An Age of Iron (Siobhan)

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

Galina glanced between the water and Tempest a few times without a sound. While she knew she needed to do this, she had to do this, it still didn't change the fact that attempting to use these powers frightened her.

"So I'm to make it move how I want it to?" She asked quietly, as once more she began to sink slowly into the force, opening herself up to that mighty source of untapped power. Her mind however, was a bit distracted. It made it a little more difficult than it should have been just to reach the point that she could touch the energies of the force and do the task as she'd been asked.

Reaching out, she gently skimming the fingers of one hand over the surface of the water again before she allowed her hand to drip further into the cold stream. "Forgive me, if it's a silly question, something that should be obvious to me. I still misunderstand from time to time, with Basic. But I'm trying to learn still." She sighed again, still trying to make the connection to the Force now. Her mind was everywhere, and that certainly was not helping Galina. "I just want make sure I understand what you ask."

[member="Tempest"]

 

[Tempest]

[member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"]
“The Force works by ‘what I will is’,” Tempest explains. “You call on the Force and visualise what you want to happen and if you have the willpower to do it, that is what happens. When I reach into the Force and want this pebble to rise I will it to rise and it does. I see it floating, and it happens,” she continued.
For display she telekinetically made a small stone rise and float.

“You can do the same with the water. Believe that you can, Galina.”

 

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

Galina frowned before nodding. In part she understood, at least the principle of the matter. "I see." She said softly, her fingers still lightly in the waters, seeking a bit of comfort from them. Finally she sighed, and turned her focus onto the water itself. Nervously she finally reached out touching upon the power she had hesitated to before. Closing her eyes once more, she carefully imagined just changing the movement of the waters. It wasn't long before a tiny wall of water formed pushing against the flow. This was more progress than she really imagined getting so soon. Opening her eyes, she gasped a little, clearly surprised at the result. "Didn't think it would happen that way."

[member="Tempest"]

 

[Tempest]

[member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"]
Tempest’s eyes widened slightly at the impact of Galina’s new resolve. When Galina gasped the little wall of water collapsed and flowed back over her hand.

“Well done, Galina! That was perfectly done!” she cried. She gave the girl a hug.

“It doesn’t get easy from here, but it gets easier. I’m proud of you!”

 

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

Truthfully Galina was just as surprised as it all. "That is so not normal." She said quietly in a typical teenager fashion. And not as bad as I thought it'd be. I've not got any urge to murder, maim and destroy. Maybe this isn't so terrible after all.

Still she hugged Tempest back in return. "Thanks."

A sigh followed and she nodded, "I understand."

[member="Tempest"]

 

[Tempest]

[member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"]

"Well, I think that's all we'll do for today. I'll take you home and we can continue tomorrow. Tonight, think on what you learned today and what you experienced. Rest your mind and prepare for tomorrow."

This writer feels a training montage coming on!

 

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

The redhead nodded, her eyes still on the water just thinking for a moment before she said anything. "Okay, sounds good. I think, I can manage that." The day had been so strange already. There was little doubt that it was going to stick in her mind for a while to come. Slowly she rose up from the ground with a sigh. "Let's head home." A shower, dinner and sleep all sounded really great to her right then.

So does this writer!

[member="Tempest"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tempest"], [member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"]


Back at the villa Siobhan had had a good time lazing around at the pool with Harmony and Chesna. She had noticed that the engimatic demigoddess had briefly disappeared but not questioned it, though it might be brought up at the next book club session! Still, she obviously wondered how training had gone. If things had gone well then Tempest could expect a reward.


Suffice to say by the time Tempest and Galina returned, dinner would be ready for them and the servants would be about to set the table.

 

[Tempest]

[member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"] [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

Tempest returned Galina home, relieved at how things had gone, and pleased as well. There was nothing worse for her than to have failed her task, and though it was far from finished, matters had begun well.

When they entered they saw dinner was ready and Tempest had been laid a seat at the table. Tegaea was there as well, looking between teacher and student questioningly.

“It went well,” Tempest said to head questions off. “Galina did really good, she was able to direct control briefly. We’ll continue to work on this over the coming days.”

 

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

Galina followed Tempest into the house and then into the dinning room. Though, she did not say much as she took her seat at the table. Galina briefly met Tegaea's gaze before she looked down and away. Truth be told, she didn't want to answer any questions about the day. Not at all. It still wasn't something she was comfortable with, but it was getting better.

Avoiding her parents' gaze Galina helped herself to the evening's meal and began to eat in silence. Unfortunately she knew the training had to go on, even if she didn't want it to. Her mothers expected it of her. And well, with a potential for accidentally harming innocent bystanders there was no getting away from it.

[member="Tempest"] | [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tempest"], [member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"]


Siobhan smiled brightly when she heard the news from Tempest, but then felt a bit upset when Galina stayed completely silent and just helped herself to her food. Admittedly it probably constituted progress that Galina had not stormed out or protested, but it nonetheless did not make her happy. After all, she valued her closeness with her daughter.


"That's great. I'm very proud of both of you," she said, putting on a smile, though her happiness was diminished a bit. "You're very brave, Galina. There's some ice cream left over if you want to have any. I kept Chesna from eating it all!" The joke came across as a bit forced. "You missed that holodocumentary you talked about, but I taped it for you." Then she looked over to Tempest. "If you want to stay the night, you'd be very welcome, Tempest," at that she shared a look with Tegaea.

 

[Tempest]

[member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"] [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

Awkwardness again. Tempest thought back on her childhood on distant Dahomey, but never encountered anything like this. Of course, her parents had never known she could summon lightning from her hands!

“Yes, I’d like that, Siobhan. I’m pretty tired though so we won’t have much time to…chat,” she added warningly. After the day she’d had she didn’t feel much like book clubs or cult ceremonies.

It hadn’t been a great day, or one worth much celebrating to her mind. That might come in time, but for now….

 

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

Galina managed a tiny smile, hearing Siobhan's happiness. "Thank you, mummy." She said softly. The idea of ice cream did at least make her relax a little bit as she finally looked up to Siobhan and Tegaea. "Oh, you did? The one on modern Physics and Schrödinger's cat? Can we watch it together later?" She asked softly. Maybe it was just the thing she needed to keep her mind off the events of the day. Apparently it just took the hard sciences to make her happy, and to forget her troubles.

But just like Tempest, Galina didn't feel much had happened that was worth celebrating.

[member="Tempest"] | [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tempest"], [member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"]


Well, this was awkward. Deep-down Siobhan felt a bit upset, though she tried not to let it show. She gave Tempest a nod. "Ok, dear. Get some rest. Your room is prepared for you," then she glanced over to Galina and reached over, gently patting her daughter's hand. "Yep, that one. We can totally watch it together, sweetie!" she promised her and meant it.


Truth be told, Siobhan found physics rather boring, though watching Schrödinger's cat might be fun. She would probably struggle not to asleep once complex calculations were being made. However, she loved spending time with her daughter and cuddling with her. Besides, it seemed to cheer Galina up.

 

[Tempest]

[member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"] [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]
Tempest was tempted to make a comment that it wasn’t the sort of pussy…cat…Siobhan was interested in. However, for Galina’s sake she didn’t.

Instead she finished her meal and headed upstairs. When she awoke it would be time for a…training montage!

 

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

Physics were always a good distraction for Galina and probably just the thing she needed tonight. "Thanks mummy." She said happily and for her part at least seemed much more eager to finish her meal just so they could get to that lovely show.

This writer is found briefly pondering if she can get away with showing a quantum mechanics documentary, without boring Siobhan's writer half to death. Once she finished her meal, she found her way into the living room to await Siobhan for watching the delightful documentary, well at least delightful to her! Chances were, it was going to put Siobhan to sleep, but at least Galina would get relaxing cuddle and snuggle time before that happened.

[member="Tempest"] | [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"], [member="Tempest"]


The things I do for love, Siobhan thought to herself. Admittedly she had done little actual work today and spent a good deal of time lazing around at the pool or attending...prayer session, so maybe this was the universe's way of restoring balance.


Anyhow she put on one of her robes - one of the few that were actually covering and not transparent since it would be bad form to give her daughter a good view of her pillows! - and then joined Galina in the living room. Picking up the tape/CD/whatever people in this Galaxy used with telekinesis, she slipped it into whichever device is the SW equivalent of a recorder/DVD player.


Couple moments later the fascinating physics documentary had began and Siobhan sat down upon the couch. At least if she fell asleep she would be comfortable. She patted the space next to her, indicating that Galina should scoop over, then wrapped her arms around her adorable daughter, stroking her hair lovingly. And the scene was so sweet that someone should make a holopic.

 

[Tempest]

[member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"] [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

And so Galina and Tempest entered that most ubiquitous of training mechanisms...the training montage! Used by all authors and directors to quickly condense months of 'move this rock/water/fire/cloud with your mind for 8 hours' until something more interesting occurred.

And so, after several weeks of mundane early morning exercises and Force training, our vision focuses on a single day. On this day, Galina had been learning well, so now Tempest believed it was time to take the next step.

Knocking on the girl's door as usual she waited to be allowed entry.

 

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

And so Galina and Siobhan enjoyed the fun little documentary and then bedtime and montage time!

Galina was, as she often was, busy studying when the knock came at her door. The familiar presence outside was that of Tempest. "Come in," She said, pushing aside the book she'd been reading. She assumed today would be yet another day of training, just as had the many days and weeks before it. "I assume the usual training session, yes?" Spoken as the young redhead started to get up to gather her things for the day.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] | @Tempest

 

[Tempest]

[member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"]
Tempest shook her head. “No, we’re trying something new today. I think you’ve learned enough to test it out. We’re going on a little road trip today, going to be living rough for a few days, putting your skills to use.”
She’d cleared it with Siobhan…mostly. She’d not gone into exact details, but only that she was taking Galina on a training mission away from the villa.