Oh Kei, Oh Kay :p

[Kay-Larr]

Kay had sent off word ahead to her friend [member="Kei Garnik"] that she was going to drop by his place for a change. He gave her the co-ordinates for his dwelling on Kesh and it wasn't long before she was on her way within the Free Lady. Terrac was once again her pilot and he had hoped that she would stay out of trouble. No bodyguard came with her this time. It was just the two of them.

After her arrival and disembarking of her ship, wearing the type of outfit that won't make her so easily recognized,

Spoiler

she headed over to Kei's address and knocked on the door.

"It's me. May I come in, please?"

 

[GhostOfProtocol]

Kesh - 849 ABY
Garnik-Raxis Apartment
3.5 Months after Korriban
3.5 Months after Omega

A home in the slums was probably no way to greet the president of Commenor, honestly Kei shouldn't of greeted the president of Commenor in the state he was in. He could of very easily afforded better accommodation on Kesh, but he was happy with his apartment. It was cleaner than when he moved in, there was no a very low chance of catching something, but Kei didn't really care. The bed was made, both of them were hardly ever used. It'd been much too long since Kei had ever slept, not since Korriban.

He slapped himself, he needed to stop thinking about Korriban.

He run his fingers through his hair, feeling just how long it was. It'd been three and a half months since he'd last had it cut, his beard was worse, but he liked the beard. It made him feel older than twenty, nearly twenty one. T3 beeped lightly in the corner, announcing the arrival of the president. Kei had returned to the Hawk to get his friend, and to top up on the fees at the space station. The Hawk was safe for a few more months.

He'd rent his own hanger at some point.

He pulled open the door, the lack of sleep obvious. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder did that to a person, Kei hated it, he hated that Kay had to see him looking half dead. He missed her though, and he looked at her slowly, judging her outfit, sighing. She blended well, become an afterthought easily.

"I'll take it from the attire you don't want to be seen. Get in, I'd rather not have to file the paperwork about why the president of Commenor was shot on my doorstep"

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay just blinked as she saw the exhaustion on [member="Kei Garnik"] 's face. She smirked at his comment and stepped inside, glancing around at the apartment that he had called home. "I can't let everyone know when I'm not on Commenor. That would leave it too open."

She walked over to a chair and sat down, making herself at home. "So before I let you know why I'm here, why don't you tell me why you aren't sleeping."

 

[GhostOfProtocol]

He watched her lightly, his eyes following her until she sat down. He cracked his neck quickly, strolling over, pulling his own chair up. He hated that she was prying into his life, but to be honest he almost wanted to answer. He wore the small homemade necklace around his neck, each bead a memory of every single death in the Korriban bombings. He wanted to answer, to get help to overcome the images in his mind, how he replayed the bombings every single second he was alone. Sometimes it even stopped at that, othertimes it carried on and on, replaying every single moment he spent talking to the Sith Lord afterwards.

He'd been aware Lady Kay was visiting before he got the message, meditating was the only thing that kept the images at bay, yet it also brought new ones. He believed he'd heard Noriko refer to them as force visions, and Kei had gotten one. He basically watched Lady Kay make the choice to visit. It was unknown to him that he'd discovered farsight, a force power he seemed to grasp by simpily being calm and meditating, allowing the force to fill him up and control him.

"Korriban. I was there."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay knew that she wouldn't like [member="Kei Garnik"] 's answer, so she was prepared for what he had to say. Except that...

"You were there? I heard a little about what happened. It reminded me of the Roche incident. What's your take on it? Do you blame a whole organization for the actions of one person?" She wasn't asking for details of what happened, just on his overall narrative. Kay was determined to help out Korriban. It was partly what brought her to Kei on this visit. Though she had no idea that he was there.

 

[GhostOfProtocol]

He shook his head, allowing the silence to fill the room. He didn't know who to blame, clearly the bomber might of been acting alone, but if the order did come from the higher powers? What if they did order Korriban City to be levelled, it would of been so much easier than a Sith clean up job. They just needed to blame it on a single person, give that person a pardon and everything was good, everything was good. Kei grunted lightly, watching Lady Kay. She didn't know, she had no idea how much the images were eating him up, how much sleep he lost because all he could hear was the screams of the innocents, all he could see was that moment.

"I blame whoever dropped those bombs and whoever gave the order"

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay nodded a little. "From what I was told, it was a rogue that did it and they are hunting her down to face criminal charges. None of them wanted the city to be destroyed." And she believed the one that told her about it.

She leaned back in her chair, taking a look at her surroundings. How was one supposed to find peace here? It was...well depressing. "I'm going to be holding a big celebration on Commenor for the opening of many of the Rmbassies. There'll be a wide range of events, including a charity fundraiser. Half of the proceeds of that will be going to Korriban. I'll also be sending a bunch of engineers and others to help it rebuild. I came here to invite you to the Celebrations. You should come."

Of course she had another reason to want [member="Kei Garnik"] to come to Commenor, and that was to do with the Cartel. But she'd get into that later.

 

[GhostOfProtocol]

He watched Lady Kay slowly, thinking. She wanted him to leave, she wanted him to go back to Commenor. He had to question himself, did he want to return to Commenor? Did he want to leave, go back into the galaxy and face it's problems. Kesh was quiet, no-one knew him on Kesh. Kesh wasn't really involved in the galaxies problems, Kesh tended to stay on it's own. He knew that returning, Noriko would expect him to get involved in the Silver Jedi problems again, she didn't even know he was on Kesh. He crossed his arms slowly, and his ankles, figiting, trying to delay his choice, he had to choose, he knew that.

He stood up slowly, strolling into the bedroom, removing a small keycard from his pocket. He pressed it to the small sensor, pulling open his hidden safe. His fingers clasped around the DL-44 inside, and he holstered it. His hand went back into the safe, wrapping around the cold metal of his lightsaber. He picked it up, pushing the safe closed. He dropped the keycard back into his pocket, dropping the lightsaber into a backpack.

He exited the room, leaving the backpack. He stared at Lady Kay, shaking his head.

"You're asking me to leave. It's calm here Kay, no-one knows me and expects me to get involved in the galaxy's poodoo. I come here because no-one knows me"

He watched her again. He'd basically exiled himself on Kesh because of that reason, because no-one knew him. Getting back into the galaxy, he'd be involved again, he'd be forced into so many battles again. Curse being a force user. He shook his head, looking dead at Lady Kay this time.

"The events of Korriban messed me up, I relive that moment every single time I blink. I don't want to be involved in the galaxies issues, not anymore"

He frowmed slowly.

"I have no reason to come to a celebration, right now there's nothing to celebrate. Only four months ago Korriban City was leveled, only four months ago the superweapon known as Omega destroyed so many innocent lives. What is there to celebrate?"

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay sighed a little, nodding while [member="Kei Garnik"] spoke. She had been there, in the state that he is now. It was a dark time for her and she had felt that it was safer for herself that way. And it was. At least for a while.

"I know what you're going through. I've been there myself when Shaw was murdered in front of me. I ran and hid for five years. But the Force had other plans for me. I was brought out of hiding and thrown back into politics. People needed me. And I needed them...

I am not asking you to get involved in the Galaxy's issues. I am asking you to get into mine. Do you even know what I'm celebrating? Commenor is an experiment for the Galaxy. I have representatives from different governments that normally would war with eachother, to live on Commenor in peace. Arguments can be negotiated and wars prevented. Wouldn't that be a good thing?"

Kay chewed the inside of her cheek. "And also...I had been invited twice by the Hutt Cartel to their White Palace. After that last invitation, I went. I had to discover what they were up to. And now I know. They wanted me to join them, to give them permission to use my name so that they could access places that they normally couldn't. I refused, of course. But Flannigan...he claims to have ownership of me and that he has already started his mission to destroy my good name. This celebration could give him and those in his employ a chance to get to me. But I can't not appear at such a high profile event.

So I need your help...Please."

 

[GhostOfProtocol]

She was good, amazing with words. Commenor was a great experiment that was actually working. He was sick of war, every few years something big happened, the galaxy needed a moment of rest and peace. The Netherworld Incident, The Omega, all of these good examples of the galaxy getting the worst luck in the universe. Of course without a republic and democracy that was basically impossible and right now the galaxy was kill or be killed but the galaxy deserved it. Commenor was getting so close to that peace, if it worked and other planets caught on it would be stunning, amazing for the galaxy. Peace, finally.

He mentally gave her a point for that one.

"You win that argument. Commenor might finally give this galaxy peace, something it really hasn't had since the events of the Krayt Empire. Every few years somethiing major happens and everyone dies and we're back to square one."

The second point made him think however. It was technically his fault, he'd hid from everyone instead of finishing his job and going to spy on The Cartel. He cared about his friends, that much hadn't changed, and he silently cursed the Cartel and whatever being had dropped this on him.

"If you want my help, we do this my way. Smugglers and crime lords are my speciality, after all."

He offered a light smile, his first smile in months. He was almost an adrenaline junky, when mass genocide wasn't being commited he could really get behind some action, something to do. Truth be told he'd been getting bored, missing action and missing having nothing to do. He strolled back into the bedroom, gripping his backpack, carrying it through to the main room with him. He dropped it on the floor again, dropping a small bottle of Correlian Ale inside from the table.

"I want access to your security team, fighter support, maps of Commenor, guards disgued in the crowds ready to mobalise and a pack of space biscuits"

He actually laughed, for the first time in months.

"Maybe just the first four"

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

History had a habit of repeating itself. Yet people didn't tend to learn from the mistakes in the past. They only repeated them. It was outsiders that saw this, yet more often than not, their voices weren't heard. A pity. It could have saved many lives.

Kay raised a brow as [member="Kei Garnik"] said that he'd help on the condition that it was done his way. Well what exactly was his way? She watched as he disappeared again to pack up more. At least his mood seemed a little lighter.

She got to her feet when he returned and smiled. "Wonderful. [member="Veiere Arenais"] is my personal bodyguard. Whether or not he'll be directly at my side, I don't know. He also vets the other security personnel. I suggest that you get your information from him. Also, [member="Ryn'Dhal"] might be there as well. He would be another one to coordinate with. Maps of Commenor, Chasin City, all of that you can study on our way there. So...shall we go?" Kay gestured to the door, not quite sure if he was going to take his own ship or hitch a ride in hers.

 

[GhostOfProtocol]

He nodded, slinging his rucksack over his shoulder. T3 seemed excited, the poor droid hadn't stopped beeping the whole way to the door. He was the one to open the door, and the first from the apartment. It auto locked behind the two, Kei happy that he'd managed to grab the two important items. His lightsaber and his blaster. He had to remember where he docked the Hawk, that was going to be the hardest part. It felt strange to be back in the action, back in the thick of things. He wasn't sure if he liked it or not, it kept him busy at least. He grinned, crossing his arms behind his back as they strolled down the corridor.

"You reckon you can have the maps transferred to T3? I'll fly the Hawk around, figured it'll be good to use her for the first time in forever. I'll study the maps on the way across the galaxy, see where we have any major issues that can be patched up. I promise that no-one but your security guys will get close to you, plus we'll all be armed just to be safe m'lady"

He unslung the bag from his shoulder, unzipping it, removing the cold metal lightsaber from inside. He showed it to Lady Kay as they continued walking, dropping it back into the bag for safe keeping. He wasn't really ready to start walking around with a lightsaber in plain sight, not yet.

"I'll be close just to be safe, just encase anything major kicks off. Your best interests are in heart, I promise. I'll co-ordinate with your other security men, the Mr [member="Ryn'Dhal"] and Mr [member="Veiere Arenais"] seem to be good places to start"

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay followed in behind the ever vocal T3 unit and [member="Kei Garnik"] . "I'll relay the maps to you on our way. And only my security can get close? I'm sure that my friends will be fine. And remember, I am known to be approachable. I can't have the Commenori become too intimidated to come to me. I am, afterall, the People's President."

The First Order would no doubt arrive with a large force. It was all for show though, and she didn't want others to feel that they had to compete with that. The Embassies were a part of each government, and the Celebration was to showcase them as well as what Commenor had to offer.

Soon they parted ways at their respected ships. "I'll see you there."