The Butcher and the Weaver

[Rosa Gunn]

Rosa laughed and Avril's rapid translation of his sisters proper manner of speaking. "Yes, I thought as much. I believe that in your evaluation, you'll not only find divine understanding with the fascination, but you'll also become fascinated yourself. If i am wrong, then Lilia, if your aunt permits, i can teach you other things aswell."

She looked up at Siobhan. This had not at all been their plan for the day, she'd expected to remain in business but Siobhan had welcomed her into her home and Rosa would be lying if she said she hadn't already fallen in love with her nieces. Smiling she turned her attention back to the children. "Tell me, whats your favourite story your aunt tells you?" She asked, continuing to eat her food.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Rosa Gunn"]


"You will, of course, have to do your chores first," Siobhan added, before helping herself to a steak. Chores? Putting the dirty plates away, cleaning them and stuff. They had servants, but Siobhan insisted that the girls still lend a hand in the household.


"Yes, Auntie," Adril did not like chores, but she was excited about playing with a lightsabre! Ms Gunn seemed kinda cool. Her eyes lit up at the older woman's question.


"'Siobhan Kerrigan and the Robot King of Gehenna' is my favourite," she exclaimed. "It's a great adventure! Auntie defeats a Mechanical Dragon and saves HK." Was the Battle of Gehenna a suitable bedtime story for little kids? Probably not. Admittedly Siobhan had sanitised it a bit for the children, but not as much as one might have expected.


"Yes, I love that one, too," Livia opined. "The Robot King created really fascinating mechanical designs. It's sad he was...evil. He could have used them in more beneficial ways and been far better off." There's a trope for this, it's called cut Lex Luthor a check.

 

[Rosa Gunn]

Avril's excitement was infectious, her enthusiasm seemed to spread over the table as she spoke of the Battle of Ghenna. Rosa's eyebrows arched at Siobhan "Ah, so you're part of the reason I have to suffer the eccentricities of the Iron Lord Protector." she commented with a grin. Though it faded slightly at Livia's words.

"Therein lie the problem with technology. Where one man sees a simply tool to cut wood, another sees a weapon to cleave skulls. How would you have used his creations Livia?"

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="HK-36"]


"HK's a loyal ally. But extremely eccentric and speechifies way too much," Siobhan commented in a neutral tone. She liked HK well enough as a person, though she found many of his quirks immature and was dubious about the Metal Lords project he'd recently embarked on. That was another matter though.

However, that did not concern Livia. She was concerned with more important things! "I would have utilised them to help those in need of aid. The Robot King could have put his creative mind and engineering talent to beneficial use by creating arable farmland and build machines to toil upon it, providing food for many. He had the technology to terraform wastelands and turn them into hospitable habitats at his fingertips. Even Gehenna could have gotten an atmosphere that allows sentient beings to breathe and walk the land without sealed suits. People wounded by war could have partaken in his knowledge if he had used his cybernetic designs to heal instead of control and enslave."

"She means she'd do-gooder stuff to help people," Adril interjected, interrupting the wordy exposition from Livia. Her sister shot her a look, feeling a bit put out by the interruption.

"That is a...very crude way of summarising it," she reproached her a bit sternly.

"It's to the point though! You ramble a lot with your big words."

"I do not ramble."

Siobhan sipped her drink. It seemed this type of conversation happened a lot. "Girls."

 

[Rosa Gunn]

Rosa smiled lifting an elbow to rest it on the table and settling her chin in her hand as Livia spoke. The girl had a way with words, Adril might have though it too long, but Rosa liked it, it showed that she was contemplative and thought through things properly rather than jumping to the first option at hand. Adril on the other hand didn't seem to want to waste time with words, eager, she thought, to be in the midst of things yet even with the bickering she saw the love between them that would, she hoped, remain a solid link throughout their lives.

"Not all of us are so eager to get to the point, Adril. Its important, on occasion, to take time over things."


She sat back, her plate empty, and settled her hands in her lap. "I assume that both of you have given some thought to your future's as," she paused looking up at Siobhan with a faint smile. "do-gooders, in the galaxy." She avoided the term Jedi, she had a sneaking suspicion Siobhan might have ended this conversation there and then if she had.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Rosa Gunn"]


Indeed, the suggestion that any of her children might become Jedi would put Siobhan in a foul mood, triggering a negative reaction. She liked a few individual Jedi well enough, but by and large felt contempt for their orders. And their penchant for endless conclaves.


"I'm going to join the Order of Fire and fight the good fight just like Auntie Sio and Auntie Tempest," Adril declared confidently. "I wanna fight bad guys, explore unknown worlds and save innocents." Would she acquire a harem, lose limbs and be known as Butcher Junior? Only time would tell.


"I aspire to become a researcher for Firemane's Science Department," Livia spoke. "I can help people and acquire knowledge through diligent, scholarly research. I am fascinated by modern sciences, machines and alchemy."


"I already see it coming. You're gonna try and disprove the existence of Midichlorians," Siobhan joked.


"Aunt Siobhan, they do not make logical sense. Too many still treat the Force as a mystery as opposed to a phenomena that can be understood in rational terms," Livia said in her best posh Basic accent.


"And I encourage you to shed some light on it," Siobhan said jovially, ruffling Livia's hair slightly. "Just know that you'll always be left with more questions. There we go: The future warrior and the scientific prodigy, my little girls. Adril, please don't emulate me too much though by losing limbs. It would help keep my blood pressure down."


"Yes, Auntie. I'll just cast Force Shield! Or use Force Speed."


"Darn. That's the trick. I knew I was forgetting something all those years," Siobhan chuckled. For all her serious attitude, she was able to show a sense of humour and even be self-deprecating on occasion. Perhaps it helped explain why the girls were so devoted to her.

 

[Rosa Gunn]

Rosa chuckled, the dynamic between the three of them warming her heart. She noted the absence of Siobhan's mask in the presence of the girls she was raising as her own, the hard lines of her face softened by love and the slight slackening of her shoulders. Here Siobhan did not carry herself like a woman that bore many title, but simply as a woman that bore one: Mother.

Whatever these two girls became, they would always be loved. She pursed her lips at Livia's words regarding midichlorians. She agreed that the were illogical but that the force was something to be understood in rational terms? She smiled, perhaps, but Livia would have a hard time proving the latter. and Adril, so eager to become Siobhan and fight, she would need to learn restraint where she suspected Siobhan had not. She kept her thoughts carefully to herself.

"I think I might have to keep an eye on both of you by the sounds of things, so set as you are on making waves." she said with a smile. "Once your aunt and I have concluded our business. I'll fetch the sabers form my ship. Then we can see what we can do about a little training."

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Rosa Gunn"]


One could imagine how Siobhan would react when and if Adril returned home from a fight with serious injuries. She would not be a happy camper and probably accuse the young girl of being extremely reckless. This would be tremendously hypocritical, but then 'do as I say not as I do' was a principle she abided by.


Nonetheless, in the presence of her girls, far from the daily problems that were part and parcel of running her personal empire, she could relax. Her worries faded away...to a degree at least. She had made many mistakes when it came to raising her previous children. Mistakes that had cost her dearly. But this time she would do it right.


Adril, oblivious to the thoughts coursing through her aunt's head, looked eager. "Ok, great. I'm looking forward to it!" she said eagerly and glanced towards Siobhan. "Your business with Ms. Gunn is gonna go well, right?" Maybe she was just a bit concerned that an ill outcome would get in the way of sabre lessons.


"Yes. Now be a good girl and help your sister with the chores. And don't leave all the work to her again." Did Siobhan do any household chores? Probably not really. In all likelihood she'd say she did enough chores by earning lots of money and beating up bad people.


"Come on, Adril," Livia urged her sister. "It has been nice to make your acquaintance, Ms Gunn," she added in the direction of the Jedi Master. Alas, Midichlorians were there to stay, but that would not stop the girl from trying. Regardless, the two little ones exited the living room, carrying the dishes and such.

 

[Rosa Gunn]

Rosa bowed her head in response to Livia, "The pleasure has been mine, Livia." She winked at Adril who bounced after her sister, clearly eager to get their chores done so training could begin. Longing lingered in Rosa's smile, scooping up her glass she took a sip and pushed it from her mind. Perhaps, one day, she and Seydon would find a way to overcome the barrenness and sterility that afflicted them.

"They are wonderful girls, Siobhan." she said softly, turning her lilac gaze back to the formidable woman that had been kind enough to open her home to Rosa. She wondered if all her business partners were invited in so readily...then recalled Adril's opening question about being one of her Aunts girlfriends. Amusement glittered in her eyes. "You're going to have your hands full with the pair of them."

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Rosa Gunn"]


"Thank you. I reckon they'll be more than a handful, especially when they get older and begin to spread their wings." And start dating. That would be awkward. Especially if one of them brought a boy home. "But I'll be worth it." And this time I'll do it right.


The deep longing in Rosa's expression did not escape her. Siobhan was about to suggest that there were many orphans who'd appreciate a good mother to care for them, but then thought better of it. It was not her place and might send the wrong message. "Anyhow, I believe we have some business matters to wrap up."

 

[Rosa Gunn]

Rosa nodded, puching thoughts of children from her mind and focusing on the reason she had come her in the first place. "Yes. Now...where did we get to?"

She pursed her lips for a moment recalling their earlier conversation. "I believe we agreed on six Liorre-class freighters, with skeleton crew for two of them until I can find more hands, while the other four remain here till I can find the funds to convert them. Am I correct?"

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Rosa Gunn"]


Rosa was cute. Shame she was not interested in a tryst. She was probably straight anyway. Besides, her evil writer likes to tease Sio. Anyhow, on with the plot. Siobhan nodded. She had an eye for good figures.


"Yes, that tallies with what I had mind. I can see if any Firemane personnel would like to help out with the Foundation, on a temporary basis. My niece Elpsis might. She's an aspiring healer," she said. Though she'd do well to learn some discipline, she thought.

 

[Rosa Gunn]

"That would be wonderful, thank you." Siobhan seemed to have a seemingly endless supply of nieces, but if Elipsis was aspiring to be a healer than Rosa would be more than content to help her along the way and what better way for a young healer to gain experience than helping those who were in greatest need of it.

"I don't think there was anything else was there? The ships alone will have a phenomenal impact on what the Foundation will be able to achieve. I am grateful."

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Rosa Gunn"]


Proving her meanness, Rosa's writer would subsequently send the nice healer lady to a Jedi conclave. It is this one's headcanon that the experience was so demotivating that Rosa decided to get her Rogue Master tag back. This one can't blame her.


As for nieces, Siobhan had quite a few. Surprisingly, she had better luck with them than with daughters. Those had a tendency of going insane or joining the bad guys. Thus all the young ones in her household would be nieces...since daughters were clearly cursed! Or maybe Siobhan was just a bit superstitious.


"Excellent. I believe our business is concluded then. I look forward to...seeing more of you in the future. My girls are clearly fond of you, dear." As long as they did not end up visiting Jedi conclaves, she was fine with Rosa spending time with them. She seemed to have a good head on her shoulders. Jedi like that were very rare. Almost like an endangered species. Regardless, she extended her hand.

 

[Rosa Gunn]

Rosa herself would not be visiting any more conclaves, her experience with the last one was enough to set her mind straight that they were indeed a waste of time, so Siobhan's unspoken fears would never come to light. She gave a wide smile. "I'm sure we will, I don't think Addy would forgive me if I went back on my word of teaching her how to use a lightsaber."

Extending her hand she took Siobhan's and shook it. Another hurdle for the Foundation defeated. She rose smoothly from her seat. "Speaking of which, I should go and fetch those training sabers. I will go easy on them."

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Rosa Gunn"]


Even the most stalwart Jedi could be shaken in their faith by attending too many conclaves. There was statistical evidence that attendance could even cause previously pure Jedi to flirt with the Dark Side. So it was heartening to hear that Rosa would not be tormented like that.


Anyhow, on with the plot. Siobhan took the offered hand and shook it. Her grip was firm, though she was a bit tired. "I'm sure you will. There's a training room in the suite. The girls know the way. One of the guards will let you in." Sometimes the kids got to watch Sio lift absurdly heavy rocks, though that happened less these days.


"If you need anything further, give me a call." So she escorted the Rogue Jedi to the door, then departed. She still had plenty of work to do. She was not exactly happy about spending most of her time behind her desk these days, but she had duties to perform.