Private Charade

[Inanna Harth]

As luck would have it, Serena decided to debut her first laugh on the day they reached Bonadan. Inanna considered it a good omen.

By the time they reached the Harths’ front door, however, she felt her confidence beginning to fray. While Inanna had the least at stake here, she still felt terribly nervous about meeting Cato’s parents. Much of it was secondhand anxiety, she suspected. She wanted things to go right.

“One last time,” she began, looking at Cato. “Are you sure you don’t want me to pretend I’m her real mother?”

She had suggested it earlier almost as a joke, but now her tone was quite serious. It would be a simple alteration, taking only a moment to change her skin tone to pink. It wasn’t like she had any particular attachment to her current complexion—she had tried just about every other color under a million suns, including several shades of pink. But unlike in the past, when she had changed her color for fun, this time it would serve a purpose. Going pink would create an illusion of stable origins, hide Cato’s irresponsibility, and probably make this whole situation easier for his family to accept.

At the end of the day, she just wanted them to be accepted.

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

The events of today had played out in Cato's head a million times over. Exploring each possible way things could go right or wrong, each possible introduction, explanation, and interaction. Most of them skewed negative, but upon hearing Serena's first laugh, he accepted that much of it was his own paranoia. The Harths were good folk. He was hopeful that they would see things in a positive light. "…No. Just, stay as you are. It might make things easier now, but in the long run, lying to them is only going to make things worse." It seemed like one of those things they would find out inevitably. Best to just be straightforward and hope for the best. Tricking them now would only undermine things further. Cato couldn't just run from his missteps forever.

Despite that optimism, he couldn't shake all his nerves. It had still been a long time since he had seen his parents. And even if things worked out in the end, today was still going to require a lot of explanation. And by extension, probably a bit of embarrassment on his part. Serena had quickly become his (exhausting) pride and joy, but the circumstances of her birth were still less than flattering for either party. With a sigh, Cato steeled himself and knocked on the door.

As soon as it opened, he forgot each and every word he had rehearsed.

Behind it was a short, frail woman. Older, naturally, though not geriatric; Likely in her early to mid fifties. She was pale, but her features were warm, if weathered. Her hair was shoulder-length, graying-black, and a bit messied from having been tied back for most of the day. Some of Cato echoed through in her face, most blatantly, in those same tawny eyes. "…Hello?" The woman looked up confusedly, "Can I help you?" The last time her son was here, he was no more than a young boy. She didn't recognize him now. Though there was a frustrated sense of familiarity in her expression. Some tic in her mind that was screaming at her to recognize what was so familiar about the man at her door.

Cato opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out. There was an awkward silence, and right as she seemed on the verge of piecing things together, he answered, "…H-hi. Mom." There was a great build up of emotion in his voice. Having been away for so long, he hardly realized how much he'd missed having her around, "Sorry this out of nowhere, but-" The woman gasped, and pulled him into a hug. Cato froze, then reciprocated, overcome by a flood of wistfulness.

"Cato- My boy! My baby boy! After all these years?!" She was quick to tears, joyfully accepting the return of her son, just glad to have him back, "And… and who are these two…?" She asked, finally daring a look at the unfamiliar faces he had brought along. There was an inkling of suspicion, no doubt, but she dared not get ahead of herself without hearing it aloud.

"Okay- Well… This is Inanna," He pulled the Shi'ido close beside him, "We're… engaged," His mother gasped again, and silently looked to the little girl, "And this… Is Serena. She's your granddaughter," And another gasp, and the woman seemed on the verge of fainting. "L-let's talk inside, huh?" Cato said, reaching out to take his mom's shoulder and help guide her back inside. She went along, too surprised by all the revelations to do anything else if she wanted. It was a lot to drop on her all at once, but what was he supposed to do? Just let him, some lady, and a baby inside while he withheld the details, leaving her wondering? Cato didn't have the willpower to wait anyway. Once they embraced, the rest all came pouring out.

The inside of the Harth apartment was quaint and modest. The accommodations were bare minimum, and the furnishings were worn hand-me-downs. It had character, if nothing else. "S-stay right here. I'll go make some tea," The woman finally recomposed, wandering into the kitchen as an excuse to process everything on her own. Before Cato could even insist she not, the elder Serena snapped her fingers to silence him.

The three of them were left in a small living room, with two half circle couches in the middle, and a coffee table between them. Cato just chuckled, and sat down, offering Inanna to do the same. "Well… that could've gone way worse, right?" There would no doubt be questions to come. But at least in this moment, they could just wallow in the reunion.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

“Fair point.”

The woman who answered the door bore a striking resemblance to Cato, visible even through the aged lines of her face. Inanna stayed quiet, allowing Cato to reconnect with his mother in peace.

He hadn’t announced his visit beforehand, finding it too difficult to contact his parents first. Mrs. Harth was thus utterly blindsided by his arrival on her doorstep. Eventually, Cato had to introduce his two companions. Inanna allowed him to pull her close, taking his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.

“Hello,” she said. “Pleased to meet you.” She felt a little shy under Mrs. Harth’s gaze.

The happy reunion swiftly grew complicated. While Cato ushered his mother inside, Inanna was left to push the baby in her stroller through the door and into the living room.

Mrs. Harth went into the kitchen, insisting that she was going to make them tea. The finger snap to Cato earned a raised eyebrow from Inanna.

"Well… that could've gone way worse, right?"

Little Serena had silently observed the proceedings with wandering, curious eyes, but once she heard her father’s voice, the upward lilt denoting a question, she babbled out an answer. Cato had, whether intentionally or not, taught her to respond to all his inquiries with excited baby talk.

“What she said,” Inanna agreed. Pushing the canopy on the stroller back and unbuckling the straps, she lifted Serena into her arms. “It might still be too early to tell.”

I wonder where Mr. Harth is?

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

Cato raised an amused brow at his daughter, finding some solace in her presence. Despite what he said, he was still feeling nervous about everything to come. His mother might be making them tea, but she was also no doubt using the time to process the absolute rollercoaster of events that had just been laid out before her. Perhaps he should just count himself lucky that she didn't have a heart attack or something. All the same, Cato put on a brave face, "That's not what she said," he smirked, "She said everything's going great," That said, Inanna of all people would know that Cato's incessant equipage was as much stress management as it was entertainment.

The elder Serena returned not long after with tea in hand, setting them all down on the coffee table, and resting on the couch opposite Cato. She took a deep breath, and smiled, "I still can't believe it's you. After all these years. I didn't think…" She cut herself off with a shake of her head, "Well I didn't think I'd ever get to see your face again. Those Jedi aren't much ones for visitation, hm?"

"No, no I guess not," Cato chuckled. He couldn't help but wonder what opportunities they might have had to reconnect in the past. Jedi life was a busy one, but surely there had to have been something. Then he relented, shaking his head. It wasn't something that could be changed now. Best to just accept that they were getting the opportunity now. "There's… a lot, to catch up on. So, if you've got the time…"

"You're joking, Cato. Of course I have time for my son," The thought of anything being more important than this reunion made Mrs. Harth snicker.

"Cool. Cool. So uh, where's dad?" He asked, curiosity finally getting the better of him.

Mrs. Harth frowned, "He's… busy. You know how life is on Bonadan." There was an indiscernible tiredness to her voice that made Cato pause.

"Yeah. I guess I do," Work was life on Bonadan. If you weren't at the top, you were a wage slave, working long hours to the bone. It depressingly made sense that he might be preoccupied. "Okay. Hopefully he gets here soon, then," He could always share twice. As if sharing everything once wasn't already stressful enough.

"So- Inanna, was it?" Mrs. Harth said, taking the reins of the conversation, turning to face her, "What is it that you do? How did you meet my son?"

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

"That's not what she said. She said everything's going great.”

“She’s also trying to eat her own foot.” Once unbuckled from the stroller, Serena the Younger had bent her flexible body in order to stick her toes into her mouth, using Inanna’s lap for back support. It was adorable.

While Serena could win any heart with her antics, Inanna would be a tougher sell. Or so she thought. Staring at the tea Mrs. Harth had laid on the table, the Shi’ido gingerly reached out to take a cup, her focus split between it, the baby, and the conversation.

Mr. Harth was at work, which meant they would have to explain everything to him again when he got home. Then Mrs. Harth turned her attention to Inanna, who froze up, momentarily at a loss for words.

“I—yes, I uh… I’m involved in refugee relief,” she replied, deliberately not mentioning her species. “Cato and I met while he was helping me with that.”

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

Cato shrugged, and grinned at Serena's display, "Geniuses are often eccentric."

Right away Mrs. Harth set sights on the woman that evidently won her son's heart. Her expression was difficult to make out; Deceptively tranquil, but beneath her eyes was a pensive study of Inanna and her responses. No matter how long it had been, she was right back to being a mom, making sure that this woman was right for Cato. For his part, the young man raised a cup of tea to his lips as an excuse to avoid chiming in, and accidentally burning his tongue in the process. "Refugee relief, hm? That's noble work. Somewhere in particular?" Mrs. Harth raised her cup, cooling the tea before she took a ship herself, "I wasn't aware Jedi involved themselves with that sort of thing."

Now it was Cato's turn. He quickly swallowed his latest sip, and leaned froward, "Sometimes they do, yeah. Although, I uh- Actually wasn't a Jedi, at that point."

Mrs. Harth blinked confusedly, "…What?"

"I uh, left the Order a few years back." He smiled sheepishly, quickly clarifying his reasons, "It all got too… bloated. Nothing was getting done, so I cut ties to make a difference on my own."

"I see… After all that time you just left? I... suppose that's as good a reason as any... And that's how you got involved with Inanna here?"

"…Yeah. I mean, long story short, but yeah. My reason for being there was more of a security issue than a relief issue. But I guess they sorta go hand in hand."

"Really? Was there something wrong?"

A pause, "Kinda. Just some uh… light terrorism…" He trailed off, taking another sip of his tea. Mrs. Harth looked shocked, and turned to Inanna for details.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

"Refugee relief, hm? That's noble work. Somewhere in particular?"

“Erakhis and Alderaan,” Inanna answered with a nod of her head. She could feel the woman’s scrutiny, and with it an unpleasant sense of exposure and vulnerability. “I helped to resettle refugees from the Unknown Regions on those two planets.”

Luckily Cato swooped in, taking over the conversation and allowing Inanna a few moments of reprieve. Her nerves were so bad, she was beginning to feel slightly nauseous. But then he just had to mention the light terrorism.

“Uh, heh.” Inanna chuckled nervously, adjusting Serena’s position on her knee. “We were dealing with a terrorist group recruiting from among desperate refugees. Cato was… available, and we took care of business.” Again, she kept it vague, making no mention of the name of the terrorist group (and certainly nothing about their involvement in the recent assassination attempt on Senator Alicio Organa …).

Cato Harth

 

[Cato Harth]

“Erakhis and Alderaan,” Inanna answered with a nod of her head. She could feel the woman’s scrutiny, and with it an unpleasant sense of exposure and vulnerability. “I helped to resettle refugees from the Unknown Regions on those two planets.”

Mrs. Harth offered a conversational hum and nod, Alderaan in particular registering with her, though only because of the two, it was the only one she had heard much about. As things continued, her curiosity bordered on worry. Cato felt a bit bad, but he would've felt bad about lying over everything, too. His mom deserved some truth, even if it wasn't always the entire truth.

"Real scummy stuff. Preying on people in that situation. But nothing we couldn't handle," He smiled and nodded between the two women, "My time as a Jedi gave me some experience with… law enforcement. Basically," As broadly as he could put it, anyway, "So I've used that to help out where I can. I've spent a lot of my time on Nar Shaddaa-"

"Nar Shadda?" Mrs. Harth cut him off, "Off all the places? That moon is dangerous, Cato!"

He chuckled awkwardly, "I-I know. But I'm a Jedi, mom. I can take care of myself," He used the Force to float his tea back to the table as a gesture. His mother seemed mildly impressed, but also didn't really consider it a point in favor of his argument.

"By moving tea around with your mind?"

"Noooo," Cato just shook his head, "I can do a lot more than that. But most of it would just make a mess of your home." His home, once. That thought suddenly plunged into his mind, remembering all the familiar details. A few things had moved around or been replaced, but by and large it was awfully familiar. "A-anyway. We ended up working together a bit more and… got close."

Mrs. Harth looked between the two of them, analyzing their story, before she sighed, "Well, you seem like a lovely woman, Inanna. That relief work must mean a lot to a lot of people. And Cato, my boy, you seem as reckless as ever," She chuckled, then grew a touch more sentimental, "But I'm glad to know you're still as dedicated as ever. The Jedi raised a fine young man," A sad smile, which Cato quickly picked up on.

"So did you, mom," He smiled back, before continuing, "All that said. We are planning on getting out or Narsh soon. It's not really a place to raise a kid."

"Certainly not. Then again, neither is Bonadan," Mrs. Harth seemed to take self-deprecation in stride, when it was earned.

"Hey, I turned out fine."

"That you did," She smiled again, then turned back to Inanna, or more importantly, "I guess it's time to talk about the bantha in the room… Serena, eh?" Mrs. Harth leaned forward a bit to get a closer look, obviously eager to reach this part of the conversation. There was so much to get through, but this was already a long enough time pretending that her brand new grandaughter wasn't sitting in the room with them.

"Yeah," Cato rubbed the back of his neck, "Neither of us were real original with names. But, it seemed plenty fitting, to me. Inanna brought up the idea."

"Did she now?" The Elder Serena looked at Inanna with a smirk, then shifted her curiosity back to the baby, "She's adorable. And… awfully pink.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

Listening to the back and forth between Cato and his mother started to soften the tension in Inanna. No matter how many years had passed, she had not stopped being his mother, nor he her son.

“Thank you,” Inanna said with a smile. It had been a while since she’d been called a “lovely woman” for her actions rather than… other reasons.

Serena shrieked happily at the sound of her name, sparking a laugh from Inanna. “Yup, that’s you.” Looking up at Mrs. Harth, she added, “She’s very precocious for a four month old.” At least, that was her estimated age.

And then Mrs. Harth mentioned the pink. Inanna hesitated, unable to find the right words to explain it, and not even sure if it was her place to try. She glanced briefly at Cato, then deftly sidestepped the subject. “Would you like to hold her?” she asked.

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

Serena's sudden shriek earned a round of chuckles from everyone in attendance. She knew how to win an audience, that much was certain. Cato watched with a sense of pride, which was quickly deflated as soon as his mother took note of the little girl's pinkish skin. It wasn't as blatantly vibrant as say, a full-blooded Zeltron, but the hue was still enough to be noticeable.

He picked up on Inanna's discomfort, but thankfully Mrs. Harth was too enraptured by her granddaughter to think much of the reaction at first, "I was hoping you'd ask," She chuckled again, a bit sheepishly. Cato took Serena and handed her over, relishing in the sight of his mother and daughter together for a few moments, "Hello~" She cooed, cradling the baby with the deftness of a veteran mother, "Ohh! She has those eyes! Goodness, look at that."

Cato laughed awkwardly, "She does, yeah." It was a sight to see them together, slightly offset by knowing what came next, "So, mom-" She looked up at him curiously, which made it even harder to answer.

"All that pink? It's not just a nasty sunburn, or whatever" Another awkward laugh, followed by a pause "She's uh… She's half-zeltron. On her mom's side," Mrs. Harth looked confusedly at Inanna, then back to Cato, "We… don't know who her mom is. I'm her dad but, her mom is someone I met and never uh… reconnected with. She dropped Serena off one day, sometime after she was born. T-this was before I met Inanna," He quickly added to at least save himself some of the rising shock that was building in his mother's face.

"Cato!" She said in surprise and disappointment, "Of all the things! Did the Jedi teach you that, too?"

"N-no!, I just-"

"You should know better than that! So irresponsible!"

"I know, I know," He just sighed and looked down, resigning himself to Mrs. Harth's judgement. There was pause, where she seemed to put more things together.

"B-before you met Inanna? Serena's only a few months old. And you two are engaged?"

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

Despite Inanna’s efforts, the subject of Serena’s parentage couldn’t be avoided. Inanna wondered if she should have swallowed her pride and said something up front. She considered this Cato’s indiscretion, and it was his choice to reveal or hide it from his mother. It wasn’t Inanna’s place to meddle in the affairs of another person’s family.

But you’re forgetting something, she thought to herself, feeling foolish. This will be your family very soon. His mother will be your mother, his father your father. Their son, your husband; their granddaughter, your daughter. This is your business.

Closing her eyes as if to shut it all out, Inanna’s concentration was disrupted by Mrs. Harth’s questions. Her eyes opened, and she blurted out the first thing that came to mind, for good or ill.

“I’m surprised you didn’t get more upset the moment you heard we already had a baby, despite being only engaged.”

Regardless of the reactions or responses that might’ve engendered, she continued, “We believe, based on the timeline, that Serena was conceived shortly before Cato and I met. He didn’t know she existed until she was left on our doorstep more than nine months later. Her mother never came forward to ask for help or attempt to reconnect with Cato, despite evidently knowing where he lived the whole time. I don’t know what her reasons were, but at this point I don’t think it matters. She’s ours now.

“As for the quickness of our engagement…” She took a deep breath, then exhaled in a sigh. “In my culture, it is considered childish to carry on a romantic relationship for longer than a year and remain unmarried. But I’ve never been one for tradition, and I don’t expect a human to follow them. I saw that Cato and Serena needed me, so I chose to be what they needed.”

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

Cato's jaw hung loosely as Inanna spoke up, shocked that she stepped in right during the middle of his mom's lecture. Mrs. Harth froze and listened with similar surprise, but said nothing else while the Shi'ido continued. Slowly, she shut her mouth, and when Inanna finished, there was an awkward silence.

Mrs. Harth looked down at her tea, idly swirling it around with a spoon, "...You know your father and I weren't married when I became pregnant with your sister. Spent a long time debating if and when we should tie the knot, how expensive it might be, if it even mattered," She shrugged, "We eventually did. I insisted we do it sooner rather than later, so I didn't have to look back on my wedding photos and see a big belly in each of them," Mrs. Harth chuckled, and fell silent for another long moment.

She then looked up at them both more resolutely, "We all make mistakes. I'm proud of you for owning up to it and taking on the responsibility. It's not an easy thing to admit to, but one of my favorite things about you, Cato, is that you always kept going, no matter how many times you stumbled. No matter how rough things got," She smiled, "I'm glad to see that's still the case."

"And you-" Mrs. Harth focused on Inanna, "Well. Thank you for being there for my son. And… thank you for stepping in," She seemed to respect Inanna's callout, and that she set the record straight, "I won't speak for your culture or the circumstances that brought you all to where you are now. But I think you have handled it all as best as you could."

"What exactly is your culture, Inanna?"

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

“Wow. I guess that makes me the most responsible person in the room for once,” Inanna teased after Mrs. Harth had shared her story. She caught Cato’s eye and winked at him.

Mrs. Harth must not have been used to hearing much more than lousy excuses from people for their actions. She had been quick to assume the worst. Perhaps that wasn’t unwarranted. People tended to be chitty, Inanna knew that from experience. Luckily she wasn’t so far gone as to ignore the exceptions.

"What exactly is your culture, Inanna?"

“I’m a Shi’ido,” Inanna replied, finally letting the wall come down. “From the Hoole clan branch in Goshen, the capitol of Lao-mon. We also value family very highly. That includes treating distant relatives connected only by marriage the same as we would members of our immediate family.”

Cato Harth

 

[Cato Harth]

"Careful, you," Mrs. Harth teased, chuckling. Cato, though still taken aback by how things turned out, was noticeably more relaxed now with his mother's approval. He caught Inanna's wink, and just shook his head, grinning like a teenager with a crush.

Of course, as soon as the question of Inanna's background came up, he couldn't help but return to that sense of cautious curiosity. Mrs. Harth blinked, and took a moment to process what she had said, "Shi'ido… So you're…?" At this point, all she could do was chuckle again, "It really is just one surprise after another with you two."

Far from what she was expecting, but the Harth's were never particularly concerned about the matter of species, considering they were something of a one-family melting pot themselves. Any skepticisms were more or less squashed by Inanna's moxie, which had won her the Harth matriarch's approval, "If you two are happy, then I couldn't be happier. Serena is in good hands," She looked down at the baby amusedly, the fact that Serena was more literally in her hands right now was not lost on her. But it worked both ways. And with so many revelations now out of the way, she could just enjoy the presence of her new granddaughter.

"Thanks, mom," Cato said, looking at the two of them proudly.

"Thank you," she replied, "For coming back to me," It was still difficult to believe that she was actually seeing him again. Mrs. Harth had long made peace with the possibility that her children were gone for good, "H-how is Naria? Goodness I've been so caught up with everything else I couldn't even think to ask. Is she well?"

Cato chuckled, "She's doing fine, mom. Still Jedi-ing away with the Concord."

"I'm not surprised. She was always a committed one," Mrs. Harth turned to her soon-to-be daughter-in-law, "What's your family like, Inanna? If you couldn't tell we've always been a bit dysfunctional," Another chuckle. Cato looked to Inanna with furrowed brows.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

“A changeling. I’m a bit surprised you’ve heard of us,” Inanna said. In a galaxy with millions of species, one from the Unknown Regions didn’t seem that significant. Then again, few aliens fit the category of changeling in such a unique way.

“We’ll have to take Serena to meet her aunt Naria too,” she remarked.

Inanna’s smile faltered as Mrs. Harth asked about her family. “I come from a large family,” she answered after a few moments’ hesitation. “Six older brothers, one younger. I was the only girl, and a bit of a black sheep, I suppose…”

Most of her family was dead now, but this didn’t seem like the right occasion to discuss genocide. Realizing that she was twisting her hands in her lap, she stopped—and instead reached over and grabbed Cato’s hand. “It’s all right, though. I’ve made my own family. Or rather, I’ll be joining yours.”

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

Mrs. Harth shrugged, "Not many species are quite so… er, distinct. For lack of a better term," Her tone was well-meaning, obviously straining to keep her words from sounding tokenizing, "Does Naria know she's an aunt, now?" Cato chuckled awkwardly, effectively answering the question. Mrs. Harth chuckled in response.

The shift in focus to Inanna's family was met with a pause, and Mrs. Harth's eagerness flattened following the woman's initial reaction. She wasn't quite sure how to interpret it, but she decided best to not pry too harshly all the same. "I'd be quite happy to have you, Inanna," Cato took hold of his fiancée's hand, prompting another smile from his mother.

There was another pause as they just sat in the moment, while previous topics had refocused Cato's attention. Little details that caught his attention, piling up. He looked back around to the door expectantly, then to his mother's hand, "...Mom?" She turned back to him, "...Where's your ring?"

Somehow the room became even quieter. Mrs. Harth just stared at him, then finally frowned, "I… I suppose it's time I admit some things of my own," She shifted Serena around, and reached out to take Cato's free hand. He was already tense, and his hand hung loosely in hers, "...Your father… He… he died. Four years ago."

"It was a work incident. They were hoisting a piece of machinery when one of the fastenings broke. It… it crushed his lower back-" She choked up, recounting the random tragedy for the first time in a long time, "By the time they got it off him, and to the hospital, it was too late. He passed a few hours later," A few tears streamed down her cheeks, and she inhaled with a shudder, "I couldn't bear to look at the ring. It was just too much. I- I'm so sorry, Cato. You just got back and, I didn't want to start with that, and…" Mrs. Harth trailed off, shaking her head.

Cato's head nodded rhythmically while he processed the information, his face indiscernible, but grave. Then, he stood up, and silently walked across the room, through the kitchen, and off to the fire escape for some air. Little Serena started to cry.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

Inanna hadn’t even thought to look for a ring, and she didn’t realize the significance of Mrs. Harth not wearing hers until the woman admitted the truth. Cato’s father wasn’t at work. He was dead, had been for four years.

A horrible silence followed. Cato got up and walked out, while Serena began to wail. Inanna hesitated for a few moments, torn between tending to the child or to Cato, who might not want her company anyway.

“You’ve got her, right?” she asked Mrs. Harth, gesturing to the crying Serena. She’d raised two babies of her own, surely she would know how to handle her grandchild. “I’m going out.”

And with that Inanna left the apartment, following Cato onto the fire escape. She was quiet at first, standing behind him in the narrow space. A cold breeze ran over her skin, ruffling her white hair and making her shiver. The air of Bonadan had a faint odor of industrial pollution, no matter where you went.

“Do you want to be alone?” she finally asked. “Or should I stay here with you?”

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

Mrs. Harth nodded solemnly, already tending to her granddaughter while Inanna stepped away to find Cato. He was out, leaning against the railing and overlooking the industrial complex off in the distance. Where nearly everyone in the sector works, where his father worked. He stared at it with contained malice underneath his pensive expression.

“Do you want to be alone out here?”

Cato's gaze dipped slightly, but he never quite turned around to look at her. He just shrugged, not outright denying her company, because in truth he wanted it. But in his current state, words were difficult to come by. Cato remained silent for a while longer, until finally, he chuckled. Not a joyful chuckle. A world-weary, sardonic chuckle. The kind that came from someone who was beaten down, struggling to hang on to rationality, "Y'know, it's always right when it seems like things are going good…" He shook his head, his grip tightening on the railing until his knuckles whitened, "Something new goes to shit. Feels like a damn joke sometimes."

Hopefully the Force, or the gods, or whatever otherworldly divine presence was out there enjoyed it. Cause right now, Cato very much was not. Loss after loss. Mistake after mistake. There was never enough he could do to make up for it, it seemed.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

Inanna had lost her father too. She knew there was nothing that could soothe that grief. Nothing to be said, nothing to be done.

All she could do was stand there with him while it beat against him. She moved to his side, looking out at the city to see what he saw. Corporate buildings looming in the distance over industrial canyons, cutting deep into the surface of the planet.

"I'm sorry," she said, laying a hand on Cato's shoulder. That hand traveled slowly across his back, her arm curling around to embrace him as she laid her head against his shoulder.

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

"It's so stupid. A stupid accident. Of all the ways to go out. Shitty… mismanagement," Cato's eye twitched just looking out at the industrial hell ahead, "I wish I could just tear it all down. I wish…" He trailed off, silenced by the weight of Inanna's hand on his shoulder. Soothed as she laid her head against him, "...Thank you."

For all of the turbulence in his life, Inanna had remained the constant. Even when they were apart, she helped ground him. Cato was reminded of how lucky he was to have her. The silence held for a while longer, while he recalled the youth he had spent here. There was good there, like the time he spent with his sister or his parents.

But there was a struggle that weighed it all down. Living paycheck to paycheck, moving from a small home, to a small apartment, to an even smaller apartment. Long hours of work that left Cato and Naria babysitting themselves. Sometimes, even a few shifts for them, too; Bonadan wasn't above finding ways to exploit child labor. Or if it wasn't that, it was the street gang Cato had gotten himself involved with for a bit of extra money. All in the name of survival.

"...She can't keep living here," Cato suddenly said, "We have to get my mom out of here. Before she works herself into the same damn grave as my dad." He looked at Inanna with pleading eyes.

Inanna Harth​