My Sweetest Friend

[Keira Priest]

Corellia​

​

It was tempting to ignore it at first.

It had been years since he was part of her life, and she'd moved on. Corellia had been cut out of her life entirely, and she'd even gone so far as to formally adopt the Verd name in more than just the symbolic manner. Her family was rebuilding now, without him, piece by piece as the days and weeks passed by. Her sister had just recently given birth to twins, and motherhood was a journey she was gently guiding her younger sibling into one step at a time. A new generation of Mandalorians was being ushered into the galaxy, and she had the privilege of not only witnessing it, but helping rear the children as well.

The message had come in the afternoon, and she'd only spared it a glance, in the middle of helping feed the twins and preparing to lay them down. She had to catch herself upon reading the name, doing a double-take and sifting through what few possibilities could have led his brother to contact her. There weren't many good reasons she could think of, and the few that did cross her mind she didn't want to linger on for too long. It was her son she was worried about, she told herself, not him. And that was the truth of the matter. The message had been left vague, calling her to a hospital while telling her it was something to do with her family.

Her son was the only family she had left there.

Keira had been honest with her sister, telling her where she was going and why, which had roused immediate concern and righteous anger from the other woman. She was soothed only moderately when assured that yes, she would be going with her armor, and she'd even bring the greataxe instead of the rifle. When that didn't seem to suffice, she acquiesced to taking her bes'uliik if it would put Ginnie's mind at ease. There was nothing quite like a semi-sentient war droid to put one's mind at ease, after all.

Her arrival was preempted by the thunder of engines overhead, the beast of iron settling in the spaceport with a mechanical rumble that was equivalent to a disgruntled growl. Dismounting, she patted its side, circling to scatch the droid beneath its shockwave generator rods, to which it chirruped contentedly and settled in its place. "Udesii, I'll be back soon. Stay here, 'lek? Rest easy." Taking a breath, she turned and began her walk toward the hospital, expecting Cal to be the one to greet her.

There wasn't much here left to lose.

[member="Julius Sedaire"]

 

[Julius Sedaire]

Cal was haggard. Hair unbrushed and wild, combed by his fingers as he descended in the lift. Suit was sans a tie, top button of the shit unbuttoned, left cufflink missing and sleeve rolled to the elbow, with the other still at the wrist and cufflinked. His slacks had coffee stains, one boot was loosely tied, and his eyes wore dark raccoon like circles. But when reports came that his former sister-in-law had landed, he came with a hurry to hi step.

He and Keira weren't close, but they certainly were affectionate and friendly, in a sibling way. Cal knew Julius could be difficult to live with, and had talked her down once or twice during them being married. Stepping out of the lift, he waved off the omnipresent escort from Julius' commando team. Now that he was planet side, no one could get within spitting distance without them knowing. To call them fanatically loyal was an understatement, but they were also a comfort.

When he stopped, he gave it a moment before speaking, considering his words.

"It isn't Desric. It's him. He's got a week left, maybe two. I thought of asking you here. Will you see him? He asked after you, before he worsened and started sleeping so much. Demanded I get Desric to you, and to give you his shares in CEC and a bunch of fever nonsense... And before you shoot me, remember, I'm the cute one. You like me..."

[member="Keira Verd"]

 

[Keira Priest]

Her progress halted when he stepped forward, and in that beat of silence where he didn't speak she held her breath, fearing the worst. The first words to leave his mouth immediately eased her thoughts, shoulders sagging just slightly in relief. From beneath the T-visor of her helmet she watched him, HUD having noted and marked the escort as a neutral entity. Cal was noted in her system as a tentative friendly, and she didn't bother changing that, mostly confident that this wouldn't devolve into violence. And if it did, well, her bes'uliik was a single call away, and there wasn't much to be done against one of their rampages.

"Shoot you?" Keira cracked a smile under her helmet, shaking her head. With both hands she reached up to unclasp it, buy'ce finding itself clipped at her waist in short order. "Be a waste of bullets. I could sort you out with a few swings from the greataxe, but that's not what I'm here for." Her expression turned a touch more solemn, and she considered the circumstances, the muscles of her jaw working slowly. There was a choice to be made, one he'd presented her with while already nudging her in his preferred direction. There was no doubt in her mind who his younger brother was, that was for certain.

With a sigh she stepped forward, motioning with a jerk of her head for him to walk alongside her, sparing the armed escort a look as they passed. "Who's fast enough to kill a Jetii these days? Wasn't one of my people, I'd have heard about that. Imperials? Dar'jetii? Didn't think he was in the business of playing aggressor much anymore."

[member="Cal Sedaire"]

 

[Julius Sedaire]

https://youtu.be/3FvzJZL_dSo​

"Aing-Tii raid... He'd become something of a wraith of the outback traveling with them, ravaging slavers and wrecking every goramn ship I sent him. Eventually they traced the whispers to a single man, and some Dark Side cult rigged a special poison. We had a healer from the New Republic Jedi by. It's based off a Sith poison, and feeds on the Midichlorians in a body. The stronger in the Force, and the more use of the Force, that the victim goes... Well, it gets more virulent. He'll slowly just... Go to sleep and never wake up. As it is, it's weakened him he can't stand, and talking taxes him. Mostly we sit and read. Or he talks about his failings. He's spent a lot of time talking to that kid of yours, telling him how a proper man and Jedi should be, which mostly boils to 'Not like me' or such..."

As he talked, they walked, the escort of green armored commandos clinging tightly. With Julius soon to pass on, their fanaticism seemed to be grafting over to Cal. The shipwright wasn't sure how he felt about that, but he had accepted the adoption under the necessity that he was no warrior, and Desric would need looking after even more so now. Swiping a visitors badge to an elevator, Cal gestured inside and stepped in.

"As for the waste, I down own a massive shipyard company and have some fairly high bounties on my head these days. But I am grateful you won't be murdering me."

Sighing came, and his voice grew weary, cracking. Grief tinged it, and his eyes were able to be seen as bloodshot in the lift. Usually the blithe, funny man would never be seen so disarrayed, let alone showing grief. Bad for business.

"He's made mistakes, Keira... But death seems to have brought him clarity of reason and thought. I won't tell you to forgive him, or how to feel... But... He's still the same cocky idiot you threw a table at all those years ago. Maybe that much will help you both if he can wake up to speak..."

[member="Keira Verd"]

 

[Keira Priest]

"Desric. His name is Desric." While it was difficult to decide how she felt about the dying man she once called her husband, the love felt for her son was unquestionable and everpresent. Family above all else was sacred to Mandalorians, and her son had everything and more to learn about that aspect of his parentage. That was, if he even remembered his mother in the first place. That was something she would be slow in forgetting.

Their progress halted outside a door propped halfway open, and Keira didn't move from where she stood, facing Cal but not quite looking at him. "Did he tell you why he left? I went back to my people, my clan, and that was too much for him. No discussion, he just sent his ring with a note." She had to pause in order to quell the rising emotion, taking a breath. "I know the word coward doesn't hold as much weight for you. But if he was half the man I remember him as, he'd have the gettse to do things in person." That was, in truth, one of her biggest issues with it. Not the divorce itself, but the way it was conducted. Everything in Mandalorian society was done up front, and that had been the opposite.

"If it's all the same to you, I'd like for this to be between us."

Bracing herself, she stepped through the door, pulling it closed with a soft click. Only when they were alone did she dare look to the other individual in the room, her breath catching in her throat when she saw him. This was a stark contrast to the man she knew and once loved, the one who had held her in his arms as they recited their vows back and forth in the quiet hours of the morning, the warrior that stood next to her through thick and thin, the father and husband she'd once known. He looked so small where he lay beneath the covers, resting almost peacefully.

Almost.

She ventured carefully forward, leaning her greataxe against the wall, lowering herself into the chair placed next to the bed. Her helmet rested on the ground near her feet, and for a few seconds she just sat there watching him, hands in her lap. Slowly, tentatively, she reached out to rest her right hand atop his own. "Hey." Her voice was quiet, almost gentle. "Your brother called me here, you can yell at him later. It's been a while, huh?"

[member="Cal Sedaire"]

 

[Julius Sedaire]

Cal had trimmed the beard that had grown, heavy streaked with white. Eyes were closed, and the face was gaunt and drawn. Lines that hadn't been there on Skor, or even in the Outback, showed a life of worry and pain, and strain. From the time in until the moment her hand touched his, he hadn't stirred. Dreaming, he was unaware, reliving some pleasant memory of another age. Diagnostic machines showed a slow and shallow heartbeat, blood pressure just on the low side of normal, and raggedly shallow breaths. Some of the screens would be greek, but others Keira would know from time spent visiting comrades in such. The picture painted was less than good.

From the moment the hand touched, he stirred, and when she spoke he replied. The voice was raspy, ragged and whispery, but carried a thin trace of taunting mirth.

"He still thinks he knows best. When I get out of this bed i'm putting him in it next. Sorry for the state of things, if I knew of vistors coming, i'd have dressed up for you, princess."

A coughing fit hit, subsiding quickly, but left him wincing. Eyes usually sharp and mirthful were waxy, dull, and ladened with pain. But they didn't hesitate to turn to hers.

"I havent the right to be in the same room as you, but Cal means well. You don't have to kill me now at least. I've done it for you, it seems."

[member="Keira Verd"]

 

[Keira Priest]

Music

It was difficult to decide what to say. Had she wanted him dead, initially? Yes, no question. Did she still? That answer was far more complicated. With time her rage had been allowed to simmer, tempering itself into something far less volatile. There was no doubt a part of her was still upset, but the wound had been given time to heal, for better and worse. This was different than seeing him on the battlefield, fully armored and ready to kill. This was him at his most vulnerable, but even still he pushed through with teasing words with that same lilt she remembered. And then what came across as more of an apology, that she wasn't sure how to respond to.

"If I was going to kill you, we wouldn't be talking. Besides, I know how you fight. Too easy." It was easy to respond with the same mirth, the verbal sparring coming just as naturally as it always had. It was almost possible to forget all that happened, but it lingered over them like a stubborn fog, refusing to leave. Now didn't seem the right time to address it, but if not now, then when?

"You left without a word. Sent a letter, cut me off and took our son. No goodbye, no explanation beyond holding my own family against me. I'm here, Julius, but I don't know what you want me to say."

[member="Julius Sedaire"]

 

[Julius Sedaire]

Music

"Honestly? Nothing. That isn't how these things go, and you know it. Nothing I did deserves forgiveness, so I won't ask it. They tried to kill me. They almost killed Jorus. They leveled a planet full of innocents. And you swore to them. I let myself fall prey to rage and pride that you would favor them over family. Did things I shouldn't have. And before I realized it all, it was far too late. So I left home and life behind, and set myself to penance. "

Arms shook and wavered as he pushed himself up to sit, leaning forward to ease breathing as he shook his head.

"You might win for once. I can barely wipe my own shebs in this state."

Moving his gaze back to her, he smiled. No trace of sarcasm or wryness, no smirking. Just affection. If she hadn't severed herself from the Force, she would feel it, different from before, but flowing still. Changed, as had everything, but present all

"I never deserved you anyway. Too good for some di'kut like me. And Desric is you, but thank the Nine Hells he got my sense of humor. He's been frequently in the Head Librarian's office serving punishment for pranks. Somehow figure out how to turn a lightsaber into a shock buzzer when you thumb it on. I blame your side for that. I was sweet and innocent at his age."

He was rambling a bit now, eyes wider and breathing quicker. Wearing out, but determined to say something, if he could gather his thoughts. Fog clouded his mind, and he shook his head to clear it, looking back to her with determination.

"You'll need to get to know him, and he deserves to know you. I'd... I'd like to be here to see that. I did my best teaching him, but I'm afraid he's as stubborn as you are. He'll need some watching after..."

[member="Keira Verd"]

 

[Keira Priest]

"I just wanted to understand. You could have told me, we could have talked. Aliit Verd and the vode are my family just as much as you were. They could have coexisted." It might not have been wholly true, but Keira wanted to believe it. Needed to, now that it seemed she was losing him too, all over again and in a way she wasn't prepared for. This had seemed easy, when Cal had first greeted her, but it was quickly turning into the most difficult thing she'd had to do in a long time. "I didn't know. I was answering a call, following the first rightful Sole Ruler my people have seen in years as far as I'm concerned. I didn't know about the rest of it." If she had, things would have been different, they had to have been different.


It was easier to meet his gaze now that they were talking, matching the same smile that slowly turned up the corners of her mouth. It was good to see him again, felt natural in a way that it perhaps shouldn't have. Mismatched though they were, they had always made it work somehow. "My older sister was a bad influence when I was young, what can I say. And you know I never lasted long in the Jedi. That life wasn't for me. You think he's bad now, wait until he's in the armor for the first time. Nothing like playing soldier with the other ad'ike."

Instinctually her fingers laced with his, squeezing gently in a silent bid for him to rest. "You'll be here." She swallowed hard, tears stinging her eyes unbidden. "And you'll be here when I bring back the head of the dar'jetii shabuir who did this." Her head bowed, the next exhale unsteady. "You'll be here, I promise."

[member="Julius Sedaire"]

 

[Julius Sedaire]

Music

"And I was seeing what I fought to build between us, the woman I chose, turning away to chase glory and title... Shame on me for not believing in you."

Grinning, he reached up and playfully laid a finger along her nose, tapping as if to smack it. He was possibly the only one who could do such in the galaxy, and not be murdered. Hells, he might not have that right any longer, but it was the way he always responded to such.

"He takes after Cal in combat. Not much use with a lightsaber, or a gun. But put him in a pilot's seat and he can already outfly me..."

As she laced her fingers in his, he smiled, comforted for the moment at least.

"I won't be here, lass. I'll be long gone. You'll be all he has after I am done. He's a sweet boy, but headstrong and with a temper. Everything is yours, i've signed that all over. Burn it, keep it... Raise him as you see fit, just raise him to remember me. And our home.

And they're dead. I cut their heads off, actually. Every last one of them. I was quite upset, she stabbed me in the groin with a laced dagger. Almost lost the best part of me besides our son."

[member="Keira Verd"]

 

[Keira Priest]

Despite both herself and the circumstances her smile widened when he tapped her nose, her free hand reaching up to wipe away tears that threatened to spill over. "He'll love the bes'uliik, then. Skirata will be thrilled to have more riders." It all felt surreal, from talking about her son to even entertaining the thought of losing him. None of this could be happening, and yet here it was, unfolding right in front of her. All it had taken to bring them back together was the worst of times, but perhaps that was what had pulled them close in the first place. Tragedy had a funny way of making opposites attract.

"So what you're telling me is I'll be raising a mini you, just like I told you when he was born." Her laughter faltered, a lump rising in the back of her throat that she struggled to suppress. The dam broke as the tears flowed freely, and there wasn't much she could do but be with him and cry. This was supposed to be happy, she was getting her son back, but she hadn't expected this - seeing him again, learning what had happened - to hurt so much. But the Manda didn't recognize their separation or didn't care, and so their souls were still bound, and she felt his pain just as clearly as her own. This was the real danger of love, the ability to lose it so easily.

Forcing herself to take a breath, she swallowed hard, doing what she could to ground herself in the moment. "He deserves to see us together, for once. We owe him that much. And I'd like to just talk like we used to, catch up and just be with each other. You need rest, and I just..." She stumbled, squeezing his hand and taking a moment to breathe. "I just want to be with you. I missed you."

[member="Julius Sedaire"]

 

[Julius Sedaire]

https://youtu.be/FywSzjRq0e4​

"I haven't let him see me since it got really bad. Kept him busy flying in the mountains. He's a sight to see now, truly. Even the instructors can scarcely believe it. I wanted to take him to [member="Coren Starchaser"] or Jorus to have him trained further. But, that's a ship that has sailed."

Coughing, he stood up, arms shaky on the bedside. The room spun, spots swirled, and he faltered. Biological arm trembled as cybernetic whined to pick up the slack, and his legs visibly quivered. But a steel forged in years of war glinted in his eyes, and with a determined look he straightened, pointing wearily to a closet. His breathing was quick, and shallow, but even. Monitors beeped alarms, and footsteps would soon enough be heard. But that wasn't likely to stop this man with what stood before him. No matter what he had thought, or done, that was his wife before him, and they had to see their son. Everything boiled to that.

"There's boots and my old spacer's gear in there. And boots. And my lightsaber. I know where he's at. Help me dress, quickly, and we'll get out of here before they even notice..."

Briefly, before vanishing in a stone mask to hide pain, he grinned wryly and winked.

"Unless you're too bashful, princess"

[member="Keira Verd"]

 

[Keira Priest]

As soon as he stood Keira was on her feet and by his side, offering a shoulder to lean on in more than the figurative sense. Despite his innate stubbornness she carefully eased him into the chair she'd previously been seated in, moving to retrieve his clothing from the closet only once he was settled. "As much as you don't want to hear it, it's better for you to rest right now. Let me do the heavy lifting for now." With a gentleness most would find foreign to her she helped dress him, easing his boots on last and offering him his lightsaber with a half-smile and a nod, "Master Jedi."

With both hands she hefted the greataxe onto her back once more, clipping her helmet at her waist. "Me, bashful? There are few worse insults you could give a Mandalorian. Besides, I'd like to see them try and stop us." Offering him her arm for balance if he so chose, they would began making their slow but steady walk through the halls, with him taking the lead. Despite it all he still stood tall, and she found herself falling back into the same rhythm they'd always shared when she was at his side, almost as if he'd never left in the first place.

"One last escapade, 'lek? I'm sure we've done worse things together than sneak out of hospitals. There was that bar we trashed, for one. And that was only the first night we met." Years ago now, but she still remembered it like it was yesterday. Their first meeting had been rife with conflict and the rest of their relationship had mostly followed suit, but somehow they had made it work, even managing to come together again after it had all seemingly fallen apart. Fate had a helluva way with things, there was no denying that. But where that faltered, well, Corellians always managed to fill the gap.

[member="Julius Sedaire"]

 

[Julius Sedaire]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow-Cx9IX4So​

​

"Technically we did nothing to trash the bar. You threw a table at me. I was merely defending myself."

He coughed a little as they walked. Despite his grit, his body was weak and wobbly. He kept upright though, even if he did lean into Keira. To outward appearances, it would just be two lovers being affectionate, leaning into one another. But she would know better. It wasn't his style to be such in public. He was plenty affectionate, just not in that particular way of expressing it.

"He's a wonderful boy. Cal had him in an attached suite. Last I knew he had rewired a protocol droid to chase nurses with flowers and one-liners...But he also staged a fire alarm to get them all an extra break on this floor. We should... I don't know, see if I can make it to the house. Have a family dinner."

His attention seemed to be wandering and wavering, and his voice a bit wispy as he spoke. Something was wrong, but he was fighting against showing it.

[member="Keira Verd"]

 

[Keira Priest]

“Funny, because I seem to remember you throwing a glass my way first. Weird how memory works, ‘lek?” A part of her hated how easy it was to fall back into how things had been, picking up where they left off as if nothing had changed between now and then. As if they weren’t two entirely different people, and he’d never left her.

Gods, if he’d never left her.

As they made their slow, careful way down the hall, she found herself reminiscing to those better days. Different days. Mornings where she could wake up with the knowledge that someone she loved was beside her, a time when she could stand tall knowing someone would always be there ready to catch her if she stumbled. Learning to exist without it had been the hardest part, at first. But no one prepared you for the day that security returned with the threat of leaving again on his heels, this time permanently.

His words brought her back to the present. “I’d like that.” To pretend to be normal, at least for an hour or so, maybe that was what they both needed. Maybe then things could mend, and they could forget all this. Maybe then she could decide what she was feeling.

It all came to a screeching halt when they reached their destination. She had enough good sense to continue to help Julius walk, and she made certain he was seated comfortably first and foremost.

As she turned, her breath caught in her throat, tears welling in her eyes. This was the first time she’d laid eyes on her son since he was an infant, and she wanted nothing more than to wrap him up in her arms and tell him it was going to be okay. But she couldn’t. Wasn’t able to. He didn’t remember her, and likely had no knowledge of his Mandalorian heritage. It was so easy to forget whose fault that was.

Kneeling a few feet from him, she offered a gentle smile and extended a hand. “Ad’ika…”

[member="Julius Sedaire"]