Brotherhood Without Banners (Alliance-in-Exile + ORC)

[Dracken Pryce]

"Hey that was my-" a sharp whistle from the bartender drew his attention elsewhere for the moment. But he would not forget this injustice. His eyes narrowed at the convenient timing as the speech from the current commander in chief washed over the crowd bringing cheers and whistles at its end. Coren's voice boomed over the crowd with a patriotic cheer and Pryce found himself cheering right along side him and the rest of the soldiers, pilots, and survivors of the Galactic Alliance.

Alleycat started to walk away from him before he could get a word in about his promotion or the fact that she owed him a beer now. While he followed with the intent to drunkenly scold her, the sobering sight of astromechs projecting pilots and soldiers standing at attention facing the pyre curbed his enthusiasm. His shoulders slumped as thoughts once again turned to home. Hoe much longer would the Alliance be forced to scamper within the Outer Rim? When could they return and take back their homes? His fist tightened in anger and frustration.

What could they really do here?
[member="Ava Cartwright"]

 

[Ava Cartwright-Pryce]

D'Qar Base
Airfield
Attending Memorial Ceremony

Ava stood solemnly amongst the other Alliance personnel on the airfield as the funeral pyre was lit in an open area. The flames quickly licked at the empty suit of Galactic Alliance shock trooper armor used as tribute. The Ralltiiri knew the next moment was going to happen, but until the astromech droids actually began projecting the holographic pilots that had been killed in action, she didn't know just how hard it was going to be for her to see especially that Squeak was doing the honors for Flight Officer Dagfinn "Dagger" McGree, who was Rogue Seven; Goldie's wingman and dear friend that died at the Battle of Fondor saving her six.

Emotion finally got the best of the pilot that was trying to be so stoic in front of her peers. Tears flooded the Rogue's blue pools threatening to overflow and run down her cheeks; they were equally a mix of sadness, anger, and yes survivor's quilt. Attempts to bite her lip for a distraction and blink away the moisture was failing to keep Ava's overriding feelings in check. Stepping back from the line where she was standing with [member="Dracken Pryce"] and [member="Rayf Vigil"], the tall blonde turned on her booted heel and slipped quietly into the shadows, then further down the tarmac to where her snubfighter was sandwiched between the two U-wings from the ANS Starchild.

Goldilocks kicked an empty can of hydraulic fluid that had been left out by the hangar techs, sending it careening away into the darkness. She stood facing the fuselage of the TR-20 near the service ladder in defiance as Ava hated to be seen as weak, but it didn't take long for soft sobs to begin racking her body and the tightly held back tears to finally flow freely.

 

[Dracken Pryce]

Ava's leave didn't go unnoticed. He hadn't lost any particularly good friends, but he knew the heavy pain of loss. Everyone was going through something right now, especially here. Pryce looked after her before taking a breath and following her. She seemed to not have noticed him, not that he was trying to remain unseen, and she led him to the tarmac. He couldn't tell whose fighter she had stopped at, but he could only guess it was hers. He tried to approach gingerly, but Ava kicked an oil can that was on the permacrete, sending it clattering loudly and awkwardly into Pryce's shin.

He winced. Not the best way to start this off.

He took a few steps toward her.

"Ava?" He didn't use her firstname often, especially on the Starchild, and he hoped at least that small gesture let her know that this conversation wasn't going on any sort of record or other military mumbo jumbo. Something in his chest tightened seeing her like this.
[member="Ava Cartwright"]

 

[Ava Cartwright-Pryce]

D'Qar Base
Tarmac, away from ceremony

Between sobs, Ava heard an audible wince, then her name called... The pilot's first name instead of rank or surname by him. There was even concern noted it the way he spoke it too.

Goldie had been hugging herself while crying. She quickly released her arms and dabbed the wetness away from her eyes and cheeks with the back of her hands hoping the shadows would hide the motion, then a quiet sniff of her runny nose followed before answering.

"Yes, that would be me... I was just checking the readiness of my fighter, you know in case we have to scramble," the Rogue replied still facing the ship, trying to force her voice not to betray how emotionally distraught she really was feeling inside at that moment. Gods how she just wanted to be held and told everything was going to be okay. That there was still hope...

The tall blonde took a deep breath and let it out, then slowly turned around on her booted heel, gazing to where the dark-haired Corellian was standing, and not too far away at that. The moonlight from the clear night sky illuminated the space between them, and also showed the way [member="Dracken Pryce"] was looking at her. It wasn't his usual 'captain's face', but perhaps more of a man who cared, well about something... to what it was, was yet to be determined.

"All I need now is Squeak and I'll be good to go, though he's busy at the moment it seems so I guess we'll just see how things go, hmm," the Ralltiiri said more in a ramble than mindful thought as their blue eyes met and lingered much longer than even previously in the cantina. It made her heart beat quicken and she bit her lip in a nervous habit.

Dracken was such a hard one to read or gauge. The Starchild's captain usually played his cards close to his chest, though tonight appeared a bit more relaxed than normal. Okay a lot. Alcohol tended to do that, which could be a good thing or bad depending. Tonight, hopefully the former as they all could use some peace of mind. Force only knows she did...

"Erm Was there something you wanted?" Ava asked, not using his rank either or calling him Sir.

 

[Kahne Porte]

The ceremony hadn't started yet, by the time several members of the Shattered order made their way outside. He could hear few words here and there, just individuals talking among themselves just as he was doing with other members of the now Shattered Order. However a presence he felt made his heart skip a beat almost, as he cleared his throat and glanced around to see if he could see her anywhere. Kahne hand't heard much of anything in regards to [member="Alexandra Russo Porte"] while he had been on Lothal and even after.

The communication had been almost nothing after the attacks by the Sith Empire and First Order forces. However the Jedi master felt her presence and his eyes began to scan the crowds that were just standing around talking and then that was when he saw her.

"Alexandra." Kahne said, as he locked in on her location and began to make his way towards her rather quickly.

 

[Alexandra Porte]

D'Qar Base
Outside for ceremony

​

A second or so before Alexandra heard her name called by her seemingly long, lost husband ever since the endgame was played upon the Galactic Alliance by the dark forces, she sensed [member="Kahne Porte"]'s presence behind her and turned immediately around to see the dark-haired Naboo in the near distance. The Taanabian's heart skipped a few beats and her breath caught in her throat at the unbelievable and so awaited sight of her beloved, then Alex's booted feet began walking towards the Jedi Master at a quickened pace weaving between those gathered on the airfield for the memorial until they met; like two magnets attracted.

Tears of joy flooded Alex's brandy brown orbs as she rushed to hug the man; arms wrapping around his mid section tightly and her dark head pressed firmly into his shoulder. "Oh Kahne... Thank the Force you're alive!" the brunette cried out softly against the Jedi's neck, then after a moment she reached up and cupped his cheek, pulling Kahne's scruffy face down to hers. The rugged look is new...

"I knew you wouldn't leave me," she smiled up at him tenderly with moisture-touched eyes before pressing her lips to his in a needy, welcoming home kiss.

Yeah, hope was indeed kindled once again.

 

[Dracken Pryce]

Silly girl.

He moved before he realized what he was doing and embraced the pilot. There were no words he could say that would make any of her feelings go away, but he could let her know, show her, that it was okay to feel what she felt and she didn't need to hide it from him.

[member="Ava Cartwright"]

 

[Ava Cartwright-Pryce]

D'Qar Base
Tarmac, away from ceremony

​

[member="Dracken Pryce"]'s sudden move caught Ava off guard as he closed the distance quickly between them and wrapped his strong and secure arms around her. It was definitely a pleasant surprise, but took the Rogue a moment to react.

The blonde finally slipped her arms around the Corellian wholeheartedly and laid her golden head upon his chest; dark-lashed lids closing over her previously moisture-filled blue orbs as she melted into the man's silent yet seemingly caring embrace. While Goldie relished in the feeling of being held by Dracken, she could hear his heart beating beneath his uniform tunic. They both were very much alive, and neither should take that for granted. Life was too short to not live it. She knew Dagger would want her to do so with zest if not for herself for him as the Chandrilan loved life.

Ava didn't know exactly how long they stayed like that draped in the moonlight, but finally her eyes fluttered back open and she raised her head up feeling much better. A soft smile graced her face as she took a half-step back; the Ralltiiri's smaller hand finding his larger one and giving it a squeeze.

"Thank you for the hug, Drac. It's just what I needed," she nodded appreciatively, then added a couple of ticks later.

"Remember when we met with that smuggler on Kal'Shebbol? I managed to sweet talk a bottle of Whyren's Reserve from him. I just happened to put it in my pilot bag before we left the Starchild. Would you care to share some with me since we're supposed to be celebrating and paying tribute? I spotted a nice meadow off the end of the airfield while on approach, and well the stars are so bright tonight. I've always been a stargazer, even in my youth before the reality of being a pilot was even a possibility. I bet you were too back on Corellia, hmm?"