefeh away from Jyn. "This will only make it worse, mutt." He said, directing his words once more towards Atefeh, using that derogatory nickname everyone used for her, because of being a hybrid. He then picked up a commlink and muttered something into it.

Moments later, the heavy steps of a large, old woman thundered down the hall. Atefeh started shivering. "What is it now?!" The deep, unpleasant voice vibrated through the area and the woman stopped her elephant-like pace only when her eyes caught sight of her ward and the woman with her. "Has she caused you trouble? What do you want in return of not saying a word about this?" She inquired, not really caring about any pleasantries and with a dismissive tone, assuming Jyn had come to return the escaped girl.

[member="Jyn Sol"]

 

[Lief]

Colour flared in her cheeks as this buffoon of a man came lumbering over toward [member='Atefeh Lorr'] with the intention of pulling her away. Almost immediately Jyn put herself between the two of them, her eyes narrowing in anger; her hand would feel even warmer in that moment, and Jyn was surprised that her skin hadn't erupted into flames. She could feel the living magma flowing through her veins, unable to stave it off, but no outward visible signs were shown.

"Do not lay a single hand on her" she hissed, unable to stop herself. Thankfully he gave up pretty fast and moved to speak into a commlink. She could feel the child's face hiding against her hand, and did not even contemplate moving her back into view. No, she would protect this little one as best she could.

When the woman made herself known, stomping down the hall like a creature in a stampede, Jyn lifted her chin and stared at her in indignation. Threats upon threats, she did not even want to contemplate what happened behind closed doors around here. She wanted nothing more than to scoop up all of the children and run out with them, but alas that wasn't going to happen today. Not until she could return herself, on a ship that she owned. She doubted [member='Alistair Fenn'] would appreciate her drawing so much attention to their existence here. No.

Perhaps [member='Arekk'] could be tempted into helping their cause. Bring them back to Aurum, a place where fresh beginnings was the norm.

"She has caused absolutely no trouble," Jyn stated, as bold as brass, taking one solid step toward the woman while keeping Atefeh close, "In fact, I'm here to inquire about adopting her."

That wasn't something she had spoken to the child about of course, it wasn't something she had expected to do at all, Jyn had never been a parent, didn't know what really went into being a mother, but she could not bring herself to leave the girl here at their mercy.

The Force had led her here for reasons other than to walk down the memories of her past. She realized that now.

 

[Atefeh Lorr]

Atefeh remained close to Jyn, feeling as if she was an impenetrable wall between her and the source of all her nightmares. She could feel how her hand grew warmer against her cheek, but the child was far too upset to contemplate on the reason why. All she wanted was this to end. With just a couple of words the little girl already trusted Jyn more than she had ever trusted any of her caregivers, but she feared the possibility of it not being enough. She feared she'd stay here again, in more trouble than she could ever have imagined.

And then the words of the young woman came, shocking all three around her albeit in very different ways. Oogie was simply perplexed, he didn't truly care one way or the other but certainly couldn't bring himself to see any reason why anyone would want to take one of these louses. Atefeh didn't trust her hearing. Unknowingly and certainly not on purpose, she allowed her thoughts to expand through the Force, reaching Jyn's mind. "Does she really want to...adopt me?". It was the first time ever that her gift manifested in any outward manner. She had only felt the Force stir within her, managed to react to things others could not. But for the most part it was suppressed, hindered by the girl's fear of following its guidance.

The old lady simply became immediately worried. She couldn't allow the woman to take Atefeh, there was more than just small money here. She knew were the girl came from and received a considerable amount of income by ensuring this information was never revealed and, supposedly, looking for the well-being of the child. The exact information as to whom her parents were or why she was left evaded her, not that she cared as long as her unknown benefactor kept on paying her.

Suddenly, the old lady's mannerisms changed immensely and she approached Jyn with an almost sweet and heavily overacted voice, "Oh, I really don't think adopting her would be in your best interest, love. She is a terror of a child, always causing so much unrest. My poor nerves almost can't take it..." She claimed, brows furrowed in a concerned, despaired expression.

Atefeh was about to speak, to say with tears in her eyes that it was a lie. That she always lied. But one concealed, menacing look from the woman had her swallowing her words. "We house many children here, though. All much better than this one. Many of them are beautiful human children too, you need not take this alien...hybrid." The old woman added, her mouth moving in a theatrical manner. She had assumed that Jyn shared in the dislike for the alien species many human's in the galaxy hold. Atefeh felt a tear run down her cheek only to collide with Jyn's warm hand.

[member="Jyn Sol"]

 

[Lief]

"Yes, I do," she whispered down to Atefeh, her anger in that moment blotting from her mind the fact that the child had not spoken that aloud but unintentionally to her mind. Her eyes never once left the old woman who was trying to talk her out of her choice, and while Jyn would have loved to take every single one of them with her she could not. Not now. But she could make a difference in one of their lives.

"Do not presume to tell me what I do or do not want. You xenophobia will not work on me, I'm not even human myself." She was not even remotely ashamed to admit as much, she was proud of her roots. "You may see a troublesome child but that is not what I see when I look upon this girl, and nothing you say will sway me otherwise. You can try and stand in my way further, but ultimately I am going to walk out of here with Atefeh at my side whether you like it or not. We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. That is your decision."

Certain that the young girl would not be able to see it, Jyn brushed aside her jacket to reveal the hilt of her lightsaber. Something she wouldn't ever actually draw, especially not in a place like this, but at the same time something she had discovered to be a great bargaining tool especially around non-Forcies.

"Now, are we going to formalize this arrangement or what?"

[member="Atefeh Lorr"]

 

[Atefeh Lorr]

Atefeh's eyes widened a little as Jyn whispered her response. Did she hear her? Had she talked out loud without noticing? She was very sure it had only been a thought, the lump in her throat would have made it hard for her to talk, let alone whisper anything. But how? The racing questions were cut short when Jyn spoke again, rightfully berating the horrible woman.

The old lady, if she could be called that, was starting to get agitated. There was no way in which she would let go of the biggest source of income she had had in the last three decades of her life. Noticing how vile ire raised to the eyes of the crone, Oogie silently made his exit back to the table, letting the feud to be fought by the two women. "You insolent young lady. You will not be taking this child nor any of the other brats that liv-" Her words were cut short when she caught a glimpse of the metallic hilt on Jyn's hip, and she started stuttering.

She knew she was defeated. She had heard the stories about those who wielded that sort of weapon, the power that had bestowed upon them and the destruction they could bring in their wake. If this woman was to take action against her, either physically or through means of her influence, she would be ruined. The old woman hissed, swallowing her pride. "Follow me." She said, reluctantly and with venom splattering every word. Turning on the hallway, she opened the door to her office and entered, leaving the door open for the force-user and the child.

The woman produced a large holopad from a drawer and started searching through files and archives, until she got the right one. She extended the holopad towards Atefeh, "Put your left and right thumbs there." She said, clearly containing from attacking the child with words some more. Atefeh did as she was told until a green light and a beep resonated from the device. Then, the woman started filling out some fields in the document.

"We do not know anything about her origins, nor what alien species run in her blood. She is six years old and we named her Atefeh. Will you grant the child your surname?" What she said was partially a lie. In truth, nothing had been disclosed to her initially but the old crone had dug up some details regarding Atefeh's birth identity. Yet her acting now was much more convincing, she would not grace the pair with the information she held in any way.

The little girl remained hooked to Jyn's hand, the contact with the young woman giving her much needed reassurance.

[member="Jyn Sol"]

 

[Lief]

It did not take long for the woman to break, though Jyn knew it pained her to do so. She wanted to continue berating the both of them, to turn her away, but Jyn would have none of that and that much was obvious.

When she ventured off to her office Jyn took Atefeh by the hand and led her through the hall.

"You'll be okay," she whispered down to her once they were briefly alone, before they stepped into the room to face the vile hag once more. Though there were seats to lounge within the woman remained standing, there was no source of comfort to be found in this place and the sooner they could be on their way the better. She remained right at Atefeh's side when she was required to near her former keeper, and when the information was given Jyn knew that she was being lied to. She grit her teeth for a moment, that was part of the pains of being an Empath... Such things could not be hidden from her, and it only sought to frustrate her at times like these.

"Yes, she will take my name. Atefeh Lorr. That's L-O-R-R."

She turned to Atefeh then and crouched down to her level, whispering into her ear so that only she could hear her.

"I want you to go and collect your things, okay? I'll be right here finalizing this process. Hurry now, the sooner you're done the sooner we can leave."

Once the child was gone, Jyn exerted her will over the Force to close the Office door - and keep it closed, should anyone try to leave or enter - and stepped closer to the desk. Her eyes narrowed, boring into the old woman who was standing in her way.

"You will not lie to me again. You know more about this girl than you are letting on, and I expect access to this information. Do you understand me?"

Should Atefeh ever want to go searching, Jyn would not have it said that she ever stood in the way of the child finding the answers she sought.

[member="Atefeh Lorr"]

 

[Atefeh Lorr]

The child set her eyes on Jyn when she crouched to talk to her. She nodded her head in understanding, before trotting out of the room and taking a left turn. She knew the decayed building like the palm of her hand, and upon entering her room, planned on doing quick work of what little belongings she had.

The room was ample, but littered with many bunk beds. At least a dozen kids spent their nights there. She was sure the kids were playing in the poor excuse of a backyard right now, and so she seemed to be the only one there. She climbed a stair up to her bed, a little shelf over the mattress holding the little trinkets that were hers. A small, old fables book she had learnt to read with, a shiny stone she had found once on the big garden she used to visit with her friend and very torn plush toy of a loth-cat. As she pushed this things into a brown, worn-out bag, she was unaware to the conversation going on back in the office.

The old crone felt a pang of fear wash over her, the woman had realized she had been trying to mislead her. She stiffly pondered on what to answer, now knowing that lying was not an option. Cold sweat broke out in her brow, and finally the woman brought forth a response, "She was dropped here days after having been born. The man that came to deliver her was clearly not the father, but he made me a deal. He payed a monthly fee, a substantial amount, to ensure that the child was well-kept and that no one would be given reason to believe she was anything more than an orphan." She expressed, it was clear that whoever the little girl was, the one who had abandoned her was intent in never getting her back. This could mean her identity held some form of importance. "That is all I know, and even if I knew more. I would not share it with you."

As if on cue, little Athefe returned with the small bag just as the old woman was done speaking, her eyes searching for Jyn as she tried to in turn, avoid the gaze of her previous keeper. The old woman extended the datapad to Jyn. "By putting both your thumbs and inserting the required personal information you are willingly taking full legal responsibility of Atefeh Lorr. She will be under your care and will be seen as your daughter in the eyes of the law." She recited, reluctantly. A smile finally tugged at Athefe's lips.

 

[Lief]

Jyn had never been one who was prone to violence, but honestly in that moment she wanted nothing more than to sock the old woman right in the face. She didn't, of course, though she would be too ashamed to admit that she had conjured up the thought in her mind and it had been completely satisfying.

"That was clearly not a promise you bothered to keep," she hissed under her breath when the woman spoke of keeping her well-kept, yet at this moment she sensed the young girl approaching and released her grasp on the door so that she could enter, quick to compose herself a little more calmly. Brushing down the folds of her jacket, she looked across to little Atefeh for a moment, which helped her to cool off a little of her typically unseen rage.

"All set, Stardust?" she inquired, before turning back to the woman. What a wretched excuse of an individual she was, likely just in it for the government funding. Disgusting.

Taking the datapad from her she placed her thumbs into the relevant position and quickly typed out the information as requested. She chose the name Jyn Lorr so as to hopefully scramble any tracers that might have been put out on her, or at least make it just a tiny bit more difficult at first glance, and when it asked for her home she put an old one she had once used during her more nomadic time. Not her current. She didn't want to bring trouble to Aurum.

"There, now we're done. Thank you for your cooperation."

That last word was painful to speak, but she said it anyway in order to at least try and remain respectful. Children were great mimickers, and if Atefeh saw her buckle to her frustrations and rage then she was likely to do the same. To be able to smile and speak respectfully to ones enemies? That was a trait few possessed, but it gave at least a little bit of higher ground and often threw the other person off guard.

Settling her hand back around Atefeh's Jyn turned and began to escort her back out of the building.

There was nothing more in Kaas City for her now, it was time she reunited with The Mara and headed back to the Shadowport. She owed Fenn a hefty sum of credits by now, a lot more than initially promised given the sudden addition of another passenger.

She didn't care.

It was worth it in the end.

[member="Atefeh Lorr"]

 

[Atefeh Lorr]

Tefie nodded her head a couple of times, indicating that she was indeed ready to leave the orphanage. The little brown bag hung loosely from her shoulder, the contents inside it not heavy enough to drag it down and make it a bother to the little girl. She had caught a glimpse of the old woman's dangerous expression and didn't dare to look up at her again, instead seeking the comfort the presence of Jyn brought her.

"You are very welcome. Now go, and enjoy your new little pest." The woman responded, sarcasm and anger dripping from her voice. She could not keep herself from making one final verbal attack against the child, that had Atefeh lowering her head as her insecurities stirred. Would she really be a bother to Jyn? She didn't want to be that. Jyn had already shown her more kindness than she had ever seen.

Yet as the Je'daii took her hand, she couldn't help but feel warmness overcome her again. She was no longer alone. This new feeling of bliss and revived hope started raising inside, reaching their peak as soon as they were out of the building. She would never be going back in there again. All thanks to Jyn, her...mother. Atefeh's eyes filled with tears of joy, and she couldn't help herself from throwing her arms around Jyn, hugging her tightly. Words wouldn't help her to express what she was feeling, for it exceeded them greatly.

[member="Jyn Sol"]

 

[Lief]

Be the adult.

Be the bigger person.

Don't draw any more attention to yourself.

Jyn was focusing on her breathing, doing all that she could to avoid smacking the woman right then and there. It was difficult, so very difficult, but one glance down at the angel at her side and she found restraint. She gave Tefie a gentle squeeze of the hand to reassure her and turned to leave before anything more could be said. Out of the office, through the hall, and straight into the streets. There was no time for her to see the other children looking on in surprise as what they believed to be an inferior child was taken to a forever home. No. None of that mattered to Jyn right then.

Once outside, and a few buildings down from the orphanage, Jyn halted.

She lowered herself down to a kneel and turned the child to face her, staring at her straight in the eyes so that she understood the severity of what was about to be said.

"You are not a pest, do you hear me? Nor are you a mutt, or a bother, or a terror. Get those thoughts out of your head, Stardust. Leave them behind in that toxic orphanage. You are never going to see the inside of that place again, do you hear me? You are perfect, just the way you are."

Wrapping her arms around the child then, she set a kiss to her hair and held her close. So much had happened in so short a space of time, but it was worth it. Rising back up to her feet once the time was right, allowing Tefie to decide just when that was, Jyn took her hand in her own once again and ventured further down the street. She realized that what the child was wearing was hardly warm enough, so she shrugged out of her jacket once they reached the central hub of Kaas City and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"Before we leave this place, I think we need to get you a few things. But first... Are you hungry?"

[member="Atefeh Lorr"]

 

[Atefeh Lorr]

Atefeh had felt the sting of the old lady's words deep into her heart, taking them in for they were the last cold-hearted goodbye of this place. For a moment, the flicker of hope and happiness that had been ignited within her withered, its flame turning less warm. She had never went as far as letting herself fully believe all that they said about her was true, but after so many years she at least had to doubt. If so many people said it, there must truly be something that made humans better than the other many species of the galaxy.

She exited the building holding Jyn's hand softly, her head hanging lower than it previously did. The thoughts she was pondering had her filling herself with new fear. Was she good enough? Did she deserve to be the one being lifted into a better life? Jyn deserved to have a good child, the best of them. Not me...

After a long moment of silence, Jyn suddenly stopped her and lowered herself. Tefie's green eyes connected with Jyn's, mirrors of the turmoil she was going through. And then the most beautiful things she had ever been told flew to her ears, words speaking of worth and bringing so much joy to her little heart. The girl's arms wrapped around the Je'daii once again, taking in all she could. The feelings, the warmth of the embrace, the fact she now had a mother. And a wonderful one. "Thank you." Her voice was but a whisper in Jyn's ear, yet the power of the meaning it held made it louder than the most heartfelt cry.

Tefie let go of Jyn after a while, a soft smile pressed to her lips. Once again she took her hand, as though she didn't want to be parted from her for long. She was curious as to what they needed to get her, she had been so used to her current belongings that she didn't immediately see anything wrong in them...unlike anyone else around her. However, her stomach did wish to demonstrate its enthusiasm for Jyn's proposal, for a light rumbling -akin only to that of a growling puppy- was promptly heard. "I'd like to eat i-if that's okay." She said, a bit unsure if it was wrong of her to accept.

[member="Jyn Lorr"]