Skyka hit a couple of the buttons on her defender class starship. She was flying better than she ever had, but still had not gotten around to actually naming her ship - something that Selus constantly wanted her to do. As she landed in the space sport, she could almost feel the tension in the air and she rolled her shoulders trying to get rid of it.
The Twi'lek looked at the long purple trench coat that she wore to hide her saber from most people. She had thrown that idea out of the window the other night, and looked down at her shoulder where the blaster had grazed it. She pursed her lips and decided to forgo the coat, and not hide anything. She had a feeling Kisi was nervous about this visit. She grabbed a headwrap, wrapping it around her forehead and around the base of her Lekku, giving her a more formal appearance.
Kisi waited impatiently at the hangar's entrance in Coruscant's spaceport for Skyka to arrive. She'd sent a message for the Twi'lek to meet her there to go and visit with her mother since she was due for a visit herself. Her monkey-lizard, Ukee, was perched on her arm and shoulder as usual, trying to soothe her by giving her hair little pats and cooing gently at her. He knew better than anyone how these visits affected her. Sharing one with her new found friend was a huge step.
Skyka smiled when she saw Kisi and Ukee, flexing her lekku and the tip of her right one made a bit of a come here motion to the monkey-lizard so that she might pet him.
Kisi greeted her with her rogue-like grin as Ukee scrambled down to run ahead of her to Sky. In spite of the sharpness of his claws and the exposed skin left by the Twi'lek’s tube top, the little monkey-lizard's paws were barely felt as he bounded up her side to hug on her arm. "See? Now, that's weird. He won't even go to Kel'ri like that. I might be jealous."
The Cathar stepped forward to hug Sky, if a bit awkwardly. She wasn't used to the practice, but for some reason, Ukee's willingness to allow her friend to hold him made Kisi feel that tug toward the woman's maternal nature more distinctly - especially with the afternoon that was ahead of them.
Skyka smiled and hugged Kisi back using her free arm to reach out and give her a scratch behind her ears; and then lifted the arm Ukee was on to give him a little headbutt.
"Hmm.. I have lots of pets myself, and I love each and everyone one of them. He probably knows that." She winked at the monkey-lizard as he bounded off her arm and back onto Kisi's shoulder.
Skyka smiled slightly, hardly showing her 73 galactic years, and tilted her head slightly. "Is there anything I need to know before we go and see your mother?" she asked softly, knowing the little Cathar was nervous.
Ukee nuzzled the Kisi's ear as she answered. "Uh...she doesn't talk much," was all she would say as she turned around to lead Skyka to the taxi stand so she wouldn't have to look at her. There was more, but a lump had formed in her throat much like before when Skyka had first asked to meet her mother.
The speeder took them deep into the city's lower levels, and they disembarked in a little run down neighborhood that still showed signs from the Sacking. In fact, looking around the debris-strewn street Kisi led them down, it was almost hard to believe that this was the same planet where the senate tower gleamed in the sunlight somewhere above.
As they turned onto another street about four blocks down, Ukee began to chitter excitedly, and he thrust his paw into one of the Cathar's pockets to pull a little bag free before suddenly launching from her shoulder and bounding away toward a group of children playing together further down the street. This didn't seem to faze Kisi at all, and it seemed as though she had expected it, as watching him run off prompted a small grin.
The gathering of younglings was predominantly alien with two human boys among them. By the time Kisi and Skyka had caught up to the monkey-lizard, he was surrounded by the children, handing out candy from the bag in his paws as they all talked to him and scritched his ears. Most of them waved at Kisi, though a few of the younger ones were still obviously shy around the older girl - a smart instinct considering the neighborhood.
Skyka walked silently behind Kisi and her lekku flexed as if they had a mind of their own as she took in her surroundings. The area was dark and dingy, and the feelings of the people around assaulted her through the force. There was mistrust, anger, and mostly desperation. She resisted the tears that came to her eyes when she saw the children. She looked at them, and they gave her a wary look full of mistrust even though she was with someone they knew. She gave them a wink and wave of her hand, sending out good feelings towards them, and they all smiled back. She was glad that she could give them a little bit of relief in this dismal area. She was beginning to see why Kisi had always dodged the question of her mother. While they walked, Skyka was already working out a plan to take the woman out of here and help her.
Kisi told the younglings a corny joke about a spacer and a nerf, prompting giggles among them, then introduced Sky. They waved at her, and after admonishing them to stay out of trouble, the Cathar bid them farewell. By the time they reached their destination at the end of the street, Ukee was perched in his usual place, emitting little reassuring sounds once again as though trying to help give her strength.
It was a clinic, and as rundown as the exterior was, the interior was clean and sterile. Kisi led Skyka through the crowded waiting area and stepped past the intake desk to a side corridor that took them to a series of patient rooms, stopping just outside of one to turn back to look at the Twi'lek for the first time since they'd left the speeder at the taxi stand. "Uh...so, she's been sick for a while, and she doesn't always know where she is. So, Ukee and me got a few posters and bits of furniture to make it look like the room is a hotel room on a beach. So...if you don't mind...could you pretend it's the beach if she's awake?"
Skyka raised an eyebrow slightly when she heard Kisi's explanation. She had heard of this condition while she was in the academy and learning her healing practices - people whose minds tended to falter and they forgot who and what they were. She nodded solemnly, unsure of what to say in a situation like this. She was already tossing any idea out of her head about getting the woman out of the dismal area, and decided to just wait and see and go from there.
With a nod, Kisi turned to open the door, transforming from her solemn state to one of almost adolescent optimism, smiling as she stepped in and walked to the side of the bed in the tiny room that had obviously once been intended as an examination room in the clinic's earlier days. The young Cathar didn't just pretend to be happy; she believed herself into the person she knew her mother needed to see.
The weathered face of the older Cathar in the bed bore a deep scar along one cheek that defied the growth of fur in a long white line amid white fur with black markings that were the very mirror of her daughter's. Her graying hair was pulled back in a loose braid that was pulled over one shoulder, and her ears twitched and flicked back at the sight of Kisi as she reached out to take her hand and pull her close in greeting. "Dahro zhara, Svetlobi!"
Kisi bumped her head gently against her mother's. "Greetings. I brought a friend to meet you. Her name is Skyka."
The woman smiled weakly at the Twi'lek as she looked over at her and bowed her head in greeting. "Greetings, Skyka. Please, come in."
Skyka smiled at the transformation in Kisi and realized she had a great love for her mother. She walked further into the room and bowed her head in return to the Cathar, standing on the opposite side of the bed. "Greetings. You are looking quite beautiful. I've always wondered what it was like to have such beautiful fur. We Twi'leks are without any hair. "Even our eyebrows are tattooed on." She wiggled hers to emphasize the point.
The elder Cathar chuckled softly, interrupted by a cough that prompted Kisi to seek out a cup of water and insist that she take a sip before continuing. "And I have always wondered at how nice it might be not to have to spend so much time keeping it clean. I am Ferssenx. Are you here to take Kisi to Coruscant? I want her to begin school on time, but I don't want to leave until Gaver comes back."
There was a ghost of worry in Kisi's eyes for just a moment, and unseen to her mother where he was hiding behind her, Ukee patted the girl's hair at the back of her head. "Yes, Mama. Sky is going to take me to Coruscant, and I will wait for you there. So, you don't have to worry, okay?"
Skyka smiled and nodded at the older woman. "Aye, that is right. Kisi thought you would want to meet me before I took her to Coruscant. I will make sure that sure that she gets there on time. However, I personally love the beach and would never want to leave. It's so wonderful here!"
Skyka pulled up a chair and sat down next to the older woman. "What is Gaver like?" Skyka asked, looking to turn the woman's attention away from Kisi and school and something that obviously would not happen. She looked intently into Ferssenx's eyes showing supreme interest.
The query disturbed Kisi, who set about cleaning the little table beside the bed and fussed over her mother's fur and pajamas, making certain the nurses had been doing their jobs.
Ferssenx's smile, however, was telling. "He is very brave. If it weren't for him, Kisi would never have been born. He is as tall and broad as he is handsome, and we're going to go live in the Republic and raise our family together."
Skyka smiled and only glanced at Kisi as she fussed around. She felt the nervous tension coming off the little Cathar, but she couldn't mistake the smile on the older Cathar.
"That sounds wonderful. I, myself, love a Cathar man. He's rather stubborn, and not the straightest edge, but he loves me, and I him, and that is what matters most."
"Oh, Gaver isn't a Cathar. He's human," Ferssenx corrected her, looking around distractedly until she saw one of the posters on the wall that looked most like watching the beach through a window. It was a self-reassurance of sorts, and she smiled wearily as she reached over to pat one of Sky's arms. "You'll see, Svetlobi. Once he leaves his clan, we shall create our own clan, and we will go somewhere safe."
Skyka rested her arms on the bed, then rested her head on her arms. "The republic is a nice place, especially Coruscant, but it's so busy...with all the buildings and cars and everything. The beach is so nice and quiet."
Kisi's ears flicked and twitched in her unspoken agitation, and she leaned over to kiss her mother's forehead. "Okay, Mama. You get some rest, and when you wake up, Papa will be here waiting."
She gestured toward the Twi'lek and headed for the door.
Skyka nodded and leaned over to kiss the forehead of the older Cathar as well. Her big heart already had fallen in love with the older woman. She saw Kisi's agitation and figured she was probably going to get an earful, but the older woman had smiled and looked so in love that it was worth it to Skyka.
When Skyka stepped outside, she looked at Kisi straight on. "If you didn't want me to talk about something.. should've said something before hand." She raised one of her tattooed eyebrows at the little Cathar waiting for her response.
Kisi looked at the Twi'lek with a touch of confusion, then shook her head as she understood what her friend was referring to. Her smile had disappeared the moment the door had closed behind them, and Ukee was once more leaning over her shoulder, nuzzling her ear. The weight of the burden that these visits brought was evident in her blue eyes. "No, you were really nice with her. Thank you."
She turned to walk with Skyka back down the hall, stuffing her hands into her pockets. "She gets confused easy, and whenever she brings him up, I just want to run out of the room and scream my head off."
Skyka nodded slowly and tilted her head as she walked with her. "Well I have a couple of solutions if you want to hear them... " She looked over at Kisi with and raised eyebrow.
"I didn't bring you to ask for a handout or anything. I just thought it might help to - - -" She couldn't voice the rest of the sentence. Pride kept her from admitting that these visits seemed harder every time. "What kind of solutions?"
Skyka smiled and put her hand on Kisi's shoulder. "We could actually get her to a safer neighborhood, and then there is where I go into her mind, and see if I can actually fix anything, but that part is dangerous."
"Yeah, Kel wanted to move her too. Thing is, everyone in the neighborhood loves her, and if we move her, they can't visit so easy." Kisi stopped as a dark-haired human woman in a doctor's coat approached with a kind smile. They exchanged greetings, and the Cathar passed the doctor a credit stick as she explained that she couldn't stop to talk, saying she would call later. During this brief exchange, Ukee looked over at Sky, wiggled his eyebrows impishly, and reached out to take a lolli from the doctor's pocket.
Skyka clucked her tongue at the monkey-lizard, but had gotten used to his wild antics. "Ok then, if you want her to stay here we can..... what about my other option. I have experience and knowledge inside the mind. However, I want to warn you that being in someone's mind and in their memories is extremely difficult and I can't guarantee I will make her better. In truth, there is a slight possibility I'll make her worse."
Kisi shook her head as the monkey-lizard tugged the wrapper off of his prize and stuck it in his mouth. "Maybe if I'd met you before they tried to fix the aneurysm, but when that went wrong, she had a bunch of strokes. So, now, it's not just her head, it's her heart, I think."
Kisi told the younglings a corny joke about a spacer and a nerf, prompting giggles among them, then introduced Sky. They waved at her, and after admonishing them to stay out of trouble, the Cathar bid them farewell. By the time they reached their destination at the end of the street, Ukee was perched in his usual place, emitting little reassuring sounds once again as though trying to help give her strength.
It was a clinic, and as rundown as the exterior was, the interior was clean and sterile. Kisi led Skyka through the crowded waiting area and stepped past the intake desk to a side corridor that took them to a series of patient rooms, stopping just outside of one to turn back to look at the Twi'lek for the first time since they'd left the speeder at the taxi stand. "Uh...so, she's been sick for a while, and she doesn't always know where she is. So, Ukee and me got a few posters and bits of furniture to make it look like the room is a hotel room on a beach. So...if you don't mind...could you pretend it's the beach if she's awake?"
Skyka raised an eyebrow slightly when she heard Kisi's explanation. She had heard of this condition while she was in the academy and learning her healing practices - people whose minds tended to falter and they forgot who and what they were. She nodded solemnly, unsure of what to say in a situation like this. She was already tossing any idea out of her head about getting the woman out of the dismal area, and decided to just wait and see and go from there.
With a nod, Kisi turned to open the door, transforming from her solemn state to one of almost adolescent optimism, smiling as she stepped in and walked to the side of the bed in the tiny room that had obviously once been intended as an examination room in the clinic's earlier days. The young Cathar didn't just pretend to be happy; she believed herself into the person she knew her mother needed to see.
The weathered face of the older Cathar in the bed bore a deep scar along one cheek that defied the growth of fur in a long white line amid white fur with black markings that were the very mirror of her daughter's. Her graying hair was pulled back in a loose braid that was pulled over one shoulder, and her ears twitched and flicked back at the sight of Kisi as she reached out to take her hand and pull her close in greeting. "Dahro zhara, Svetlobi!"
Kisi bumped her head gently against her mother's. "Greetings. I brought a friend to meet you. Her name is Skyka."
The woman smiled weakly at the Twi'lek as she looked over at her and bowed her head in greeting. "Greetings, Skyka. Please, come in."
Skyka smiled at the transformation in Kisi and realized she had a great love for her mother. She walked further into the room and bowed her head in return to the Cathar, standing on the opposite side of the bed. "Greetings. You are looking quite beautiful. I've always wondered what it was like to have such beautiful fur. We Twi'leks are without any hair. "Even our eyebrows are tattooed on." She wiggled hers to emphasize the point.
The elder Cathar chuckled softly, interrupted by a cough that prompted Kisi to seek out a cup of water and insist that she take a sip before continuing. "And I have always wondered at how nice it might be not to have to spend so much time keeping it clean. I am Ferssenx. Are you here to take Kisi to Coruscant? I want her to begin school on time, but I don't want to leave until Gaver comes back."
There was a ghost of worry in Kisi's eyes for just a moment, and unseen to her mother where he was hiding behind her, Ukee patted the girl's hair at the back of her head. "Yes, Mama. Sky is going to take me to Coruscant, and I will wait for you there. So, you don't have to worry, okay?"
Skyka smiled and nodded at the older woman. "Aye, that is right. Kisi thought you would want to meet me before I took her to Coruscant. I will make sure that sure that she gets there on time. However, I personally love the beach and would never want to leave. It's so wonderful here!"
Skyka pulled up a chair and sat down next to the older woman. "What is Gaver like?" Skyka asked, looking to turn the woman's attention away from Kisi and school and something that obviously would not happen. She looked intently into Ferssenx's eyes showing supreme interest.
The query disturbed Kisi, who set about cleaning the little table beside the bed and fussed over her mother's fur and pajamas, making certain the nurses had been doing their jobs.
Ferssenx's smile, however, was telling. "He is very brave. If it weren't for him, Kisi would never have been born. He is as tall and broad as he is handsome, and we're going to go live in the Republic and raise our family together."
Skyka smiled and only glanced at Kisi as she fussed around. She felt the nervous tension coming off the little Cathar, but she couldn't mistake the smile on the older Cathar.
"That sounds wonderful. I, myself, love a Cathar man. He's rather stubborn, and not the straightest edge, but he loves me, and I him, and that is what matters most."
"Oh, Gaver isn't a Cathar. He's human," Ferssenx corrected her, looking around distractedly until she saw one of the posters on the wall that looked most like watching the beach through a window. It was a self-reassurance of sorts, and she smiled wearily as she reached over to pat one of Sky's arms. "You'll see, Svetlobi. Once he leaves his clan, we shall create our own clan, and we will go somewhere safe."
Skyka rested her arms on the bed, then rested her head on her arms. "The republic is a nice place, especially Coruscant, but it's so busy...with all the buildings and cars and everything. The beach is so nice and quiet."
Kisi's ears flicked and twitched in her unspoken agitation, and she leaned over to kiss her mother's forehead. "Okay, Mama. You get some rest, and when you wake up, Papa will be here waiting."
She gestured toward the Twi'lek and headed for the door.
Skyka nodded and leaned over to kiss the forehead of the older Cathar as well. Her big heart already had fallen in love with the older woman. She saw Kisi's agitation and figured she was probably going to get an earful, but the older woman had smiled and looked so in love that it was worth it to Skyka.
When Skyka stepped outside, she looked at Kisi straight on. "If you didn't want me to talk about something.. should've said something before hand." She raised one of her tattooed eyebrows at the little Cathar waiting for her response.
Kisi looked at the Twi'lek with a touch of confusion, then shook her head as she understood what her friend was referring to. Her smile had disappeared the moment the door had closed behind them, and Ukee was once more leaning over her shoulder, nuzzling her ear. The weight of the burden that these visits brought was evident in her blue eyes. "No, you were really nice with her. Thank you."
She turned to walk with Skyka back down the hall, stuffing her hands into her pockets. "She gets confused easy, and whenever she brings him up, I just want to run out of the room and scream my head off."
Skyka nodded slowly and tilted her head as she walked with her. "Well I have a couple of solutions if you want to hear them... " She looked over at Kisi with and raised eyebrow.
"I didn't bring you to ask for a handout or anything. I just thought it might help to - - -" She couldn't voice the rest of the sentence. Pride kept her from admitting that these visits seemed harder every time. "What kind of solutions?"
Skyka smiled and put her hand on Kisi's shoulder. "We could actually get her to a safer neighborhood, and then there is where I go into her mind, and see if I can actually fix anything, but that part is dangerous."
"Yeah, Kel wanted to move her too. Thing is, everyone in the neighborhood loves her, and if we move her, they can't visit so easy." Kisi stopped as a dark-haired human woman in a doctor's coat approached with a kind smile. They exchanged greetings, and the Cathar passed the doctor a credit stick as she explained that she couldn't stop to talk, saying she would call later. During this brief exchange, Ukee looked over at Sky, wiggled his eyebrows impishly, and reached out to take a lolli from the doctor's pocket.
Skyka clucked her tongue at the monkey-lizard, but had gotten used to his wild antics. "Ok then, if you want her to stay here we can..... what about my other option. I have experience and knowledge inside the mind. However, I want to warn you that being in someone's mind and in their memories is extremely difficult and I can't guarantee I will make her better. In truth, there is a slight possibility I'll make her worse."
Kisi shook her head as the monkey-lizard tugged the wrapper off of his prize and stuck it in his mouth. "Maybe if I'd met you before they tried to fix the aneurysm, but when that went wrong, she had a bunch of strokes. So, now, it's not just her head, it's her heart, I think."
Once they stepped back out onto the street, she led Sky to an apartment complex nearby, and over the next couple of hours, they visited with several occupants - Kisi's old neighbors. She'd introduced the Twi'lek to each one, passed them a credit stick, asked them about family members or how they were; and each one was, in turn, happy to invite them in, grateful for the help she gave, and eager to talk to both of them. In each case, she promised to be back in a few weeks, reassuring them that they could count on her. Every visit seemed to put more confidence and strength back into the Cathar, and by the time they were on the walk back to the taxi stand, she was much more like the girl Sky had come to know before the day had begun.
"I saved just enough for lunch. Where would you like to go?" she asked brightly.
Skyka was smiling wide by then. She'd enjoyed speaking with everyone she'd been introduced to and seeing this new side of the young Cathar.
She looked at Kisi and gave her a wink. "I know just the place, and put your credits away. It's my treat this time. Also.. I think we need to do some shopping." She grinned impishly.
Kisi grinned wide and bobbed up and down before getting into the speeder. "Oooh! Where are we going, and are there nerf burgers involved?"
Ukee chittered a few syllables, and the Cathar added, "And citrus wraps," sounding as though she was repeating what the monkey-lizard said word for word.
Skyka chuckled slightly and nodded.
"I saved just enough for lunch. Where would you like to go?" she asked brightly.
Skyka was smiling wide by then. She'd enjoyed speaking with everyone she'd been introduced to and seeing this new side of the young Cathar.
She looked at Kisi and gave her a wink. "I know just the place, and put your credits away. It's my treat this time. Also.. I think we need to do some shopping." She grinned impishly.
Kisi grinned wide and bobbed up and down before getting into the speeder. "Oooh! Where are we going, and are there nerf burgers involved?"
Ukee chittered a few syllables, and the Cathar added, "And citrus wraps," sounding as though she was repeating what the monkey-lizard said word for word.
Skyka chuckled slightly and nodded.
