Wake Up

[Soliath Devin Talith]

Waffles.

Soliael liked waffles, though his method of eating them had always been strange to the rest of his family. Instead of eating with a knife and fork like a normal person, Soliael grasped them, poured syrup into the small ridges along the waffle, then folded them in half and walked away with the tasty breakfast treat, much like a sandwich.

It was what he had always done, and would always do. So while everyone else was at the breakfast table, Soliael stood calmly over a holographic projection of the mountain ranges, watching as the land was surveyed by a small drone that he had sent up into the air.

This was the most important part.

They lacked not for funds to build their fortress, but it was important to find stable ground. The more stable it was now, the longer it would hold and last. Soliael intended to live on Atoa for a long time.

It would be a home, like Borleias, but safer.

 

[Kira Talith]

This was as good as any time for the children to practice Tapas within a cold environment. While Soliael would busy himself with the probes, his wife would give each of the kids their respective waffle. It was funny how each one enjoyed it differently. Kaili would make a mess of things, her tiny hands struggling to spear the waffle bits with her fork as she gave the cheesiest grin. She was after all, a big girl now and she could do it herself!

Well, as much as she could with her mother ever at the ready with a napkin to wipe the sticky syrup from her hands and face. The twins were apt to try and attempt to mimic their father, which resulted in a mess with their syrup leaving noticeable honey stains on their shirts. Yep, they will all seem to require some time in the refresher before going outside for some training and nearby surveying.

Aela, however, would eat her food as daintily as possible. But that was normal for her. She was always the one to be neater, more organized. This was something that Kira was used to, but she could only hope that perhaps the brief smiles she got yesterday would carry over in a new morn.

"You liking your waffle, Aela?" Kira asked, wiping at Nohei's left hand with a wet napkin.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

Much like a Queen, or perhaps a princess would be more accurate, Aela simply ate her waffles with a fork and knife. She held each instrument with such care that it would appear as though they were about to break in half. It was quite odd to be honest, and looked as though Aela had simply no care for eating at all, lest the utensils break.

When her mother spoke, Aela simple looked up at smiled at her, mouth filled with bits of dough and syrup.

Soliael wandered back in just then catching his oldest smiling at her mother and panning his orange gaze towards his wife. “I know where were gonna put it.”

He said with quite the bit of confidence.

 

[Kira Talith]

[member="Soliael Devin Talith"]

Kira would glance up just as Sol came in, a cheeky smile on her face after receiving one from her eldest. She gave a slightly dramatic widening of her eyes and gave an air of expectancy with a questioning dip of her head.

"Oh?" she asked, prepping Soliael another waffle just how he liked it. "And where is this exalted location?" Kira would tease, fingers slightly sticky with syrup as she handed him a plate for him to take his taco waffle. One finger went into her mouth to lick the syrup off. She had the worst tendency of eating while cooking, noshing on things here and there while she made sure the kids had their meal.

Maybe this was just the toil of motherhood? Eating on the go!

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

“The valley to the north.” Soliael said simply.

It was an ideal location really. It would allow them to nestle the house...fortress...citadel...thing right on the mountainside. They would have a good view of the surrounding territory, be mostly out of the storms that sometimes came through, and allow them to actually see the stars.

Most importantly however it was isolated.

Much like the home on Borleias, Soliael was determined to keep his family away from anyone, and everyone. Of course his children would visit the cities of Atoa, but he wanted them to be alone. He was a private individual, always had been, but that wasn't what this was about.

Atoa would be a fortress for them, a retreat.

They needed to be alone for that.

 

[Kira Talith]

[member="Soliael Devin Talith"]

The valley to the North? Curiosity sparked in her blue eyes, moving along side him to trade him the plate of waffles for the holographic datapad he held in his hand. Licking more syrup from her thumb, she would scan over the miniature representation of the northern valley. Closer inspection had her understand what he had discovered. The niche within the landscape would provide shelter similar to that of of the Exocron Fortress.

Her lips turned down in an expression that said, 'not too shabby,' and she gave a nod. "Huh, pretty good." her free finger would shift the image for thermal scans. Much to her delight, there were a number of nearby hot springs. Was there an underground system as well? She swiped and flicked again, returning to the three dimensional holographic map.

"Hmm... are you thinking of building a hibridium cloak here too?" she asked him, mulling over what defensive precautions would they have to take here, if at all.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

[member="Kira Talith"]

Soliael shrugged.

“No.” There wasn't any need for it. “No one is going to come for Atoa.”

That was a simple truth, a kind of sad one, but one that the Atoans themselves knew. Of the planets within the system, Umbara was the more strategically important. The Umbarans had long enveloped themselves in the robes of galactic politics, the Atoans however had remained completely silent, declining the spotlight and instead staying in their own little spotlight. “If they do, we'll be hidden naturally by the snow drifts.”

He didn't mention the other defenses he had planned, but they would be enough.

A smile pulled at his lips, and his kisses his wifes cheek, having to bend half over to do so.

 

[Kira Talith]

[member="Soliael Devin Talith"]


A dimple would smile under the brief press of his lips. "How soon do you think we can start building then?" she would ask him, staring up at her husband as the kids ate their meal. A few pairs of eyes would watch them curiously. After all this dealt with very important information. Like where each would have their rooms at!

"And how long do you think it will take before it is completed?' it all depended obviously on what resources they would be required to buy and procure. They also had to narrow down how they would like to design their future home. There were all tiny nuances that they would need to be discussed, but a general timeline shouldn't be too difficult.

Kira would move around Soliael, moving to sit down beside Nohei. She shined her a bright grin, wiggling her brows as she said in an excited voice, "Hey sweetie, enjoying your waffle?" another small bitesized piece would get squished in a tiny hand and then shoved into their youngest's mouth in answer.

Yup. Totally loved waffles!

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

[member="Kira Talith"]

Soliael shrugged.

“Construction won't take long.” There were three truths when it came to construction, or rather, three choices that one could only pick two of. Fast, cheap, and Well Built. You could either have Fast and Well built, but then it would be expensive. Or you could have Well built and cheap, but then you wouldn't have it fast. Lastly you could have fast and cheap, but then it wouldn't be well built.

Luckily for the Talith family, they had more money than they knew what to do with.

Because of that their home would be built well, and it would be built fast. Native Atoans who wanted to work on the project, droids, and anyone else Soliael would trust would aid in the constructions. The Atoans would be especially helpful given that this was their world, who knew better how to build here then them?

 

[Kira Talith]

[member="Soliael Devin Talith"]

“”Do you want me to join you with talking to the Atoans?” came Kira’s curious and helpful query, popping a bite of syrup drenched waffle into her mouth. She would chew thoughtfully. It might be good for the Atoans to see that they were dealing with a family seeking to find a home, not a conqueror.

“I’m curious about them and I think it would be good for the kids to go out and mingle.” she’d add, waving her fingers in a slight gesture. “Tapas training could also be a nifty thing to consider while we are out there.. they are used to all of Boreleia’s heat, not this cold -- No, honey,” Kira immediately bent forward to try and prevent Nohei from throwing a piece of waffle at Micah’s hair.

“It’s nice to share, but your brother has his own.” she’d say with a chuckle.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

“Sure.” Soliael said.

The Atoans culturally weren't all too different, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to have Kira and the kids there.

If Micah could behave himself, and if Aela could smile for once, then the family would be a sort of display of exactly what Soliael was hoping to bring to the planet. He didn't want to bring war, he didn't want to bring a battle. All he wanted was a place for his family to live peacefully. He was sure that the Atoans would understand, especially if they could see exactly who his family was.

It was slightly manipulative, but then again Soliael had once manipulated hundreds of billions of people into believing that he was a god, this was nothing compared to that.

“Dress well.” Soliael said with a smirk. “They're very strict about that.”

 

[Kira Talith]

Kira's eyes grew wide at that, and there was a knowing look that passed between her towards Soliael then.

"Dress well, eh?" she would repeat, brows arching up and the corner of her mouth would quirk up in private amusement. "How strict?"

There was a double meaning in that, but she would end it with a slight chuckle. Grabbing one sticky Kaili from her chair, the mother of four would juggle the three year old and lean over to kiss her husband on the cheek.

"Give us half an hour and we'll be ready."

[member="Soliael Devin Talith"]

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

Now he played the waiting game.

He did that often, though not often enough for it to be any real problem. Of course he helped in getting the kids dressed, that was no real issue. He just happened to always pick the more cooperative of the four children, his eldest Daughter and usually his son. Though Aela had no objections to getting dressed up, Micah did somewhat.

Kaili and Maleah on the other hand...well neither of them really enjoyed fine dresses.

Eventually Soliael sat on the acceleration couch within the shuttle, his daughter reading a book and his son playing with one of the odd statuettes that he had received from his Oma, Soliael watched them out of the corner of his eye as he drummed his fingers against the side of the armchair, waiting for his wife.

 

[Kira Talith]

[member="Soliael Devin Talith"]

Four kids would be scrubbed clean -- well as well as they could be -- and dressed as neatly as one could attempt to have a Talith do so. Nohei was a giggling, wiggling bundle in her mother's arms while Micah was starting to tug at his collar. Maleah, well... she had been the one to give Kira the most trouble - and a few bite attempts! - but ultimately bribery in the form of a macaroni necklace did the trick.

Odd, to think that they were here. Odder still when one considered that if it had been said to the Jedi Master that she'd be married and have four kids, she'd have laughed. Funny how the Force wills things so.

A quick check of Maleah's jacket and a tug of Nohei's furred hood would ensure that the toddler would feel warm.

"Okay, ready!" Kira would call, flashing a sunny grin over to her husband. Rounding the acceleration couch, she'd ask him, "Want to take Nohei or do you want Maleah?"

Ahh the predicament on which child to look after!

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

Soliael didn't hesitate, scooping up Maleah and throwing her up on his shoulders.

Nohei was the smallest, but Maleah got the least opportunity to go outside. An odd genetic mutation within her core made her allergic to sunlight, their home on Borleias was an unfortunate placement for such a thing and it was part of the reason why they had come to Atoa. Soliael figured while they were here he would help his daughter get used to the outside, to the touch of the cold and the clouds that would allow her to actually stay outside.

Maleah made some sort of noise that Soliael couldn't identify, and he looked at his Wife with an odd expression.

"Lets go." He prompted them, taking off down the ramp of the ship with no further hesitation.

They were an odd fellowship, but one with a purpose. The Atoans would be expecting him, and well...the family would just have to keep itself entertained while he took care of business. Soliael was almost entirely positive things would go quickly, after all, who could deny him?

 

[Kira Talith]

[member="Soliael Devin Talith"]

Nohei would give little coo's and her chubby hands would find interest in the blonde strands of her mother's hair. Micah and Aela were a bit more easier to handle; Aela had taken Micah's hand at Kira's request. They were a curious little assembly, walking together in the brisk cold, Soliael in the lead with a child in his arms.

Most would likely be disarmed at the vision of a two meter man with a five year old curling her arms around his neck. With Maleah being a bit more sensitive to the light, she clung to her father with the faint wariness of a child unsure if she wanted to swim on the deep end of the lake.

The soft crunch of snow would follow in their wake, and with the skies clear, the capital city of Atoa was easy to see. The majority of the city was carved out of what would appear to be vast glaziers, but upon closer inspection, were really technology advanced materials that would blend into the ice, offering their own form of camouflage.

Kira's eyes would widen with curiosity, slowing a bit to take it in. Micah accidently bumped into his mother's leg, prompting a rub of his temple and a scrunch of his face.

"Sorry honey, go on ahead." she'd encourage Micah and Aela to catch up to their father. Not twenty meters out, a small entourage of Atoan natives would be standing.

"Looks like we got the welcoming party already..."

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

[member="Kira Talith"]

"Doesn't surprise me." Soliael told his wife as they lingered for a moment. "I think they might want us here more than we want to be here."

That wasn't exactly true.

They were all rather excited to be here, even Maleah was excited at the prospect of a world like this. It was cold, true, but it was a place that she could be outside, a place that she could explore without having to worry about the sun, and most importantly it was a place with new animals. Atoa had a rich wildlife, creatures that lived in ways that Soliael had never even thought of.

He would just have to make sure there were no wampas.

"Alright, lets go say hello." Soliael said as he reached down and gave his Wife a soft smack on the snow pants.

 

[Kira Talith]

[member="Soliael Devin Talith"]

The Lorrdian gave a slight gasp, an open mouthed one that turned into a sassy grin. Nohei flailed her little arms with glee, and would attempt to go lunging from her mothers arms over to Sol. Her attempt was foiled none the less, by her mothers firm hands.

"Oh no you don't you little bug," Kira's face would nuzzle against the soft peach fuzz cheek of her youngest. Nohei gave a gurgle of glee. Smiling past her daughter, Kira gave a nod to Sol. Well, this was it.

Heading forward, the Talith bunch would close the distance between them and the natives. The leader of the sorts would speak first. She had long straight black hair and was dressed in pale white. One could imagine they all generally blend into their surroundings.

"Welcome to Atoa. We've been expecting you" she began. " My name is Moi D'saer."

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

[member="Kira Talith"]

Welcome was perhaps a tad late, they had been here for quite a while after all. He smiled however, not really finding that bit of information at all relevant. Instead he extended his own hand and greeted the woman rather warmly. "Thank you."

There was a subtlety to this, a small bit of negotiation, a twist of the wrist, the pressure of him palm. The Atoans weren't Lorrdians, they didn't read into body language at a micron, but they could see well enough that Soliael was no threat, that he had brought his family as a token of how safe he felt, that he wanted to violence or anything of the sort to happen today.

Maleah stood at the womans feet her hand outstretched in mimicry of her father, staring up at the Atoan with bright orange eyes.

The woman knelt down before Maleah, releasing Soliaels hand and taking Maleahs in a soft shake.

"You have a lovely family."

Soliael practically preened at the complement. If there was one thing that could be said about him now it was the fact that he enjoyed his roll as a father, enjoyed who he was and what he had accomplished. His Oma had been right in thinking that his kids were to be his greatest achievement. "Thank you, Miss D'saer. We're all happy to be here."

 

[Kira Talith]

[member="Soliael Devin Talith"] wasn't the only one beaming. Kira had a wide grin splitting her face in two. Kaili was having a grand ol' time as well, as evidenced by her burbling and patting of her mother's cheek.

Micah came forward beside his twin, mimicking his sister as well to extend his hand in greeting. He was, however, the one far more apt to not stay still. Aela stood as proper as she could beside her father, and instead of offering a shaking of a hand, she would give a small curtsy. Which was adorable considering the thick layer of snow attire she wore.

A step forward brought her beside her eldest, a cafune of the knit hat she wore to keep her head warm.

"Indeed, we all are." Kira said, then introduced herself. "I'm Kira, this is Kaile, Maleah, Micah, and Aela." a slight touch of her fingers would gesture to each of their children.

"Perhaps we should all go somewhere a bit more comfortable?" The woman would offer with a warm smile, pointing towards the structure behind her.

"Do you have food?" Micah would ask abruptly. Despite having already had breakfast, he was already hungry again.