Private Of the Underlying

[Allyson Locke]

//: Madelyn Lowe //:
//: Edgefield, Varonat //:
//: Attire //:

The speeder hummed softly as it moved, jostling occasionally over jungle debris. Afternoon light filtered through the thick canopy, the planet's star peeking between towering trees that blanketed the world.

Allyson leaned against the driver's side, navigating almost expertly through the tangled green toward the smaller sister city, Edgefield. She'd been on Varonat long enough to memorize the routes between both cities. It was the longest she'd stayed anywhere in a while, and though strange, it was starting to feel almost natural.

A glance at her passenger stirred that familiar flicker of annoyance, one she'd also grown used to. Lowering her old aviators, Allyson smirked. "It's not that bad." Her gaze lingered before sliding back to the road. They were getting close now to what she was most excited to show the blonde. Sure, she'd helped secure the planet and removed the previous official to open a seat for Madelyn, but that wasn't the real gift. "I promise all of it was worth it," Allyson said as the speeder slowed to a stop a few meters from the surprise.

She shut off the engine and climbed out, sliding across the hood with practiced ease before opening Madelyn's door with a playful bow. "My lady." Another cheeky grin. The door clicked shut behind her. "Come on."

Out of habit, Allyson moved to take Madelyn's hand but stopped, remembering they were in public. Her eyes darted away, and she started toward the hidden path ahead.

The river rushing nearby grew louder as the house came into view, carefully tucked into the jungle's embrace. The lights inside were low, but no one was home. Allyson kept walking, hoping Madelyn was still behind her. When the ground crunched beneath her boots, she turned and smiled.

"Welcome home. I did my best to keep everything how it was, how you'd remember it." Her grin turned sheepish as her mind flashed the memory of falling off the roof into the river. That particular adventure had been quite interesting. Allyson gently reached for Madelyn's hand, taking it into hers without hesitation. Slowly, she led the woman up the steps, letting her have a chance to fully take in the gift.

"I programmed a new security system. Basic AI, you can tell it to turn on lights and do whatever. And, biometrics to unlock." She held two fingers to the nearly invisible panel hidden in the frame, and quietly, the lock clicked open.

Allyson opened the door, pausing. She let go of Madelyn's hand, wanting to give the woman the space to cross the threshold alone when she was ready. Slowly, the Corellian slid off the sunglasses, then carefully slipped the eyepatch back into place over her fading black eye. "I'll remove myself from the system when we add you. It's your home now, and it should only answer to you."

Leaning against the sofa, arms loosely crossed, she looked up at Madelyn. "So," she asked, voice casual but tinged with something warmer, "good surprise, right?"

 

[Madelyn Lowe]

In the passenger seat of the speeder, Madelyn was steaming. Allyson Locke, ever the enterprising agent, had taken it upon herself to liberate a prized jewel for Madelyn, and despite her protests and threats. It seemed she had delivered. Varonat was free of the doddering drunk who had ruled it in a clumsy imitation of classical Varonati Imperialism, and all it had taken was for Allyson to strike off on her own, and ignore every single thing Madelyn said to try and stop her.

Madelyn knew she was supposed to be grateful, and she was, but she was also pissed off. Allyson was her inferior, and even if she had given Madelyn a gift that was both incredibly useful and sentimental, she had also shown she neither feared nor respected her enough to listen. That angered and scared Madelyn, but it also impressed her. The woman who had visited her in her office that evening continued to be full of pleasant surprises, even if she reliably gave Madelyn a headache.

Her complicated relationship with Locke aside, it was nice to be back at least. There was no arguing that her home was beautiful. The flickering dappled light filtered through the canopy, casting dancing patterns on her skin and clothes, as well as Allyson's. It reminded her of simpler days, chasing childhood friends through the shallow brooks that ran around the base of the old house. Her old house. Was that where they were going? Certainly they were in the area, and Allyson had been bold enough to send a photo from the dilapidated shack during her escapade. Madelyn hoped not, she didn't want to see the dusty, crumbling structure. It was a potent symbol of how far her family had fallen. They were all gone now, the noble ones of House Lowe, aside from her. What were left were watered down traitors and losers and half-wits, not even deserving of the name.

They slowed to a stop and Madelyn pretended to examine her nails as Allyson slid across the front of the vehicle and opened the door for her. She raised a brow, bemused at how the agent always managed to combine Imperial etiquette with Corellian flair. She felt the brief brush of Allyson's hand, but when she looked down Allyson was moving brusquely forward.

"Welcome home. I did my best to keep everything how it was, how you'd remember it."

Sure enough, they had arrived at Madelyn's old stomping ground. But it did not look as it had in the grainy video footage Allyson had sent to her before. Apparently, dismantling the Varonat government was not the only thing Allyson had been doing here. Madelyn's house had been transformed, its rotting pillars replaced with fresh cut beams, roof re-tiled, a new coat of paint accenting the wooden structure with dark green. Soft light poured out of the sparkling windows, and she had even managed to replace the tattered curtains with the same pattern she remembered from her childhood. The work it must have taken was astounding. Her vision wavered a bit and Madelyn blinked, confused, before realising her eyes were welling with tears. How very strange.

"Allyson." said Madelyn, having composed herself. "This is... Marvelous."

She followed Allyson up to the door. Emerald eyes found hazel. She regarded Allyson curiously.

"It is a good surprise." Madelyn agreed. Then, after a beat. "Why did you do this for me?"

Allyson Locke ​

 

[Allyson Locke]

//: Madelyn Lowe //:
//: Edgefield, Varonat //:
//: Attire //:

Allyson felt her body tense; the tiny bits of praise felt like a mountain. She wasn't used to it, especially from Madelyn. However, hearing them from her made the feeling and their weight more important. Allyson smiled stupidly, her smile lopsided, as she didn't know what else to do with the praise.

The moment was brief, followed by a question the Corellian didn't expect. She had repeatedly played the moment in her head as she fixed the roof and sewn the curtains. None of them prepared her for that question at that moment. And yet, when she thought seriously about what she knew of Madelyn Lowe. The question was common sense.

A hand rested on Allyson's neck as her eyes fell from her Minister's gaze. "Well," she started, knowing that there were several reasons why she had done this. Her mind trailed, remembering the quiet look of embarrassment when they had entered her apartment. Everything that was Madelyn's past life was gone. It was a moment that Allyson learned something new and something she could resonate with.

"I look terrific in a tool belt," Allyson grinned smugly, but her smile faded as she shook her head. "Nah, I did it..."

Not wanting to bring up that moment, knowing that Madelyn probably had hoped the perceptive spy missed that moment. Allyson shrugged. Her answers could be anything, all dangerous for her to admit. She had done the act because she knew she cared deeply for her? Because she knew what it felt like to lose something. Because -- "Because I wanted to see you smile." she admitted to the least dangerous of her emotions and reasons.

Allyson had often daydreamed about how the blonde's lips would curl into her smile. The moments of that smile were few and far between, but when it was because of Allyson, the Corellian could feel her heart melt, skipping a beat. Admitting just a fraction of that could ruin everything. It was a small crack in her mask that she would most likely pay dearly for.

Allyson could feel the sway of power drifting from her as she revealed the most minor reason she had done what she did with the home. In reality, she had done it because she wanted to give Madelyn something from her past that she could hold on to. So, Madelyn no longer had to stare at the empty walls of her apartment. Allyson wanted to give her the thing that she, herself couldn't have anymore.

The Corellian she knew was gone, and so was her family. There was no rebuilding, no remaking—it was gone. Her home was the epicenter of the disaster.

Pushing the thoughts from her mind, Allyson looked back up again and to Madelyn. Another smile masked the confused emotions she felt for the blonde Minister. It was easier to deflect despite the small revelation of her feelings. "Come on, don't just stand there—you gotta see everything." Allyson stood from where she was leaning and crossed towards Madelyn, offering her hand.

"Show me around. You know this place better than me," Allyson smirked, teasing Madelyn.

 

[Madelyn Lowe]

Madelyn gave an unimpressed look at the comment about the tool belt. While she certainly didn't doubt that Locke would make a very attractive tradesperson, it hardly counted as a reason for doing something as involved as this. Thankfully, Madelyn didn't need to open her mouth to admonish Allyson, she was already correcting the record without being prompted. Madelyn leaned forward while Allyson while she hesitated. Her look was not unkind. Tell me, it seemed to say. Admit to me your secrets.

"Because I wanted to see you smile."

It was touching, in its own way, but even Madelyn could sense that there was more to the matter than that. She saw the way Allyson seemed to be grappling with her own intentions, and for whatever reason, she was unable to admit them to Madelyn. Fascinating. She would have to dig into that. Madelyn had her own secretive feelings about the agent, but she didn't risk exposing them with such... Bold gestures. What was Locke's play here? Perhaps she just hadn't thought that far ahead, or she was playing some greater game...

Or, as she'd said, maybe she just wanted to see her smile. Madelyn raised a questioning brow, but ultimately she also granted Allyson her stated wish. Her lips curled into a smile she couldn't help.

"I see..." said Madelyn, obviously not believing Allyson's reasoning. "Well, I can't pretend I understand it, Locke, but there's no arguing you've done a fine job. It looks just like I remember it." It was as if she was standing in a memory, her bags packed for the Imperial Academy, moving out and saying her goodbyes to the family. The details of the refurbished place were not perfect, but they were close enough that the experience was visceral.

"Come on, don't just stand there—you gotta see everything."

"Very well." said Madelyn crisply. "The Lowe family tour. Come along." The situation still felt entirely strange, but she owed it to Allyson to honour this service she had done for her with some enthusiasm, even if some of her gratitude was overshadowed by the enormous bronze statue in the capital. A 'protected monument' by law. Preposterous. Locke had outdone herself. She had given Madelyn her planet back, and sealed her place in it. Though, she hadn't imposed herself on her home. There were no monuments here. Madelyn appreciated that. She indicated for Allyson to walk beside her as they started down the hall.

"Master bedroom, where Mother and Father slept." said Madelyn, whisking past the largest room. Her parents had been unimportant people. Minor officials of the Order. Unambitious and bad with money. But, they had a strong Imperial spirit, and though the life they lived was modest and uninspiring, they were ultimately rewarded for siring Madelyn. After her ascension they lived out the remainder of days in the lap of luxury, using this house as a holiday home, hardly seeing their daughter.

She moved along, through the small living area with its low circular table for family meals, to the trio of small adjoining rooms. "These were our rooms." said Madelyn, pointing to the three equally sized rooms. "My sister Eleanor, tragic thing, and Karina- She was a Legionnaire you know- and then me. The eldest of three." Madelyn walked over to the furthest room, squeezed into the corner, retrieving the family photo Allyson had teasingly held up on call before. "This is them. All dead now." said Madelyn with a sigh, her face pulling into a tight expression. "Though Karina did have a daughter, Elena." Madelyn never had a great relationship when they were alive. She had never regretted that then, but now that they were all gone, she found herself wishing she had acted differently. She found herself wishing a lot of things were different.

Emerald eyes fixed Allyson once again. "Thank you for giving me my home again, Allyson." said Madelyn. "Whatever reason it was for, I am grateful."

Allyson Locke ​

 

[Allyson Locke]

//: Madelyn Lowe //:

The moment she smiled, Allyson felt her breath hitch. She hated it; she hated how she reacted like this every time. Maintaining a nonchalant attitude when she was face-to-face with the minister was hard. However, Allyson said that this was what she had done it for. In the end, it was entirely her fault. Hopefully, she could hide it, letting the sound of her weakness fade while Madelyn's mind worked through loops and bounds to try and figure out Allyson's angle.

Unfortunately for the soon-to-be governor, Allyson had no angle. Everything was just the Corellian's way of being a shameless romantic. Though, if asked, deniability was the lie she told herself and the galaxy.

Allyson returned her offered hand, figuring that the woman was still irked for the statue. Thinking to herself, Allyson wondered if it had been a little too much. It wasn't her idea, so the Corellian reconciled her guilty conscience. She followed close and quietly. Out of habit, her footsteps were light and unheard, and she looked around as if she had never seen the dwellings before. A part of her had already figured out which was Madelyn's room, but it was nice for the confirmation.

Something chewed at Allyson's mind: the way she introduced her parents. Tilting her head back towards the master bedroom, Allyson wondered if the relationship wasn't as close as other families. That was another conversation for another time - not now. Looking back to Madelyn, Allyson watched the way her face moved, betraying the slightest of her emotions. Again, Allyson wouldn't point it out - she figured she was already in the dog house, and only so many houses and planets could get her out of it.

Before Allyson realized it, Madelyn caught her stare and thanked her. And, without any semblance of control, the stupid lopsided smile appeared for a second - before Allyson composed herself and nodded. "I'm happy you like it."

The sudden silence stretched between them as Allyson empathized more with Madelyn on the nature of the family. As far as she knew, John and her aunt were all that was left - even then, they weren't as close as they were. Her immediate family, though, had all died. She closed her eyes, feeling that searing pain in her chest, remembering the two planetary bodies colliding with each other. Coronet City is taking the brunt of it and has been the center of the impact.

She kept her composure as her eyes opened. She looked towards the photo she had initially found; now, Madelyn was holding it. Stepping closer, she reached as if she wanted to take another look. Instead, she let the tips of her fingers caress the back of the hand that held the blonde's family photo.

"I…I'm sorry for making you worry." Her voice was quiet as they were a step or two closer than before. "I never asked, but how was your trip?"

Allyson slowly pulled her hand back, realizing she had let herself linger a little too long.

"I missed you, by the way."