Cats in the Cradle (Zev & Tegaea)

[Zev Stargo]

Zev blew a plum of smoke "They tied me up too, beat and tortured me. They thought I had informed the Republicans about the meeting for payment. I denied everything because quite frankly, I had nothing to do with it." Zev paused for a second, his eyes piercing through Tegaea "Eventually they left me alone. I was sitting in a pool of my own blood for hours until finally one of Gorza's thugs came in and untied me. I didn't struggle as he brought me into another room, inside your father was bloodied worse than me. Gorza told me that he had admitted to letting the Republicans in on the meeting...and it all made sense. Your father would have rather had me killed and risk you and your mothers lives just because he thought working with the Hutt was wrong." Again Zev paused, studying Tegaea's reaction

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

Teeth gritted, Tegaea took a deep breath. "That doesn't make sense. Why would he tell them about the meeting? What would he have to gain, especially if he was likely to be there at the time? It's more likely they beat him up until he made a false confession. Either way, it doesn't matter now. What happened next?"

 

[Zev Stargo]

Zev looked his niece straight in the eye "Believe what you like my dear. It will not change the truth....Gorza handed me a blaster and told me I needed to prove my loyalty if I wanted to survive...." without so much as a flinch or show of remorse Zev said "so I shot him."

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

Tegaea didn't feel a surge of quick anger, but a slow rising of blood to her face, an ache in her back and neck, her fists clenched. "You murdered my father. You killed your own brother...and you come here to tell me? Why? Did you expect forgiveness? You shall not have it from me. Did you expect to manipulate me into going with you? I shall not. Did you expect me not to do this?"
Standing up Tegaea overturned the table and slashed out with her fist, right at her uncle's jaw. Tegaea was a good fighter, extremely strong and fast, and right now she didn't care if she broke her uncle's jaw, such was the fury behind her blow.

 

[Zev Stargo]

Zev reacted quickly, but his old age made him slower and he barely dodged the fist but he fell back in his chair, slamming his head hard into the ground before tumbling. Zev ignored the pain in his head as he stood back up and backed away from his niece "I came to tell you the truth! I came to try and make you realize that your father served a cause that promoted oppression and lost his life for it! I did what I did to save you and your mother from being hunted by the Hutt! If I would have kept him alive they would have killed both of us and your mother would have never been able to afford the flight off the planet and save you from the mercenaries hunting you!" Zev's voice had been raised for the first time in a very long time. Slowly he walked forward with his arms spread wide "You are the only family I have Tegaea, I want you to come with me. Please, leave these lies of the Republic behind and join me where we are turly free. Omega Pyre is nothing more than an extension of the 'laws' that keep so many in turmoil. Together, we can be truly free!"

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

Tegaea shook her head. "Omega Pyre is its own entity. I help rule over ten billion souls, and we fight for a cause greater than anything you could consider. What would you have me do, uncle, join your enterprise? Become a criminal who preys on people like a leech? I am not that person, and I am not you. I made something of myself the legitimate way. I will never go with you ever again."

She turned to go. "I'm leaving. If you ever try this again I'll frakking shoot you. That is no idle threat."

She dropped some credits onto a nearby table as payment and apology and began to walk away. Away from the one piece of her family that was still alive.

 

[Zev Stargo]

Zev sighed and looked at the cards scattered on the ground, then he looked back to his only piece of family that he ever came to care about...even his brother did not mean much to him...but this girl was different "One day you will understand Tegaea, I love you." love, the word was so foreign to the man's mouth but he had never had someone to say that to ever since Tegaea and her mother left the planet. One day she would come back to him, come back from the lies she so closely endorsed.

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

Tegaea was in a rare temper when she got back to her hotel room. @[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] wasn't around, which was probably a good thing for now. She'd talk to her lover later, but for now she just wanted to be alone. So she laid on the bed and stared at the ceiling unable to hide the tears that come to her eyes. She didn't know what to do anymore. The news had hurt her, but more than that she had private doubts whether she had made the right move with her uncle. For the first time in a long time Tegaea felt bereft.

 

[Zev Stargo]

Zev returned to Stargo Enterprise's headquarters and moved swiftly into the same meeting room he used to meet business partners in. He walked swiftly across the reflective black floor and took a seat in the single Geonosian chair that sat in the middle of the room. The table and other chairs were hidden underneath the floor as he disliked the clutter when he came to have deep thoughts. He lit his third cigar of the afternoon and pressed a button on the arm rest of his chair and the wall in front of him lit up with the picture of a sun, a sun that was in its long process of going nova. The flames of the ball of light changed quickly from reds and blues as its surface exploded with the magnificent colors. For some reason the video of the sun, that had been destroyed many years ago, was soothing to the old man. It was so violent, yet so beautiful and freeing to gaze at. He sighed as the speakers played artificial sounds of a suns flames as the whipped about in space.

Quietly he sat back and took a deep breath into his nose, remembering back to the black haired girl with curls that he had chased after his whole life. Her face brought him comfort, but just like every time before...he saw that same red headed man kissing her in the street, the same man he had to misfortune of calling brother.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

(( Here by request from @[member="Tegaea Alcori"])).

About an hour passed before Siobhan entered the hotel room. She had been dealing with security matters, but taken no real part in the negotiations Tegaea had conducted with the bankers. Which probably had been for best because Siobhan was not what one might call diplomatic. Particularly with pompous folk that irritated her. Having inspected security provisions, she was eager to get back to her lover.

As she entered the hotel room and beheld Tegaea, it had to be admitted that the first thing on her lips was some quip about Tegaea's formal attire, as well as some very thinly veiled innuendo. But then Siobhan noticed how crestfallen, devastated even Tegaea looked. Something she had never seen her like. Even in the midst of combat, the countless hell zones they ended up in so many times, Tegaea had always been in control, confident. Immediately Siobhan walked towards her, examinig Tegs for any injuries, but she could see nothing of the sort, instead she beheld the tears that had accumulated on her cheeks.

Whoever had hurt her like this deserved to be in pain. Lots and lots of it. Her mind was already forming scenarios, but Tegs needed her now.

"What's wrong?" she asked softly, concern evident. "What happened to you? Tell me please." She sat down next to Tegaea, putting her flesh hand on her shoulder.

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

Tegaea was a staightforward sort, and she liked to answer things head on. But seeing Siobhan here she felt ashamed of her weakness, and reluctant to draw Siobhan into her misery. She liked to think she was not a wet hen, after all! But...she knew Siobhan was genuinely concerned, and also the sort who would keep pushing no matter what.
"I...received some bad news today, Kerri. I met my uncle. He told me...he told me how my father died. He said that he had done it to save me from the Hutts. My uncle killed my father!" she said angrily, a few more tears spilling.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

An expression of anger and confusion crossed Siobhan's features when she heard the news. For a moment she did not know what to say, at a loss of how to respond, but gave Tegaea a loose hug, then reached out to wipe some of the tears away. "That...bastard," she exclaimed, not immediately processing the part about how it had been done to save Tegs. She took a breath, trying to control herself. Siobhan was many things, among them short-tempered, undiplomatic and a nympho. But she cared for Tegaea and thus would keep pushing. Moreover, Tegaea was the last person Siobhan would ever think of as being a wet hen.

"Save you from the Hutts...what do you mean?" She soothingly rubbed across Tegaea's back. "I want to help. Tell me the full story please. What did he tell you?"

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

"My family came from a bad part of Coruscant, back before the Galactic Republic..." she began, then proceeded to tel the story. This writer sees no need to repeat what has already been written, pleading business over laziness!

"...So when he told me that he'd killed him I hit him. I felt so angry like I wanted to just shoot him then and there. But...he is family. I told him I never wanted to see him again, and I left."

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

Siobhan listened to the story, clamping down on her anger to give it her full attention, though with every line the bile in her seemed to rise to new heights. Her droid hand clenched into her fist. When Tegaea was done she sighed and hugged her. A tear formed in the corner of her flesh eye as well.

"Tegs...I'm sorry, so sorry for what you went through, what you heard today," she started, pulling her closer. "I don't believe him. That uncle of yours, his story about 'saving' you. Why would your father call the SWAT team and risk you, your mother just because of some principle?"
She tried to keep her anger down, which all too easily threatened to become overpowering and turn her to thoughts of violence. "It makes no sense. And then your uncle killed him and didn't show any remorse for it and gained from it. He's blood, he's your uncle, I know, but real family doesn't do that. And real family doesn't just suddenly just show up when you finally made it and try to draw into a life of leeches. A life just like that of the bloody Hutts he claims he wanted to save you from."

Siobhan had a very suspicious mind, but it seemed all too convenient that Zev would contact Tegaea so shortly after she'd achieved such success, at least to her. But then, that might be just Siobhan. "I'm sorry, but you did the right thing. You're better than him. You're a great woman, Tegs. You fought your way out of the slums to rise to the top, you helped make Omega what it is. That's more than anything he could ever do. If drawing you into his enterprise is his idea of love, then it ain't worth it. And...I'm here for you."

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

Tegaea hugged her tightly. "Thank you, Siobhan. I'm glad I have you to be here. I'm here for you as well." She laid back, closed her eyes for a moment. "I'll be alright...really. Thank you...with you, me, Cira, we'll make Omega Pyre a force to be reckoned with. And damn him if he ever tries to interfere I'll shoot him...I swear it."

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

"I'm glad to be here as well. You're a great woman, one of the bravest I know," Siobhan responded sincerely, giving Tegaea a quick kiss. "Both of us we had to fight our way to the top, got nothing handed to us...and no one's taking away what we achieved from us. I'm with you the whole road. No matter who or what we face."