Wake Up

[Soliath Devin Talith]

Soliael stepped into the room.

He wore clothing that would be reminiscent of a time long passed. A single bodysuit, heavy fur cloak covering his shoulders and a pair of gloves on his hands. He wore that same smile that he had always worn, his beard grown back out and his hair getting longer again. Slowly the former Sith Lord wandered over to his wife, his hands sliding around her and his lips kissing her temple.

“Micah and Maleah are annoying Aela with the sound their snow pants make.” Soliael related to Kira, trying to inject a bit of joy into her.

Their children were the greatest source of that joy, the greatest well.

Beyond each other, perhaps even more so, the Children were what drove Soliael and Kira. The want and need to educate them, to raise them right, to see them happy and fulfilled. It pushed Soliael to be a better man, to be a better father than his own ever could have been. His thumbs stroked across her stomach, and his chest thrummed slightly as he hummed a low tune.

 

[Kira Talith]

"I'm not surprised, probably doing a dance and jingle around her to get her attention." Kira would say with a half smile, snuggling into [member="Soliael Devin Talith"]'s arms as he drew her into his warm embrace. She would turn on the balls of her feet to face him, her own arms snaking up over that familiar body suit as his cloak would shift to enclose her in.

It was like a flashback to Exocron, where he had also held her as close as he did now, wearing a similar furred cloak to keep the bite of the cold at bay.

Up on tippy toes she went, her lips placing a soft kiss against his own.

"How is she taking it?" she would ask, "Any Force speed tackling?" reaching up with one hand to brush back the growing length of his hair. ruffling it so. By now Maleah had returned Oma's necklace that Aela had given her for safekeeping, and as Sol had said, there was nary a word spoken about what had occurred on Geonosis. Oh there were tales of Naboo, Umbra, Hoth, and Kuat, but nothing on the war.

Knowing that their daughter will still need a method to alleviate the need to discuss her emotions and thoughts about what she did see, Sol had given her a journal. So far so good, and Esmae had taken to it like fish to water.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

“No.” Soliael said shaking his head. “She seems to be...calm about it.”

That was another thing. Their daughter had grown more relaxed, more easy going, at least for her. She no longer yelled at Micah, no longer screeched at Maleah, and she regularly played with Kaili. Of course playing for her was reading the young girl a book, but Nohei seemed to enjoy it.

It was something that he had noticed in the first week, and something that had stuck. Of course she was still her stoic self, that same attitude held strong in her. Yet it seemed she had discovered patience. Though the why of it still bothered Soliael more than anything else.

“I think it will be better once we get out into the snows. They'll be plenty busy.” This would be the first time that Nohei actually saw snow, and the first time that Micah and Maleah had seen so much of it.

Aela had had her fill on Hoth.

 

[Kira Talith]

"You're right."

Kira would agree, giving a faint smile, but there was still a measure of worry that would linger in her sky blue eyes. All they had was time; time and to love on their children and give them plenty of support.

"Come on, I'm sure Nohei will enjoy her first taste of snow," she would flash out in a grin, attempting to lighten the mood. Taking a step back from his arms, she would reach towards the bed to put on her coat, tucking her gloves onto her pockets.

"I've a feeling that she'll be the one taking more tumbles than the rest of them," she said with a small chuckle, taking his hand to walk out of the room towards where their youngest would be.

Bundled up like a starfish in so many layers, the tiny little girl would give little grunts as she would attempt to put on her socks and her boots -- without help because she was a big girl.

"How you doing sweetheart," Kira would call out, peeking from the door. They would land soon, and after that, it would be an interesting little family adventure.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

Atoa was an interesting world.

It reminded him of Hoth really, though the atmosphere somehow seemed a bit friendlier. It was still bitter cold of course, still freezing enough to give you hypothermia, but the skies filled with nebula lights and the stars obscured, the planet just seemed...happier.

Maybe that was why he wanted to make a home here.

With a smile he watched as his children got themselves ready. Aela of course already dressed, Micah with his hat askew, Maleah bundled up more than any of the others, and Nohei quietly struggling to dress herself.

He loved seeing them all together, loved seeing them bond as a family. It was something that warmed his heart and forced him to remember what he was at his core, a Father. It made the rest of the galaxy seem so little, so useless. He had three daughters and a Son, four wonderful children that would go on to do great things.

That was enough.

 

[Kira Talith]

They were all bundled up and ready, the landing a little rougher than what they were used to. Being an ice world and breaking atmo on Atoa was bound to have some measure of turbulence. Yet even that would wane.

The ship landed on a clearing, a few klicks away from where they'd picked up life signs. They still wanted to be cautious, and Sol would be better equipped to play ambassador if the need arose.

The ramp would set down with a soft crunch on fresh snow. At least the skies were clear, the air crisp. Draith and Nohei were the first to shoot past Kira and Sol with a whoop of glee, getting their first real taste of the powdery white.

A crooked smile then a call from her came after them," Be careful! Nohei watch where you're stepping or you'll--"

In that instant Nohei sank a good two feet into the snow, a small cry of alarm followed by the laughter of her brother. He came over to help her, dragging her out of the Nohei sized hole.

"Kids.." she'd mutter, but unable to stop the widening of her grin at that.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

He smiled.

Soliael lingered with Maleah and Aela, watching the two of them for a few seconds as they trundled down the ramp of the ship. They moved quickly, walking towards the ramp and tentatively stepping out into the snow.

It was sunny of course, the clear weather was a good thing. They had brought a few sleds, and had even taken some other winter things. Soliael had had to search everywhere on Borleias for them, not many shops had carried sleds of the paradise world.

Of course this trip wasn't all about having fun. He wanted his children to enjoy themselves, but they were here to scope out their new home...or rather their second home. Soliael had zero intention of abandoning Borleias just yet. They were close to the One Sith, but he loved that home, had lived there for nearly a decade.

He wasn't willing to give it up.

“Go have fun guys!” Soliale urged his eldest and the other twin.

 

[Kira Talith]

Have fun they did, the next hour was full of exploring the powdery white, discovering all the joys as well as the cons. Like falling off a sled and getting snow up your back. Not to best feeling.

Kira would plop Nohei on top of the sled, settling her in and holding her tight, "Okay kiddo, you ready?"

Wide orange eyes from her youngest would relay her glee, nodding frantically. "Here. We. go!" A push from Sol was all it took, and the two would squeal with the heady rush of speeding down the hill. It was fantastic. The bite of the cool air, the wind against their faces. How fast they were going. Adrenaline shot through their bodies, and Nohei's little arms would fight in between wanting to hold tight and waving them with glee.

Meanwhile, Micah would practice his telekinetics, forming and packing a ball of snow with the Force. There was a mischievous glint in his eyes. One that came to fruition as a ball of snow went flying at Aela's direction, right at the back of her head.

Things were lighthearted; cheerful even. The somberness felt a month about seemingly gone for now.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

Soliael watched.

Kira played, made sure Nohei got attention, but Soliael only watched. He smiled and enjoyed simply watching his children. Maleah clowning around, Nohei sledding, Micah trying to throw a snowball at his sister only to fail when she used telekinesis to stop it.

She had that advantage for now, the force.

Soliael smirked slightly, but also allowed his gaze to shift more towards their surroundings. He watched the valleys, the mountains, the hills. He looked for something, a place that they could build, a place that they could live.

Perhaps somewhere where the snow would not be too thick.

Where they could sit in peace.

 

[Kira Talith]

"Keep thinking so deeply and you're gonna wrinkle there, Mister Talith."

Kira's cheeky reply would float from behind Soliael, his wife flashing him a wide grin from under her thick beanie. Her cheeks were a bright pink from the cold, but she didn't seem to mind at all. Eyes bright like the seas of Borealis, the petite Lorrdian came crunching through the snow to stand beside him.

"Find anything interesting?" she would ask him, curious and aware he was being the more responsible adult and had been surveying the area. She would bring her gloved hands up, breathing warm air upon them. Tapas would work just as well, but there was no need to depend on it. Ever the Force frugal one.

"Any prospects?"

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

“A few.” Soliael said with a smile.

He wanted a mountain top.

That was something he had decided on early. Unlike on Borleias, the home on Atoa would need no cloaking device. It would be naturally hidden away and unfound. That was because of two reasons, the first was the snow located on the planet, and the second...well to be perfectly truthful, nobody cared about this world.

Atoa held no natural resources, it had no shipyards, no armies, nothing.

Nobody would come for this world, nobody would invade, it would be safe. Soliael knew that, it was why he had picked it. “How about there?”

He pointed to a nearby mountain, its peak rising high into the air.

 

[Kira Talith]

Kira would follow the invisible line Soliael would point out, blue eyes drifting across the expanse of white out towards the mountain range. The face of it would head east, ensuring an early sunrise and the light of the dawn. The natural protective enclosure would provide a suitable niche for their home -- as long as it wasn't too extravagant.

Condensation would flow from her mouth in a soft cloud of warm breath, her eye squinting into the distance. She was trying to picture it, frame it. A second later, both hands came up to do just that, her forefingers and thumbs adjusting as her right hung over her left, tips touching. She gave a grin.

"It might work..." she told him, "Not too shabby. " a though came to her. "Is the season pretty stable year round?" while she knew it was a frozen world, depending on how climate and seasons had changed since the last time Sol was here, anything could happen.

"No annual storms or the like?"

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

“Not around here.” Soliael said calmly. “This is the warm part of the planet.”

Of course, it never got above zero.

All of Atoa was a frozen ball of ice, that was simply what the planet was. Perhaps it was the distance from the sun, or perhaps it was the odd rotational period, or maybe ti was the Nebula. No matter what the reason the planet was a perpetual snowball. Of course there would be storms, blizzards and perhaps something worse from time to time, but they could deal with that.

Their home would not be some fragile log cabin after all.

It would be nice to weather a storm or two, they had done it plenty of times on Borleias...though shields always helped in doing such a thing.

 

[Kira Talith]

"Well even the warm part of the planet requires a fireplace or two," she'd quip out at Sol with certain sass. A soft giggle escaped from the petite Lorrdian, and she kept the finger frame up so she could peer through it.

"I'll expect a big kitchen!" She's say with half seriousness, grinning like a minx. Oh she was sure she was going to get it, but she enjoyed playing around with her husband. "And a big living room area!" What else would they need.

"A training room I suppose. A library- Esmae wouldn't know what to do with herself without one. A place for Toofless, Khal, and the others too " Kharyi was inseparable from that Nexu.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

He nodded.

They would have all that, though it would take time to build. They would have to get a proper survey team onto Atoa and then a team of construction droids. He would think it would take a month or two, but if they paid more droids...well then it would go faster. He would also have to contact the Atoan government, though that shouldn't be a problem.

They would be happy to have a benefactor as rich and unconnected to politics as he was. “Maybe an observatory.”

Soliael mused to Kira as he looked up at the beautiful nebulonic sky.

 

[Kira Talith]

"I'd like that. I'm sure the kids would too," she would say in agreement. A thought came to her then. She was aware that each of their children had special affinities. Having a place for them to grow in those skills and practice would do well to keep them occupied.

"How about a small shop area for Nohei and her droids and speeder?" Their youngest would enjoy continuing to dabble in tech and mechanics.

Another thought came to her,"Micah's been spending more time with his uncle," she spoke of Dissero and Micah's interest with whatever they did together. She didn't quite get it, but she trusted Dissero and Sol to not be doing things that would worry her. "Maybe something for him to explore that too?"

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

“A hangar.” Soliael told her.

They would need one anyway. A ship left out in the cold night temperatures would quickly find itself with frozen fuel lines and massive components missing from scavengers. They would need a hangar bay for any ship or shuttle that they kept on the planets surface. It would be easy enough to expand the hangar into a section for Nohei.

As for Micah, well, an entire room would do. Alchemy was usually practiced in deep dark, windowless basements, but that wouldn't really do for what Soliael wanted with his son. He had been teaching him that Alchemy could be used for good, sticking him in a basement wouldn't do.

“A sunroom will do fine for that.” He looked up for a second. “Nebula room...whatever you want to call it.”

 

[Kira Talith]

“A nebula room,” Kira would chuckle, but admiring the name none the less. She gave a nod. “That would work.” came her agreement, dropping her hands to turn to her husband. Both arms would slip and snake under his own, circling his waist to give him a sideways hug. Her petite stature would only be dwarfed by his sheer height, a comical sight to be sure by any casual observer.

“Hmm… Definitely will need a good comm room. We still need to know what is going on out there,” and keep ahead of things if need be. With the way things were looking with the Republic and the One Sith, there was a reason to stay up to date with the current news.

“We will need to contact the locals right?” came her question, “We can’t just randomly build on a mountainside and expect it to not to belong to anyone?”

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

“I'll take care of that.” Soliael said simply.

Of course he had people to do that, but he knew the Atoans wouldn't mind seeing the face behind the money, in fact they would likely insist upon it. Hidden deep within the nebula, he knew that Atoans preferred to stay on their own. They were isolationists, but Soliael and his family were not a government trying to take over.

They were a family that needed a home.

Well, a second home anyway.

Atoa was the perfect spot really. He smiled slightly as he looked up at the mountains, then stepped closer to his wife. He slipped his arms around her and squeezed slightly, smiling down at her. The force subtly began to flow through him, a pile of snow behind Kira slowly lifting into the air.

 

[Kira Talith]

[member="Soliael Devin Talith"]

Laughter would erupt after a sudden gasp of shock. That pile of snow would fall over Soliael's wife's head, scattering the cold fluff around her hair, against her neck, and over her jacket. The tiny glittering ice crystals would cling to the blonde locks, and her expression would turn from one of surprise to a fierce glitter of determination.

"Oh you are sooo going to pay for that!" came her threat, squealing with amusement and laughter as the petite blonde would see fit to send her husband onto a pile of snow, their children watching with pointed fingers and whoops and hollers on who would win.

It was an idealistic day, one that would wane as the sun would travel across the blue gray sky. Soon, they would all gather round, weary from their day among snow laden activities, but with a cheerful joyful demeanor that gave Kira a measure of relief. Even Aela had broken a smile or two, and for the Lorrdian mother, that was a fantastic way to end the day.

~~~

The next morning would bring the Talith family towards the mountain range that Soliael and Kira had discussed the day prior. There was some difficulty finding a good spot to land, but Felix pulled through at the end. This day would not be filled with relaxation, but with survey and observation. All the kids would be given a specific task, and it was much an on the job training as a necessity. Each would go in pairs, surveying the area and taking note of the geographical landmarks.

Kira had her own objective, as did Sol, but the day would first start out with waffles!