Liberty And Justice For All

[Connor Harrison]

Connor dimissed the Silvers with a carefree shrug. They weren't his concern anymore.

But the First Order had an embassy here? That was worth looking into.

And the Ren, Samika...

Kay interrupted his train of thought, and he looked to her standing, and then out to the canyon. He stood, and tried to see what she had seen.

"What can you see? Who's coming?”

It was metaphorical of course, but Connor couldn't feel - or see - anything, or anyone.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

She slowly shook her head, her eyes still on the canyon below. "I don't know. I don't see faces, but there are more than a few, coming from different directions. The kind of Darkness that they carry is the type that weighs you down. So they are powerful."

Kay was a tad worried. Drawing in such powerful beings hadn't always worked out for her. People died or she got hurt. "They must have seen my broadcast to the Commenori and noticed my rebirth. Perhaps the Sith wish to take us out of neutrality and under their banner. I don't want to do that just yet."

[member="Connor Harrison"] might think differently, however, and she knew that.

 

[Connor Harrison]

He moved beside her, not yet attuned to the Dark Side and still blinded by the Light. Struggling to see what Kay saw, he could only try to reassure her.

"The second you fell under their control, Kay, the Sith already had Commenor in their grasp unfortunately.”

Connor turned and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"They will simply want to exercise control over the planet, but your rule will not be affected. This is where you do what you do best – show your strength and your power in the political playing field. Without you, they won’t have anything.”

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

"Fell under their control? They don't-"

Kay stopped mid-sentence as she thought it over. Perhaps they did have a little bit of control, but not all of them. She only had to obey her Master and no other.

She placed her hand on top of his for a moment. "Yes, Commenor would fall apart without me. The other political powers will swallow it whole. But being defiant of their wishes comes with great risk." Kay turned to face [member="Connor Harrison"] squarely as she looked up to him, her eyes searching his for any sign weakness. "Are you prepared for that? To fight by my side against those that you wish to join in order to remain powerful and not become their puppet?"

 

[Connor Harrison]

Kay asked a good question, and it was funny how since they came together with her in the throne and him leading with a bow, to now near equal in the face of an uncertain future. Rank and nobility played little when faced with the reality of what was to come.

Not sure how to answer, Connor patted her hand.

"First rule of war – pick your battles. If some don’t look beneficial to win, don’t fight them.”

The Sith were manipulative and always seeking to outdo the other. Kay would have a Master, who would also probably have a Master of sorts, who was looking to gain an upper-hand on others, in turn trying to prove another point to someone else, and so on and so on.

It was a vicious cycle, and one not easy to escape.

"Know your position, and the power you hold. Sith respect power, and they crave it. Without you on Commenor, they lose so much more than fans from the planet.”

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Connor Harrison"] didn't quite answer her question. Though his other points were valid. Her Master always threatened to take away everything that she had again, whenever he felt that she wasn't up to his standards. It was infuriating at times.

Kay turned away from the cliff and pointed to each of the two moons orbiting Commenor; Brelor and Folor. "Do you see the moons? Most forget about them, or at least those that aren't Commenori. I plan on taking advantage of that like others have in the past. This way we can attack invaders from behind..."

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor looked and did see the moons, but he also saw and heard how she was over-reacting. Watching her talk, it was like she had lost control.

"Hey,” he tapped her shoulder, "you want to bring it back a little? What are you going to do? Amass a fleet behind the moon and launch an attack? They’ll raze this planet to the ground just to prove a point if you do.”

He’d seen it happen, and if there was trouble, no doubt it would attract the Jedi as some peace-keepers to try and defend all that was good and right in the world. Or just the parts that suited them.

"Who is coming? I think you’re over-reacting a little. You need to think logically. Take a moment. Think.”

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay lowered her arm as [member="Connor Harrison"] tapped her shoulder. For a moment she didn't look at him while she imagined her world being destroyed. Her knowledge of war wasn't as great at his, yet still, she figured that she was utilizing a strategic high ground.

She folded her arms across her chest. "I'm not over-reacting, we need to be prepared. What is so wrong about that?" Kay had no clear answers as to who was coming. She just had a feeling that she had tried to explain, but didn't succeed.

 

[Connor Harrison]

"There’s nothing wrong in being prepared. Just…don’t over-react. This is probably a result of your emotional state. Try to focus a little. Calm down a bit.”

Saying that, he instantly regretted it – telling a woman to calm down was lethal, he quickly acted on it.

"Do you want to go inside, get a drink? You’ve been under so much stress recently, you’re looking for danger when there may well be none.”

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

A result of her emotional state? Was [member="Connor Harrison"] insinuating that she was some frail woman that couldn't make any wise decisions? Kay clenched her hands into fists and tightened her jaw. Being unprepared was what led to her capture and she was not going to be caught by surprise again. She wanted to lash out at him, but instead she just flicked the switch inside that she used whenever her Master was around, killing her emotions entirely and leaving just a void.

"Yes, sir..."

Kay started walking back to the Palace, her pace even and unwavering from her destination. She didn't wait to see if Connor had followed, didn't even look in his direction. She just walked back across the meadow.

 

[Connor Harrison]

Her bluntness was annoying. That wasn’t her. And why was she – Queen – now backing down from Connor? Was he really so right? Was she really so stubborn?

"Hey!”

He shouted and hopped away from the canyon and moved to her and grabbed her arm, spinning her around to face him.

"Don’t treat me like that, alright? I’m here to help you. I know what you’re going through – well maybe not all – but a damn good amount. I know the strain this is having on your emotional state, and what you feel inside. The conflict and the burning desire to do good but also to do what is right.”

He kept hold of her arm.

”Don’t push me away, Kay. I’m here for you, and you just need to listen.”

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

She didn't expect him to just grab her arm and spin her around. But this is [member="Connor Harrison"] , so she should expect hhim to step over boundaries. Kay placed her hands on his chest so that she'd at least have some control over how close he got to her.

She clenched her jaw, the switch that she had used inside to shut everything out was no longer active, so it was all that she could do at the moment in order to hear him out instead of outright attacking him.

Did he know what she was going through? No. Or maybe just a part of it he knew, given his recent change. She asked him to work with her because of his experience in different fields, and his different viewpoints to solve a problem.

"I can't just....not do anything Connor. I can't just sit idly by and wait for those that threaten Commenor and myself to come. By then it'll be too late."

Hiding her abilities made her nearly defenceless. By the time she sought to use them, it was too late. She didn't want to risk the same thing happening to her planet as well.

 

[Connor Harrison]

Looking at the hand on his chest, he then looked at her.

"I'm not saying to sit by. I'm saying to at least wait and see what is happening at all. You're...you're new to these emotions and this power you have. It's fighting your old self, it's making you think unrational things. The Kay I knew would panic. The Kay I know now doesn't panic. So don't rush ahead and panic. Just calm down.”

He batted her hand down and let go of her arm.

"And stop pushing me away.”

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay furrowed her brows. She was panicking? She didn't feel that way. She figured that she was being rational. It wasn't as though ship factories and bases could be built overnight. Such things took time. It was best to get a head start, wasn't it?

[member="Connor Harrison"] batted her hands away, so she held her forearms, rubbing them a little as the air was getting chillier. Was she pushing him away? Maybe a little. He might try to steal a kiss again or something else. She didn't want to risk getting attached either. It saves her from heartache later on.

"So what would you do? If you were me, that is...."

 

[Connor Harrison]

He went to answer, but couldn’t. He shook his head, and sighed.

"I don’t know. I really can’t say. I can’t imagine being in your position you’re your power and resource. I think if anything I’d wait and see what comes of it. I’d do that. I mean, these people you feel coming are supposed to be allies, aren’t they? Hear them out. Gather your court or closest resources and…wait.”

It was an awful answer, but this seemed to be more a diplomatic issue which wasn’t his strong suit.

"I’m sorry, that was useless.”

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay shook her head a little. "Don't sell yourself short. It wasn't a useless answer. It was a good one." Her eyes drifted to the canyon beyond [member="Connor Harrison"] 's shoulder. "But just because they're Dark, it doesn't mean that they'll be my allies. There will be many that only see me for my past service to the Republic." She shrugged her shoulders a little. "Maybe I'll continue to keep my abilities a secret. It'll give me the upper hand."

There were just too many unknowns. But at least Commenor wasn't of importance in the grand scheme of things.

Kay turned to continue back to the Palace again. "You seemed a bit nervous at the cliff's edge, Connor. Are you afraid of heights?"

 

[Connor Harrison]

He couldn't help chuckle and double take to her.

"Heights? You were standing on a cliff-edge contemplating your future and your ability. I was worried you were going to throw yourself off it! No, heights don't concern me.”

With a sigh, he shrugged.

"Well don't YOU sell yourself short too. You're underestimating yourself and what you can bring to them if...IF...they come here. You've got a lot of influence and ability inside. You just need to...unlock it. Let it out. Don't hide it forever.”

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay laughed at the thought. [member="Connor Harrison"] thought that she was going to commit suicide? If she was going to do that, she certainly wouldn't have anyone to bear witness to it. But who would look after Commenor when she was gone? No doubt the planet would fall into ruin from squabbles and could very well be invaded. No. She couldn't allow that, couldn't turn her back on what she had worked hard and suffered for.

But from what he said next, she shook her head a little. "I'm not going to flaunt myself either. I've never been that forward. And isn't it a good thing, to have tricks up my sleeve? I'm an open book already, as it is. Some people know more about me than I do of myself. And I just....don't know how to handle that yet." The same way that she doesn't know how to handle him. It wasn't as though gaining a crown came with an instruction manual. Instead it came with more distrust of others.

 

[Connor Harrison]

"Tricks are good, as long as you're confident in using them and at the right time in the right situation for the right outcome.”

He shot her a look as he walked back with her.

"You don't want to make things harder for yourself. And, you know, it sounds to me as if your Master isn't really acting like a Master at all. Where is he now? Where's his support? Sounds like he's left you to fight this alone.”

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

It was dangerous to flaunt her abilities, most especially in the world of politics. But his point of view was from a different kind of battlefield. One that she hoped that she wouldn't find herself in for quite some time.

Kay felt his gaze on her when he asked about her Master. She didn't look back. Instead she just shrugged her shoulders a bit and kept up her pace. "I don't know where he is. Back home? Out collecting more apprentices? Who knows? He'll come back whenever he feels that he needs to, I guess."

[member="Connor Harrison"]