We're already in the Aftermath

[Zandra Tal'verda]

"Hey Cal! I heard the battles over. Sounds like it was pretty rough. I didn' get all the details, but according to the holonet news, I guess a lot of people died. Sounds rough. You're okay, right?"

Zandra was recording another message. Her others didn't seem to get through. Nothing seemed to get through. Was he actually dead? Was something wrong? Was he hurt maybe? Maybe he didn't see that she'd already left him 2 messages since the end of the battle.

"Look, just, when ya get this, lemmy know, 'kay? I can't believe I'm actully sayin' this, but I'm worried for ya. Only a little, o' course. Don' let it get to yer head. Anyway, I got somethin' to tell ya too. Lemmy know when I'll see ya next. "

She ended her transmission with a little forced smile, then sighed, looking over at the holo Communicator on her cluttered work bench. She was good at playing calm, but that fact that she bothered to send more than one message ever was a sure sign that she wasn't.
That annoying woman at Nameless had been right, and Zandra wanted to hunt her down and punch her in the face for it. She hadn't had a drink in almost a whole day, and it was all because of her. Well, no. Not really her. She made her aware of it, yeah, but she certainly had nothing to do with how it happened.
She had Calico to blame for that.

[member="Calico Tal'verda"]

 

[Revenchent]

The return message showed no image. Instead, it was simply a voice recording made shortly after Calico had a moment to spare and glanced over his inbox.

"Hey. Apologies for being short with my replies, things have escalated. The Protectorate has made me one of their Generals, and Drunkenwell has been a complete mess. On top of that, I was unconscious for two days. Things went out of control, and the Confederacy dropped the shipyards down on the planet. A lot of people died."

There was a bit of hesitation before he continued.

"Galaar didn't make it. I'm going to have his funeral as soon as the war is over. Then I'll come back to Abregado. I'm fine, by the way. Nothing permanently damaged...what is it you need to tell me?"

[member="Zandra Fenni"]

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

Zandra had been at her work bench when the return message came. She nearly fell out of her chair when she heard the little beep, saying she had a message. Good thing she hadn't gone out like she planned. She might not have heard the message for hours. Zandra pushed her goggles up on top of her head, set her project down, and went to review the message.
She was disappointed that there was no image to accompany his message, but she supposed that it was possible the signal wasn't very good. She didn't care right now, either way. He was alive. That was enough.

Unconscious for two days. It sounded like one heck of a fight then. But what he said about the 'feds made Zandra wince. She'd heard something similar on the holonet news reports. She wasn't sure how much could be believed, but it seemed like for once, they got it right.

Then the news of Galaar hit. There was such a deep disappointment there.
Now we'll never go out for drinks...

"Don't worry 'bout my stupid stuff right now! I'll tell ya what i gotta tell you in person. It ain't right this way," she replied once the initial surprise wore off, "'Sorry about Galaar. I know you two were real close."

She paused, taking a deep breath. It was when she spoke of death, that she most often offended people. She didn't see dying as such a tragedy as most would, as long as they died well. And a funeral wasn't a time for crying, it was a time to celebrate, Especially if that person led a good solid life.

"But did he have a good death? Did he die fightin'? I know it ain't easy now, but when a man dies with honor, he ain't really dead. So long as he got people to tell his story. Least that's what Papa told me.
Anyway, Cal, I'm at least glad to see you ain't died with honor yet. You got plenty of time before I let you end your story."

She meant it as a playful joke between friends, but as she said it, she wasn't quite sure how he'd take it. He was tough, but he was still human. Humans were hard to predict. They weren't raised like her people. Now she was starting to regret sending that message.

[member="Calico Tal'verda"]

 

[Revenchent]

The return message had a face this time. It was simply the image of Calico from the base of his neck up and no backdrop. His lips were pressed into a thin line, and a number of yellow bruises mottled his bearded face.

"He was my brother. More than close." He hesitated for a moment. "He died by my hand for the Confederacy. Moments later, the CIS made the planet almost uninhabitable. He was deceived, and he died for it. He fought with honor, and I'll see that he is remembered for such."

Calico fell silent for a long moment. He had the expression of a worry stricken man. As if the galaxy's worries were all held upon his shoulders, and threatening to crush him at any moment. "I don't intend to die anytime soon. I owe it to him, at the very least....I'll head back to Abregado, you can tell me whatever it is there, alright?"

His lips pursed as if he wanted to say more, and the beginning of an ' I ' formed on his lips, but he did not speak. Instead, he offered a ghost of a smile, and the message cut out.

[member="Zandra Fenni"]

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

Zandra waited for the return message this time, legs pulled up to her chest on the edge of her messy bed. It would come soon. Any second now. She knew it.
And then, there it was.

She was surprised to see this face now. Not the face that left her about a month ago. Not the face she'd woken up to. This face was... older, somehow. He was beaten, battered, but she refused to believe he was broken. Not yet.

"Cal, before you go," she sent back, almost at once, "Err... thanks. For talking to me, I mean."

There was a long awkward moment of silence where she struggled with what she meant. Truth was, she'd been rather lonely out there on the dirty streets. She never noticed that loneliness before. Not until this month.

"Well! I guess I'll see you when ever! Don't hurry. Take all the time ya need. You know where to find me."

With that, she ended her message, falling back on the mattress with a long sigh.


"I can do this. Calico, I'm pregnant. Cal, I'm pregnant," she practiced saying it out loud, hating the way the words felt on her lips, "Cal, you knocked me up. Cali, I got a bun in the oven. I'm having your abortion. No. I'm carrying your fetus. Ya fertilized my eggs. I'm pregnant with your half-breed kid. Congrats. The test came back positive. Surprise! I'm pregnant!"

She put her hands over her face and groaned out loud.

"Calico... we screwed up."

[member="Calico Tal'verda"]

 

[Revenchent]

Calico hadn't thought to send a message back. The war wasn't over, and he had been called for reports on Kamino. The Protectorate wanted every piece of the Confederacy wiped out, and they were making it very clear. He replayed Zandra's message for a second time, and breathed a heavy sigh. What was he supposed to say?

"I missed you too." He murmured quietly into the cam. It was all honesty and little playfulness now. Calico just didn't have the heart to crack jokes as of late. Galaar's death had hit too hard, been to sudden, too unfair. The Confederacy was going to pay with blood and bodies for the life of his brother, yet Calico still found himself taking the time out of his planning to reply.

"They're talking about Kamino. After that, Bothuwai, and then Zenith Prime. I should return after that...I'll keep in contact when I can, but you know how war is Zandra."

[member="Zandra Fenni"]

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

"Can't do it," she grumbled, hands still over her face, "I'm bad at... this."
She rolled over on the bed, grumbling in frustration when another message finally came back.

'I missed you too.'
Zandra's frustration melted away. For just one blink of a moment, something seemed right. She wasn't quite as, well, frankly terrified, as she was before.

"Take your time, Cal," she responded, shaking her head lightly, "No rush. Just... don't get yourself killed out there before we can talk face to face. I'll be here. I ain't going nowhere. I promise."

Another promise. Another vow she couldn't break. That was going to be tough. Not leaving before he got around to seeing her. But after that, after he came back, then it would all be just like normal again. When he got back, she would take him to Nameless, they'd listen to the bands play, have a drink, maybe go back to his place, or her ship if she was feeling brave... Then at some point, she'd let him know what happened.
And he'd take it... probably not well.

"You just drop me a message when you got the time and when you got nothin' else to do. Just to let me know you didn't die. I'm rootin' for ya, whatever it is you do."

[member="Calico Tal'verda"]

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

"Hey Cal, it's me again."

She was sitting on the edge of her bed this time, smiling.

"I'm fine. Beans fine. I'm leaving Coruscant finally. Found some new friends. Heading out with them. Things have been kinda hectic lately. After ya left, ya know? Thanks again, err... for comin' for me. I mean, with the Coruscant Butcher. But I had ta go after that. I ain't got time to get Zax fixed, so he's stayin' behind. You're welcome to stay there if ya ever find yourself on Coruscant without me, though. I hope ya don't but... well, ya know."

She cleared her throat, looking down at her feet, one toe poking though the white stocking.

"We're goin' to Lego. One of the moons. Heard there's some good treasure there. Need the credits, ya know? Might not get to message you again for a long time. Might be a month or so, depending. Wanted to just say... Well, I'm goin'. And... I miss you, I guess."

Even in the blue hologram, it was obvious the Echani was blushing.

"Don' worry. I'll take care o' Bean. You jus' take care o' yourself."

With that, the transmission ended.

[member="Calico Tal'verda"]

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

~10 minutes after last message~


"Oi, Cal! Before I leave, you forgot your coat here."

It was a silly thing to send a message about, but by the way the new Pirate captain was clutching the fabric, it was obvious that she at least thought it was important.

"I found it while I was packing. It was next to the bed. Ya should really be more careful not to forget things here."

She sat on the edge of the bed again, black coat spread across her lap. Behind her was a beaten up brown suitcase, packed full already.

"I'll bring it with me. Hang onto it for you. Keep it safe. you can have it back when ya see me next."

She threw it over her shoulders, letting the fabric of his coat absolutely swallow her. It was way too big, but she was smiling anyway.

"Alright. Now this is the last message I'll get to send you in a while. I won't say goodbye again, or tell ya to take care of yourself. You already know what I mean, I think."

In the background, someone was calling for her. She turned her face in the direction of the voice, then back to the holorecorder. She gave Calico one last smile, blew a kiss, and that was it.

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

~three weeks later~

"Cal, it's me again."

Zandra was sitting on a new bed this time, in a new ship. Not hers. It belonged to her pilot, Mr. Ross. But this was her cabin. Her bunk. Her little black booted feet hung off the bed, gently kicking back and forth. She looked nearly the same, almost. The oversized black coat she wore would be familiar to Cal*being when he saw her message.
She'd been wearing a lot less revealing outfits lately. Not by choice. She'd put on weight. It was to be expected for her condition, but she wasn't exactly ecstatic about it.

"I'm okay. Beans okay. Wondering how you are. You ain't responded. I didn't expect you to. I just kinda hoped that after this las' job..."

She shut her mouth for a few long moments. She wasn't one to go on about her feelings. Silently, she tucked a lock of messy blond hair behind her ear, fingered the braid near her temple, bit her lip.

"Oh. I met a... friend of yours on Coruscant. Forgot ta tell ya. He's a creep. Wanna say his name was... canbel? Camel? Somethin' like that. One o' your 'brothers'. You should know I tried to shoot him. I'll tell ya the whole story when I see ya next. Whenever that is, I guess."

The pirate captain bit down on her lip to control her annoyance.

"Well, I guess that's about it. Just letting you know I'm alive n' kickin'. Bean too. If you got the chance, tell me somethin'. Anythin' really. If you're alive, I mean.If not... I guess then it don' matter much, eh?"

With a worried smile, the message ended.