Dream a little Dream of me

[Faith Organa]

[SIZE=12pt]Yes they were closer, much closer.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Faith followed along after the group her thoughts were back to the day on the Wheel, she had spoken the words that mandalorians speak over their dead. She had given up at that point, but now here she was again chasing D.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]She couldn’t help but smile was she not the pursuer that day too in Tia Rekha’s bar. It seemed a lifetime ago that they shared a beer, and joked about naming their children after his favorite ales, Bud, Corona, Miller, they laughed a lot. They loved a lot.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]If he lived, she was going to punch him.[/SIZE]

[member="Aleister Grey"]

 

[Aleister Grey]

[member="Melanctha Dallamoor"] [member="Faith Balor-Organa"]

It was settled, they were on their way. Walking through the halls to catch a transport to the starport. Yes they were, with leftovers? It was a little too quiet as they walked. “Princess Organa”, her name spoken as if a question were to come, “Have you ever been to Hapes Prime?”

As Aleister was asking the question they had come to another door way. A male servant wearing a typical suit of what butler would wear open. Alister had stepped to the side, hand outstretched. It was a eloquent, polite way to say ladies first.

 

[Faith Organa]

[member="Aleister Grey"]

"I have never been to Hapes Prime before, though the trip in was quite the adventure. Have you ever been to the Core Worlds or Alderaan Duch'x Grey?" she smiled as she slowly fell into step beside him.

Wouldn't [member="Mantic Dorn"] just be having a fit right about now if he knew that she was jousting about putting herself into harms way every so often, and going about as she was. Faith had learned the art of small talk.

 

[Aleister Grey]

[member="Faith Balor-Organa"]

“Yes I have been too much of the core worlds”, he had exited through the door with the group. “Even to Alderaan a few times.” Now they were through the door, they casually walked down the great steps of the front porch. At the end of the steps waited a speeder to take them to the starport. Though getting into his whole life history was not something he had hoped to talk about. "well there is the speeder. We're half way there now."

 

[Faith Organa]

[member="Aleister Grey"]

"You probably would not recognize Alderaan now" Her voice was soft as she spoke thinking of her home. "Perhaps in time you will come and visit again" She didn't know if anyone would ever want to visit there, but she would always offer.

"I thank you for doing this, whatever reasons you have come up with to justify it I appreciate." Even if she did have to do a favor it was something she would do no matter what. The small party entered the speeder, as provisions were placed behind them.

Something did smell good.

 

[Aleister Grey]

[member="Faith Balor-Organa"]

He listened. He maintained an exterior expression of interest to what the princess had to say. Silently his emotions were churning. It was very difficult at times for Aleister. Duty was very paramount for the man. His loyalty to Queen and country was unquestioned. He was not without emotion or sympathy. It was hard to have power. The military might of an Empire at his fingertips. Yet he is paralyzed by politics. Unable to risk his life and limb to protect those who can’t protect themselves.

“Perhaps I could come to Alderaan once again”, torn by emotions he barely noticed the food. “You’re most welcome for the help”, justify he thought? It was just a word but a word that held so much meaning. “It is not always often your duties and what you believe is the right thing to do coincides together. Today I’m happy it is such a day.”

 

[Faith Organa]

[member="Aleister Grey"]

"I too am pleased they coincide today" She smiled, even though she knew he would not smile back. The ride was filled with small talk, "Duch'x are Hapan Prisons very harsh?" She had not asked Melanctha this, and The Captain had made it seem very dire.

But Aleister she expected would tell her truthfully and bluntly exactly what was to be expected.

 

[Aleister Grey]

[member="Faith Balor-Organa"]

Were they harsh? “It would depended on what prison”, it was a truthful answer. Indeed he did not smile. It was not typical for Hapen Nobility to show emotion in public. What happened earlier was a rare situation. “You will not find any pirates in a Consortium prison. Piracy is a death sentence. We do have some harsh prisons though. It all depends on what crime a person comments.”

 

[Faith Organa]

[member="Aleister Grey"]

Faith nodded, "If my riduur is in one of the prisons, do you believe he could survive there?" Faith believed D was invincible larger than life and honorable to a fault. But the harshness of prison could that have worn him down, could that have taken from him the things she loved about him.

If he had been injured would he have received proper care? Questions, upon questions she had.

Where was her son? Her heart ached for her son. Love of a child was so different than love of a husband. She fretted in the back of her mind over and over about Bud.

 

[Aleister Grey]

[member="Faith Balor-Organa"]

Aleister was unsure how to answer this. He did not wish to worry her. Some prisons could be quite dangerous no matter what system you were in. He did not wish to be untruthful to her either. “I will not wish to give false hope or to dash any hopes away. True is your husband is a very capable man. Prison is a dangerous place even for capable men. It is hard to speculate how this could affect him. Have faith though and trust that whatever happens is the will of the Force.” It seeming like this trip was going to be a long one until the princess finds out if her husband was indeed alive and fine.

 

[Faith Organa]

[member="Aleister Grey"]

Will of the force, she had heard that phrase once too often growing up. Will of the force be damned she thought. "Thank you" she continued to think about D and just how capable he was, a war machine.

A stunning figure of a man that most feared but somehow she never did, she just knew he was the one. My husband is a fighter she thought, "I do not know how to react right now" She said out loud, "he's been dead in my mind for so long, and now to have heard his voice, to have a glimmer of hope. I can come through anything, but this" She sighed heavily, "no one should go through this kind of torture more than once in a lifetime"

With that she grew quiet. She just did not know what else to say.

 

[Aleister Grey]

Aleister was no therapist. He was a noble and a warrior. He had no training in counseling a grieving wife or mother. There was aspects of this story he had yet to understand. The only way to was to ask questions. “May I ask”, he began to ask a question as delicately as possible, “Why did you think he was dead all of this time? Was there some sort of evidence? My apologies if these questions offend. I’m merely trying to understand to see if there is some way to help.”

[member="Faith Balor-Organa"]

 

[Faith Organa]

[member="Aleister Grey"]

Faith nodded, "No it is ok. You have to understand the relationship I have with husband. He always told me everything, he was open with me and I with him. He has always come home from whatever war took him away, whatever mission he went on, he never did not come home." Faith frowned slightly, "And so I waited for him to come home, but 8 years is a long time to hold onto hope. I started running out of tears Duch'x Grey, and my hope was slipping away. Without my husband, without my son I" Faith paused. She just looked at the floor, "If he had not come home in 8 years, if he had not sent word in 8 years, the assumption was he was not able to, and since Bud did not come home either in 8 years. It just became that they were dead."

She half smiled, "He always came home, no matter what" their family was so important to them both. if he could have, he would have come home.

"Do you understand?"

 

[Aleister Grey]

“Do I fully understand”, he tried to, “No I do not. Though be honest I’ve never been in your situation. I could guess or just use logic. But I could never fully understand what you went through. Not at least going through a similar situation. So I’m just left with logic without the hindrance of emotions. I do know this. The loss of hope is a powerful emotion. One that could lead us to a path to dark places within our very soul. It is not a place to leave your heart lingering.”

[member="Faith Balor-Organa"]

 

[Faith Organa]

Her heart could not take it any longer perhaps that was what was not put across. To have your other half lost, gone from you, it takes everything from you inside. If he had never experienced that kind of love he would not ever understand.

"I hope that you never have to face what I've faced. I hope that your wife lives a long life at your side, and that your children grow to give you grandchildren." She didn't know if he had a wife she was making an assumption.

"Try to imagine that which is most precious to you, the one person who makes getting up each day worth it just because they are there. Then imagine the tiniest of faces looking up at you full of wonder and trusting who loves you just because, and you love him just because. Then go 8 years without them, thats 2920 days alone, or 70,080 hours without them and not knowing." She stopped. He might not ever understand.

"I've lost hope, this message today, a fluke perhaps. Does it give me hope yes, but it is a painful hope. I feel like I'm setting myself up for a large let down"

[member="Aleister Grey"]

 

[Aleister Grey]

He thought so, he could see it now. He had seen this before. Emotions could be a powerful thing. It drove the heart to incredible feet’s. Yet it could be crippling taking down the most resilient. If someone was missing and you believe they would never leave you? Was it the only option they’re dead? Was there other sensible option of what may have happened to them? Maybe, maybe not. Not every abduction has a ransom note. What if he had an accident and was in a comma somewhere?

He could not judge the princess though. Aleister was trained to disconnect his feelings. It was a necessary skill to his duty to the Consortium. It made him a very effective Admiral. “Logically speaking I do not think this message was a fluke. Your husband is a very astute tactician. This next part of what he had to say. He imagined the princess what not going to be happy about it. It was the truth though. “Not saying he was going was wise. In these brief moments with you. I very well could see would run after him. The worry of having someone you love with you in that situation would have gotten you both killed. It is a very selfless thing risk your life for the betterment of others. It is just as selfless to let someone go you love. To let them go to live and find enjoyment in life without them”, maybe he should have not been this honest for political reasons. Though this was a honest conversation, one that he did not begin.

[member="Faith Balor-Organa"]

 

[Faith Organa]

Faith laughed she couldn't help it she came halfway across the galaxy to find a man who repeated what her mother had said, "Going on with my life. Strange how everyone thinks that was just so simple of a thing to do. So easy, just say the words, I'm going on with my life. See so easy, until you try to do it, live it."

Faith shook her head, "You should meet my mother Duch'x Grey you would share this opinion of things." Faith did not share it, go on, no she had not gone on, she had just existed, was still existing, there is no life when the spark leaves.

Yes D would have prevented her from following that she had to agree to, BUT he was a tactician he should have planned this better. "He would not have wanted me to follow." She looked at him straight to the depths of his eyes, "why take my son?"

No one had explained this to her not even D in his message.

[member="Aleister Grey"]

 

[Aleister Grey]

OK, debate on. “OK you what honesty”, Aleister relaxed his features. “You got it”, he sighed. She was more like her father then she knew. “There was a time I was forced to serve under the Empire. My younger sister was there hostage. That is how I knew your husband. We both were officers working for you father. You’re allot like your father. Hot headed and ruled by your emotions. I would easily bet you do not have even a lick of evidence Dar’yaim took his son. The man I knew, the man I served with. He is a man of honor. A man like him, who thinks he is going to die bring his son? It makes zero sense. It makes zero sense, I don’t believe it. Until I see some sort of proof I won’t believe it.” Speaking of Togashi Yokuni. It had been years sense he had heard anything from him. With the fall of Atrsisa, Aleister began to wonder.

[member="Faith Balor-Organa"]

 

[Faith Organa]

"I always enjoy honesty" Faith retorted was she seeing the Hapan's mask crack some?

Faith knew about D's time serving for the empire, she had not known it was for her father. Her father, a man she barely knew. Father. Yes he provided everything it took to be her father. But not what she wanted from someone to be her father. All her dreams of meeting him learning about him. Smoke. Just smoke. She felt cheated.

Anyhow.

"I'm sorry about your sister. I hope you were able to rescue her" she hates things the Empire did. She couldn't control them unfortunately

"My son left with his father I watched them both walk onto the ship, so you think that he didn't trust to leave our only son at home with his the rest of his family. Are you saying that he wouldn't take him into danger but wouldn't leave him with his mother." What was the Hapan Duch'x trying to say?

Atrisia suffering as Alderaan or just having to endure?

[member="Aleister Grey"]

 

[Aleister Grey]

[member="Faith Balor-Organa"]

“My sister is dead”, she wanted honesty. She was going to get that much. Not that much more. Or was she? NO she was going to get much more now. First impressions were made now. “Tell me have you heard anything from your father? I have not for years now. You think that is not of importance? If you knew him he always keeps his promises. So did your husband and so do I. Three of us made a promise to keep in touch. When they failed to I knew something was wrong. What I do not know. I do know this. They went missing around the same time. Your son as well. Tell do you know if any of your other family members are missing? I can tell you because I have already looked into it. The Silver Jedi do not know where Theo is. Your brother Garith is missing as well. They all went missing around the same time. Could they have all fallen to the same fate? Have we even authenticated that message yet? Could we be heading into some type of trap? Maybe we are. Do we have a choice to not look into this clue? No we don’t.” He tried to console her. She was stubborn and quick to judgment. Not something he had expected from an Alderaan Senator. Maybe the stubborn part but not the later.