Blue Clouds

[Kaili Talith]

Late afternoon and Kaili was just about touching down on the third moon of Vassek. A message had been sent to [member="Dissero"] upon the young Talith’s arrival within the system and although the message itself was one of congratulations the fact that she had arrived were two-fold. On one hand she was indeed here to congratulate him in person for his good fortune and maybe catch up on what was new, yet on the other she was also here to ask a favor. Maybe do business in a sense though to call it business when between family just felt absurd. Ask a favor was more like it. Kaili was here to ask a favor of her uncle, though it was very likely that the favor was something that she wouldn’t actually cash in on in at least a few more years if she was lucky, decades if she wasn’t.

Fog covered her viewport on the way down and fog covered the viewport as the ship touched down. Her heart still skipped a little each time it did, but it got better and better for each landing she had. Slowly but steadily she was winning the battle against the fear, a fact that even Kaili herself was able to find some small measure of joy in. The loading ramp opened up and she took her first few steps onto the world that she had never been to before. Eyes set themselves on the nearby grand gates of what she could only assume to be her uncle’s home.

“Well, if you’re going to get a gate…” Kaili’s eyes trailed up the door, taking in the sheer size of it. “Why settle for less?”

Nobody could say she didn’t have her brother’s dry sense of humor at times. It was one of those things that drew them together.

The young woman began to make her way towards the home. This was the part when Kaili had landed in front of the wrong castle, wasn’t it? The part where she had to profusely apologize as she stumbled her way into the wrong home. The mere thought caused her to stop dead in her tracks and look back at her ship and then the gate.

“Here goes.” She whispered to herself as she proceeded to make way down the landing platform. “Please be the right creepy castle.”

 

[Dissero]

There was but one surface landing platform for transports to settle down on and it was rather purposefully put before those massive castle gates. He hadn't installed either one of them - they came with the history of the building, but Dissero had long since learned the importance of appearances and conception.

Far be it from him to get rid of the castle's biggest deterrent of unwanted visitors. Nobody liked walking up to those gates for a knock and he certainly had not had any "Have you found the one and true Savior?" moments since the visit of the Rens nearly a month ago. Good on their word, at the very least.

His days were far more casual now as he spent many of his waking hours plotting and planning for the new life that would arrive in the form of a young child in just a few more months. Verie was starting to show and Dissero wasn't quite sure what was getting to him more: excitement or the constant state of worry that seemed to be snowballing with every day that passed. The man was quite happy for Nohei's visit as it would serve as a distracting wedge between himself and his current pursuits: finding the perfect new home for his family.

As such, he was waiting for her when her ship touched down, standing watch through the massive bay windows of the Sanctum Overlook. A gesture of his hand cleared the roiling fog from the entry ramp to the great gates and he smiled as he spied the diminutive form of Nohei slowly ascending the stairs.

Ve was off napping still and it was nearly dinner time. He resigned himself to the fact that tonight he would likely be cooking on his own instead of with the help of his fiancee, but perhaps Nohei might want to join them. Wasn't often he got to see his young relatives, and a rarer occurrence yet that they came to see him. Micah had been the last within these halls several months ago to discuss business arrangements for selling his wares through Marrow & Illskins, so it caused him to wonder just what it was that brought little Nohei here.

Perhaps he was overthinking things, as he was want to do.

Dissero turned from the window and made his way to the staircase that would take him down to the main hall foyer. There he stepped out through a hidden doorway camoflauged within the stone face off to the side of the main gates, smiling broadly at the young woman that met his gaze.

"Hey there, Sprout," his rasp voice was warm as he spoke, the man held his arms out to take her into a hug, "it's been a while, eh? Good to see you."

[member="Kaili Talith"]

 

[Kaili Talith]

But sure enough it was the right castle. The fog seemed to let up somewhat as a vaguely familiar figure came into view. Kaili sped up, turned her nervous walk into a slightly happier jog. Family had always been important to her, the history of it no less. The girl laughed for each step that brought her closer to the wide open arms of her uncle.

“Mero!” She exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around the man and took a deep breath. “Too long!” She exhaled but let the hug linger for just a little longer. “I heard the good news from Aunt Mae-Mae. I’m so happy for you.”

She finally let the man go and took a step back to offer him some space. The smile still lingered on her lips as she perked her brow and gave the man another look. [member="Dissero"] wasn’t one of the people that she had the best contact with. It felt kind of weird in a sense considering how family-centric her upbringing had been. Kaili by herself was always a bit of a recluse. She enjoyed the company of others, but in the end solitude wasn’t something she shied away from as much as she found comfort in.

At least until recently.

Her eyes set for the grand gates to the castle.

“You know, I have to ask.” She chuckled as a lopsided grin spread across her cheek. “What’s with the gate? The size of it. It’s more than huge, it’s… Huge”

 

[Dissero]

He felt his smile warm considerably at the young woman's congratulations.

"Aunt Mae-Mae told you did she?" the man chuckled, "I didn't think anyone could be more excited than me, but I think she just might be...thank you, Nohei, we're very happy, too."

Now. They were happy now, or so he hoped. Verie had been less than enthused when she initially revealed it all to him. She hadn't been ready or wanting for a child now. Later, she'd explained, but not yet. Dissero subscribed to being happy enough for the both of them regardless, though Verie's position on the entire thing was beginning to shift. He could see her mood brightening little by little, day by day.

Merovign reached out with an arm to tug the girl back to him by the shoulders and stood there at her side looking up at the massive entrance doors with a raised brown, "This gate," he squinted, "you'd have to ask General Grievous that one. I suspect he was compensating for something..." a snicker and he lead Nohei in through the access door.

"This is your first time here, isn't it? I suppose I should give you the grand tour."

[member="Kaili Talith"]

 

[Kaili Talith]

Kaili had to admit she wasn’t particularly big on history, but Grievous had always piqued her curiosity. Really, anyone who knew her wouldn’t have a hard time figuring why. She was a woman of peace as far as she concerned herself, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t have some sort of respect for those who were far from it. In Grievous case he was a two-fold curiosity; the man was as close to a machine as you would get. Four arms, four lightsabers, many dead jedi. It was the topic it always fell back to with her, wasn’t it? Droids.

Still, Kaili snickered at her uncle’s joke and followed her uncle through the considerably tinier door that lead inside nonetheless. She let her hand stroke up and down along her arm for some warmth to recuperate from the slight chill from outside.

“Yeah, it is. And yeah, I suppose you should.” The girl chuckled and threw a quick glance around her.

There was really just the one question that begged to be answered. “So, why did you settle here of all places?”

The girl looked back Dissero with a smile. “Most of us live on Borleias.”

[member="Dissero"]

 

[Dissero]

"Well," the man winced at the recollection of the origin story for his present home while leading the young Talith down the hall, "many years ago I had need for a safehouse. Finding Grievous' home had been a side project of mine for many years leading up to that point, and necessity fueled its final stages. I am nothing if not an avid History nerd."

Smiling down at her as they passed by numerous massive statues of the old Makashi assassin in varying stages of cybernetic implants, they scaled a set of stairs.

"It was never meant to be a home, not really. I more envisioned it as a secret lair..." he gestured with his hands for dramatic effect, "a place to go to where I could work on my projects unimpeded. This place was lost to history for hundreds of years, so I suspected I could maintain my secrecy and anonymity for a while longer." In truth he hadn't expected Verie to find or return to him. Not after what happened and especially not after what truths he later revealed to her. But [member="Verie Lacroix"] continued to surprise him at nearly every turn. Her tenacity and determination to grow in the Force, to learn, to understand, and now to raise a family was nothing short of remarkable. He didn't deserve her.

"But," the man gently clapped Nohei on the shoulder, "with a family on the way I'll be making preparations for a real home. Something a bit less gloomy and a bit sunnier than this place."

[member="Kaili Talith"]

 

[Kaili Talith]

That much was true. When Kaili thought of her uncle she didn’t much think of him as the type to go gallivanting up and down a beach as much as maybe up and down ancient tombs to learn, to know things that very few -- if anyone -- would ever know. She listened to his tale, followed him around the castle and took in the size of it all. The more she listened the more it seemed to her like the castle was pretty much her workshop. Or well, her workshop before it had turned itself into a shop that she actually had to work in. The girl nearly stumbled as she turned around and began to walk backwards just admiring the work that must have been put into this place.

Eventually she turned around, the guide came to a brief stop. Reassurance that maybe Di-Di was making preparations to move out of his man lair and into something more family friendly. Kaili smiled at that.

“Well you probably already know that the beaches of Borleias are pretty nice, but…” She shrugged. “You do you. It would just be nice to see you more often is all.” The kid said as she poked her uncle’s arm as if to add more weight to ‘you do you.’ “With your connections I’m guessing that finding somewhere safe to live isn’t as much of an issue, is it?”

“Or well, not that it is for us either, but you know… Certain ‘religions’ that we’d like to avoid and all that.” No, not the Moross, the big red one right on the Borleian border. “... The One Sith.”

[member="Dissero"]

 

[Dissero]

"Mm," the man made a noise of agreement, "I'm afraid the social butterfly gene skipped over me for your Aunt Mae-Mae. Probably for the best, she's much easier on the eyes and has better social skills." A chuckle followed.

They entered the Sanctum Overlook, one of the largest open spaces within the castle. The main hub of activity where the occupants were concerned...when they were being social. Mahet his Noghri associate sat off in the kitchen area eating breakfast and catching up with the GNN.

"Mahet you remember Nohei..." Mero stepped over with a glance back at Kaili, "but you may have been too young to remember Mahet, I think."

The Noghri looked up from a plate of raw meats and a bowl of steaming tea, "Yes," he hissed, nostrils flaring to take in the girl's scent. A noghri never forgot a scent, "welcome gahiji." Mahet folded clawed digits on the table at his front, eyeing Kaili as if she'd tracked dog poo into the castle. The infamous Honoghran Assassins were not known for their soft features.

[member="Kaili Talith"]

 

[Kaili Talith]

Not having the social butterfly gene was something they both shared, that much Kaili was already very well aware of. That wasn’t to say she didn’t have any friends, but it was easier to play the games that you yourself wanted to play when there were few others involved when laying down the rules. As for Mae-Mae being easy on the eye, Kaili really couldn’t say. As in, really, the idea of comparing family according to beauty just felt wrong.

“Wouldn’t know about easier on the eye. You both look pretty good to me.” All hail neutrality. Kaili looked over at ‘Mahet’ as [member="Dissero"] diverted her attention to the Noghri. Her head craned and her eyes squinted as she tried to make out who he was.

“Yeah, of course, he’s…” Her head began to shake. “No. I really have no memory of him.” The girl said as she let her neck rest again. A hand went up to rub it in shame. “Sorry.”

And was that just her, or did the man not like her? The thought haunted her for a second as she looked at her uncle for some sort of affirmation one way or the other. Eyes begging the question of ‘Who is he?’

 

[Dissero]

"Hungry?" Dissero casually tossed the question at his niece as he made his way further into the kitchen area.

Beady, keen Noghri eyes assessed the young girl with impunity. Mahet leveled Kaili with a stoic stare, "I am Merovign's Guardian," the Noghri replied sharply, "I have watched over him since he was an infant, guided and guarded him in his youth, assisted him into his adult years, as is my duty by command of the Mal'ary'ush."

"Every Shamalain directly descended from my mother grows up with a Noghri Guardian," Dissero said over his shoulder as he pulled out a skillet and eggs from the fridge, "Mahet with me, his son Kefka watches over Esmae. You've probably seen Kefka shadowing her, but he's not as social as Mahet here. Mahet's daughter Sahti stays with my mother on Kuat and works within the Palace as her Scribe...of sorts."

"The Talith line does not have these Guardians because your grandmother disowned the Shamalain name," Mahet quipped.

Dissero coughed, eyes bulging, "Ah-haha, that's...not entirely true."

[member="Kaili Talith"]

 

[Kaili Talith]

“Yeah, I could go for something to eat.” Nohei nodded half-certain if she actually hungry or not. The trip had been long and the food she had brought with wasn’t exactly the fanciest around. In fact just eating prepared food would probably do her a lot of good in itself. “Actually, yeah, food would be great.” She added with a second more firmer nod in affirmation before her eyes set on the Noghri again. They weren’t the prettiest of races, but she could certainly see the benefits of that. He looked positively cold, impassive and somehow loyal.

He was by all means an individual who demanded respect, and Kaili obliged. She kept her mouth shut as he talked of having watched over [member="Dissero"] since he was an infant. Part of her had to ask herself if that meant her current age or as in actual infant crawling on all fours. That was the downside to having a lifespan that went far beyond that of what was considered ‘normal’ by galactic standards, right? At just around twenty years of age, was she a young adult or was she a child still? Infant? In the end that didn’t really matter much, of course, but the girl couldn’t help but be just a little curious.

She snapped out of it when the words ‘Talith’ and ‘Shamalain’ was thrown into the mix.

“Wait, what?” Kaili uttered in surprise, though she couldn’t quite understand why. Her family was the black sheep or something like that. It was a disgrace on her, but in truth she hadn’t really put much thought into her ancestors. “Then… What are we? Half-disowned?” The girl asked with a question thinly veiled with humor.

“Should I be concerned?”

 

[Dissero]

Dissero chuckled from his spot at the stove, "No, not at all."

"You come from a disgraced bloodline, gahiji," Mahet replied flatly, "one that has re-emerged into honor during the 400 year darkness. The stain, however, is permanent."

"Mahet..." Kaili's uncle hissed at the Noghri, shaking his head before looking over his shoulder at her, "don't listen to Mahet, he spouts nothing but fables and lies."

"How...how very dare you."

This line caused Dissero to stop everything completely to turn and face the Noghri fully, eyes widen and growing with amusement, "You...you have been spending far too much time with Verie."

Mahet casually went back to his breakfast with a sip of some very steamy green tea, "my duties extend to your own descendants now, Merovign."

"Toast? Bacon?" grinning, he went back to the fridge, "your grandmother, Quietus, was never truly raised as a Shamalain. Her mother was incapable of containing her wily ways as a child and her father ignored her completely. She grew up on Onderon under the care of the Beast Tribes and was later found and adopted by a Sith Lord called Daritha. As I recall, he spent several years rearing her at Halcyon Citadel - you know the history of the Citadel right? No? You'll have to ask her then, she tells the story way better - before her father reclaimed her at a Sith Civil war on Korriban. He wasn't a particularly attentive or caring father but he must have seen the value in his bloodline and the power in ours. He claimed to be her Master but he wasn't very good at sticking around. Her mother finally pushed her off to the VanDerveld family, a Sith Mistress named Razielle and a Lord called Vega. They trained her alongside their son Devin for several years...."

"Needless to say..." Dissero said over a piece of bread in his mouth while he wrangled with the toaster, "your mother failed to ever identify herself as a Shamalain and refused to accept the laws and culture of our people. After failing the Trials of Noir on Garhall, she was labeled a black bantha and formally disowned by the Matriarch by the time she was promoted to Master at the age of 16."

[member="Kaili Talith"]

 

[Kaili Talith]

There was a certain air of irritation radiating off of the young Nohei Shamalain. It hadn’t been there at first, but it most certainly grew for each time Mahet insisted on reminding her about how her family branch held a less than stellar reputation amongst the rest of those who shared her family tree. It was something that the girl was aware of. If not because her uncle had just told her so, then because her father had most likely packed it into one of the many history lessons from when she was still a child. She knew about Moridin, and some of the others, knew that enough bad blood ran through her that she’d always do best to remain cautious if they were ever brought up in conversation or text.

Yet in the end her ancestors were just one amongst many in the annals of history.

And half of them might not even have been disowned, so at least Kaili still had that going for her.

“Toast and bacon.” Kaili grinned as her uncle struggled with the piece of toast and the appropriate hardware. “And some eggs!” … “Salad too. Condiments.”

Eyes strayed to her side and set on Mahet again. Her lips thinned and for a second they locked eyes. Kaili's nose scrunched in defiance the second she realized. She was after all her mother’s daughter, it didn’t matter of Kira Talith was disowned or not, the mischievous attitude was something both Nohei and Draith had inherited in droves, and perhaps Draith doubly so. They had their moments as children, but ultimately Kaili had settled that part and cultivated it into something more grown-up.

Or well, not.

“So, did my mother fail these trials or was that my grandmother? What did the trials entail?” Kaili asked and turned her attention back to Uncle ‘Didi.’ “Does every Talith-” Kaili made sure to accentuate the way she said ‘Talith’ over ‘Shamalain’ in the hopes of upsetting the noghri guardian again. “-have to take these trials?”

[member="Dissero"]

 

[Dissero]

"Force, doesn't your father feed you kids at home? Alright, alright...salad." Dissero wrinkled his nose. There was plenty of salad ingredients cultivated right here in the castle all thanks to [member="Cerita Sarova"]'s green thumb and her greenhouse. Dissero did not partake in salad - he was a meat kind of guy but he was also a halfling, so some necessities ran stronger than others.

Bacon on the skillet.

Eggs on the pan.

Toast? Burning in the toaster. He swatted at the thing as it refused to pop up when the timer ticked. The kitchen began to fill with smoke.

"Mahet, the toaster, if you please-" Dissero said while juggling all the other things, "it only works for you, you know."

Mahet had been mostly ignoring the young Talith's temper tantrum in order to peruse the GNN holoflimsies set out on the island table, With a sigh the Noghri got up from his chair and moved to tend to the wily toaster.

"Your mother? Did I say mother? I meant your grandmother. No, your mother will never take the trials. For one, the Trials of Noir are for the uninitiated youth, as well they are only meant for those of Garhan heritage. I actually don't know any of the specifics, your Oma Lore would be able to tell you more, but as far as I know the Trials of Noir are for those of diluted bloodlines, such as myself, to undergo in their youth as a way to prove themselves to the Amarit Council that they are worthy of consideration for honors and citizenship. Oma Qui did eventually attend the schools of the Amarit and pass her initiation. She made a pilgrimage back to Garhall during the 400 year darkness with Oma Lore to help their people recover from the Gulag Plague. Because of this and many other deeds carried out during her stay, not only was she initiated she was later given the highest honors possible from the Suzerein herself and became a Lanurein. The Suzerein blessed her with purification and changed Oma Qui in many ways."

He flipped the eggs and turned the bacon as he spoke. Mahet fiddled with the toaster.

"Oma Lore approved of this transformation and offered her Ach'eri Shamalain again. Quietus accepted and has since then been an honored member of the bloodline, though she did decline the offer of taking Mahet's daughter as a Guardian, that's why Sahti lives at the palace on Kuat. What Mahet fails to mention is that your father has never taken a pilgrimage to Garhall or been initiated. None of us have, actually. Not him, or me, or your Auntie Mae. Mahet is also mildly perturbed that your father decided to take the foresaken name of Talith over Shamalain, though your father would ascribe to the story that he was trying to keep it secret, in a similar vein to why we now go by Darke. You have to remember, Nohei, that Mahet comes from a much different time. He grew under the rule of Oma Lore on Honoghr hundreds of years ago when Shamalain was a most important, revered, and honored name."

Mahet grunted at the toaster, shook it a bit and pulled out what appeared to be a paperclip. The noghri held it up and eyed Dissero who blinked at him in return.

"...so that's where that went. Anyways - for those of us not stuck in the past, Talith is just as noble of a name as Darke. It was the name of your father when he lead the Moross Crusade, it was his name when he ascended to Mastership, it was his name when he married your mother. So far as I'm concerned Talith is alright by me."

With a warm, smarmy smile he plopped a plate of bacon and eggs in front of Kaili, "...oh, right, salad. You kids and your strange eating habits."

[member="Kaili Talith"]

 

[Kaili Talith]

She’d lie if she said she wasn’t disappointed. The cards were tossed on the table and Mahet… Merely swept them aside. The petty kid turned her attention back at her uncle and gave him her full attention again. The sullen face was unbecoming of her, but she did her best to contain it. Kaili was a Talith, her father had taught her better than to let pettiness get the best of her. Yet at the same time there was also that one really long talk about the girl and her temper and how she needed to control it. It was a talk that she had taken it to heart, of course, but that didn’t mean there weren’t moments when she really wished that she wouldn’t have to. Moments such as when someone had misplaced her hydrospanner or mistreated her constructs.

Regardless, Kaili nodded along as Uncle [member="Dissero"] retold the story of Garhan traditions and trials. Part of her had to wonder if she was meant to take this Trial as well, but on the account that she and her family had already been marked as ‘disgraced’ she was willing to assume that the answer to that particular question was a big fat ‘No.’ At the mention of the Gulag Plague, Kaili was reminded of her own longevity. Granted, she was far more ‘watered down’ than a second-generation half-Garhan, but she would live for a while nonetheless. Soliael had told his children that that much to be certain.

A smile set over her and the semi-concealed sullen little face faded to nothingness. Talith was an okay name, it was the name that Kaili had been allowed to share with others, but as far as her technically-actually-lastname ‘Shamalain’ went she only knew it as more of a “keep it secret, keep it safe” type of deal for reasons that eluded her. The plate of bacon was placed before her and the girl eyed it with delight. There was no salad, but the girl could probably manage.

“Salad is the cornerstone of any healthy meal!” The kid added to her uncle’s remark and chuckled. “... Though we can probably skip it, for now.”

The girl took her first bite. Her stomach thanked her.

“Proper, cooked food.” She almost shivered. “I’ve missed this on the flight here.”

Kaili took another bite.

“I only really pack the necessities rather than luxuries, you know? Have a taste of what kids that aren’t born to a former God spends their trips like.”

“... It’s not great, but it's important to keep yourself grounded. You know what I mean?”

 

[Dissero]

Dissero gave a coarse chuckle as he joined Kaili at the island table with his own plate of food, "Salads are for flat-tooths and [member="Cerita Sarova"], not for these-" the man grinned to expose his own mouth of inhumanly sharp teeth. The double sets of fangs were still present on both upper and lower jaw, though not nearly as prominent as they were on his pureblooded Mother or his sister Amore.

The man casually forked egg into his mouth.

"You're lucky for the dilution of your bloodlines. It apparently has opened up an entire galaxy of synthetic foods for your and your siblings. I can't eat the processed or dehydrated stuff, though cooked food is alright. Purebloods though-" he waved his fork with a shake of his head, "let's just say your Auntie Mae and Oma Lore stick to a raw diet because they have to. You know they can't even eat candy without getting sick?"

[member="Kaili Talith"]

 

[Kaili Talith]

Kaili usually took her own fangs for granted. They were far from as sharp as Maleah’s who had won the ‘Aszai’ lottery so to speak. Really, in Kaili’s case calling them fangs might have been giving them too much credit. They were pointy, perhaps a little pointier than usual, but they didn’t make her stand out when exposed. At least so she believed. Mara would most likely have pointed something out if they didn’t. Kaili liked to assume so.

“You know, I never really put that much thought into it-” Kaili shrugged and shuffled another forkload of food into her mouth and proceeded to chew. “You’re a really good cook, by the way.” The girl added before letting the egg and bacon settle within her stomach. “Maleah does that too. Pale as ever, only eats meat. Dad said it’s from our Garhan heritage, so you know, I never really put much thought into it.”

She continued to eat while looking around the room. Mahet was still checking his news and what-nots, Dissero was eating alongside Kaili. Silence hung for a bit, but it was far from unbearable. All things considered Kaili had never been here before, if anything it was probably a wonder that she hadn’t snuck off and gotten herself lost already.

She had done that pretty often as a kid.

Luckily there was no hideouts back home on Borleias that her father couldn’t find.

“So, who is Cerita?” Kaili asked as her eyes set on the half-empty plate before her and then her uncle. “I think Micah might have mentioned her before.”

[member="Dissero"]

 

[Dissero]

"Well thank you. I'm not nearly as good as Verie. She makes a mean Cat in a Basket."

A smile, Dissero continued to eat, nodding as Kaili spoke of her sister. Maleah was certainly the most reflective of her heritage, even moreso than her father if Dissero thought about it long enough. Soliael certainly had his Garhan attributes but he'd also tampered with his own DNA through sorcery and the Technovirus. They had altered him in strange ways, but mostly only strange because Dissero didn't understand them.

He supposed there was a perfectly reasonable explanation behind it all that he never bothered to ask about in depth.

"Cerita? Oh, she's my Apprentice," he looked back towards the hallway that lead to the living quarters portion of the castle, "she's lived here for several years now. Micah's met her before during his visits and I'm certain they run into each other at the shops when he's working. She's probably in her greenhouse - bit of a shut-in since I Knighted her."

[member="Kaili Talith"]

 

[Kaili Talith]

Being a shut-in was a concept that Kaili was quite familiar with. It wasn’t the case anymore, but in the direct aftermath and recuperation after the ship crash there had been a few months during which the girl had confined herself to her room in a near-catatonic state. It took a while for it to pass, perhaps a good smack across the face or two from her brother, but it passed. She opened a store and with time the store would blossom into a chain or even a corporation. Hopefully.

“Oh, okay.” Kaili said and continued eating. “I have an apprentice too.”

“Her name is Allyson, she lives with me as well.” A deep inhale and the bob of Kaili’s head. “Okay, so, maybe not exactly lives with me full-time. She’s a pilot for Clan Rekali so she’s away most of the time, but when she’s not, yeah she’s my apprentice.”

It was still early. How long had the two women known each other? A month or two at most?

“She’s… Not the most proficient in the force, but she has an affinity for Technomancy nonetheless. Figured I could help her with that. I mean, she’s already helped me with a few things. It feels like the least I can do in return, you know?”

“So how did you meet Cerita? Did she stumble upon your shop and impress you just like Allyson did with me, or… ?” Kaili’s shoulders rose into a shrug.

[member="Dissero"]

 

[Dissero]

At the mention of Clan Rekali there was a flash of concern to take the Archivist. He paused over chewing his food and gave the young girl a considering look.

"Force, I keep forgetting how old you guys are."

He had a picture of them in his mind as children, forever stuck in those innocent years of Apprenticehood and trouble-seeking. The Brat Pack had grown up and earned their titles and their scars. Dissero smiled at the thought but couldn't help the troubled look in his gaze. It wasn't his place to speak warnings to them despite how much he felt inclined to do so. He would have to settle on the ever tiresome mechanism of internal worrying.

"Everyone's good at something. It's nice of you to teach her. Good intentions and deeds always have a way of coming back to you," and so did the bad ones, he thought to himself as he stuck a piece of bacon in mouth.

"Oh...Cerita," chewing, he thought about how best to tell that story, hands lifting to fold together before his face, elbows on the countertop, "she was a former Apprentice to a very dear friend of mine who passed away. I happened to meet her by chance," because Shamalains didn't believe in fate, "and took her in when she had little where else to go. She's very smart and very talented and I am honored to continue helping out an old friend in whatever way I can."

"More?" he pointed to her emptying plate, "If you leave here hungry I'll never hear the end of it from your father."