Private Another Name on File

[Lossa Aureus]

Naboo Hospital - Family Wing
Outfit - Bracelet - Heels
Briana Sal-Soren​

The time spent with Zane Cameron was still fresh in her mind as she made her way to find her cousin. Sid gingerly keeping in lockstep with Lossa and the bundle she had in her arms.

The Droid had been hesitant to give back the babe, or maybe he'd been trying to pry information from her using Zeriana.

Either way, the brief but intense stare down had passed without incident when Sid finally allowed her to hold her daughter once more. Thoughts still clouded in that strange way as her hand pressed against her own lips. Gaze locked on something several light years away as they rounded the last corner to spy Briana finally. Sid the first to notice and draw attention to her presence as Lossa finally snapped back from her entrancing thoughts.

Briana was going through the familiar motions of physical therapy after an extensive fight on Coruscant had left her needing medical attention and a few nights of thorough care. Something Lossa had the mind to never properly wish on anyone given how stern nurses could be.

"Hey hey hey. Seems we both got the short end of different sticks." Tone falling between amusement and sympathy as they both approached.

"How's it coming along? Anything serious?" Lossa opted for a seat as Sid closed the distance between himself and Briana to offer a hand.

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Outfit: XoXo | Equipment: Lightsaber, Echo Stone | Tag: Lossa Aureus ​

"Sid! Lossa!" Briana's beamed as she turned from a window she'd been peering out, a spark of warmth in her voice that even the sterile hospital room couldn't dim. "A few broken bones, a bump on the head," Briana said, waving her good hand dismissively and offering a lopsided smile."I've had worse hangovers."

But the forced casualness of her tone belied the concern that lingered in her eyes, trying her best to avert them and cover the lie. It'd taken her a long time to piece together what had happened after the rubble buried her. Faces had been hazy, names elusive. Even now, her memories of the battle were severely fragmented and often punctuated by dizzy spells and throbbing headaches. The doctors that'd been seeing to her had needed to pin her arm back together with enough metal to build a spare astromech. They told her there was a possibility she might never regain full use of her hand...

But dwelling on that wouldn't help anything, not now. It would only enrage Sid and needlessly worry Lossa, who already had enough on her plate with the new baby, having to pick up the slack on Jakku, and deal with Romi's death on her own...

Guilt gnawed at Briana's gut. She should have been there for them, for all of it. Abandoning her post was not how she'd envisioned her first tenure as a member of the Jakku Council.

Pushing away the self-recrimination, Briana tried to focus on the present, easing herself down beside Lossa and trying not to wince. "Rik got to me in time. Could've been a lot worse." That, at least, was true.

Her eyes then softened marginally as they settled on the small figure cradled in Lossa's arms. "Is this her?" Briana asked, trying to keep her voice low so she didn't wake her, gently pulling the blanket down to get a better look at the child's cherub face. "Oh, Loss — she's beautiful."

​

 

[Lossa Aureus]

Naboo Hospital - Family Wing
Outfit - Bracelet - Heels
Briana Sal-Soren​

Briana was awake and speaking. The cheery tone almost enough to throw suspicion until the mention of a bump to the head made her narrow her eyes. Avoiding their gaze didn't help, but she wasn't gonna push just yet about the subject. Maybe.

"A little bump to the head? Hmm." Her legs crossing as she adjusted Zeriana in her arms and kept her eyes locked on Briana. Sid was fretting, little static filled blurbs as he divided his attention between owner and babe as he found himself a spot behind them both.

"I will check charts at a later time." Firmly announcing his intent as he settled in to listen. A moment of reprieve from responsibility with all three charges in the same room.

"Glad Rik was there then. I. The temple. That was, a whole fething mess by the sound of it." A frown painting her face until Briana began to examine Zeriana.

Sleeping peacefully with a full stomach, little chest rising and falling as she fussed a little with the blanket moving. A proud smile emerging in place of the frown as Lossa adjusted once more to offer Briana a better view of her niece. Making a point to keep her voice at speaking level instead of speaking softly.

"This is her. Zeriana Rominae Aureus." Nodding at the mention of how beautiful her daughter was. Not expecting to have a child of her own, at least not for some time, she hadn't imagined the feelings within her. Each little compliment to her daughter shaping something she had no understanding of as her hand curled a little tighter around the bundle.

"She is that, my little star. Just hope she is a little less chaotic than I am. Take after her aunt maybe?" Trying to inject a little humor into the situation with a glance to Briana and her arm.

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Outfit: XoXo | Equipment: Lightsaber, Echo Stone | Tag: Lossa Aureus ​

"Yeah, I owe him one. Or ten. I don't even...I don't remember most of it. Just bits and pieces." Her brow furrowed, gaze drifting away as she tried to call up the hazy images. "There was this... overwhelming sensation of darkness, fire everywhere...I think I might have been thrown into a wall...or a pillar?" Her tone turned questioning at the end, seeking confirmation. She could still feel the jolt of impact, the blinding pain that followed. Briana waved a hand dismissively, brushing the thoughts away like cobwebs.

"I heard you had it pretty rough too. I felt you, when..." Her voice trailed off, eyes misting. One of the worst parts of Coruscant had been feeling Lossa's fear in the Force when her labor pains came on, knowing there was nothing she could do to help her. She sniffed, rubbed a finger beneath her nose and shook it off. "I'm just glad you're both okay." That was all that mattered, anyway.

"Zeriana Rominae Aureus," Briana repeated, the name rolling off her tongue. It felt right. Strong and defiant, a fitting homage to Romi. She swallowed hard, emotion tightening her throat. "Well I can already tell she's got your spunk." A small smile played on her lips as she reached out a finger to brush aside some of the black wisps of downy hair. "But less chaotic?" Briana snorted. "Our entire family is the poster child for 'cautionary tale'. There's not going to be any avoiding that, just gotta teach her how to roll with the punches. And throw a few of her own. Which, I'd be happy to volunteer for, by the way. Not that she's going to have any shortage of those." Zeri would have a whole team of people looking out for her, Briana silently listing off the names in her head: Brandyn, Cybelle, Aiden, Bastila, Valery, Lily... even Blaire, whenever she decided to pop in again.

"Can I hold her?" Briana asked, the vulnerability creeping into her voice despite her best efforts to keep it steady. "I'll need help, but I still have one good arm I can put to use, if you don't mind?"

 

[Lossa Aureus]

Naboo Hospital - Family Wing
Outfit - Bracelet - Heels
Briana Sal-Soren​

When she mentioned only remembering bits and pieces, Lossa couldn't help but furrow her brow.

A bump to the head was drastically underselling the injury she'd received. Grateful at least for some of the medical knowledge she'd gleaned over the years to realize the trouble Briana might be having.

"Maybe ask for his latest tab instead as a thank you." Her mouth was running ahead of her brain as she muttered the words. Lips curling inward after finishing the sentence, not entirely sure if it was to keep herself from laughing or continuing the small slight against his character. He was a standup guy, even if he was a scoundrel at times.

"Ah. Yeah. Had something similar with a roof once." Unable to hide the smile behind her words. Commiserating her own incidents was the best she could offer at the moment without trying to overwhelm Briana. No doubt her cousin was already in her own head about things, and adding to it by taking her place as the worry wart wasn't exactly her forte to begin with. "Buildings and Sith I've noticed tend to go hand in hand with property damage and strange injuries though. So you can scratch that off a bucket list at least."

Reminded of her time in the sky, Lossa could only nod at the words. Tilting her head slightly as Zeriana cood and reached a hand out. Eyes wide and staring before the same hand made it's way into her mouth.

"We're fine. More than fine. If a bit sleepless." A glance down at Zeriana made it plain who was truly sleepless as her daughter stared out the window while she sucked on her hand. Briana's hand playing with the strands of hair getting a sharp turn from Zeriana as her free hand shot up in the air. Just shy of smacking her mother in the mouth if Lossa hadn't jolted backward.

"Yeah, definitely got that." As if turning to see if Lossa had seen what had happened, Zeriana twisted her body to stare at her mother. "Yeah, she touched your hair, just like you touch everyone else's."

Shaking her head before turning her attention to Briana's question with a warm smile.

"Wasn't going to leave before you got to. They have a timetable for you, or just as it goes?" Adjusting her chair closer and helping her cousin until Zeriana was settled into Briana's good arm. Looking between the two of them with a wide grin. As much trust as she had in Briana, her hands were kept clear and free in case she needed to make a sudden reach. Zeriana to her credit was enjoying the new person, staring wide eyed as she continued to keep one hand in her mouth, while the other batted at a strand of brown hair.

"Mm. She will yank by the way." One hand extended to fix the stray lock before pausing, silently asking permission.