Dumb Kriffing Luck (Ongoing Story)

Ragious's personal comm frequency received a call that - according to the readout - came from a secure frequency designated "Nowhere".

He answered immediately. "You don't have to stay Nowhere, you know."

Aittera's image had the same hardened look she had worn in the holo-recording. However, something about her eyes betrayed a deep weariness...and not a small amount of alcohol consumption. "I don't have to be stunningly beautiful either," she retorted.

"You can't help that."  He gave her a wink. "Where are you?  You know we have alcohol in the Empire right?  Probably better than what you've been drinking."

"It's not the quality that matters, but the quantity, lover. If I drink enough, I forget for a little while," she explained bitterly, the upper half of her body - which is all that showed - shifting, suggesting that she was kicking her feet up on something. "Of course, these damn messages you keep leaving me are getting in the way of that."

"Kind of the point, you know.  Come back, so we can undo what my sister did."

"No."

"Why?  Aittera this isn't some trick.  I know what happened between you and Kiabe, and I know why."

"Well, you just figure you know everything, don't you?" she half-mocked, slurring her words a little. "I have a theory. Would you like to hear my theory?"

"Probably not, but yeah.  Let's hear your theory."

"My theory is this..." She paused to take a drink from a bottle that carried no visible label. "I am being punished. I forgot for a moment that Davin even existed, and for that, I am being punished. I'm a woman without citizenship now. I can't show my face in Republic space, because of that damned warrant. I can't come to Imperial space, because of your family. And I can't very well relax in Hutt space without well-meaning yet annoying friends making asinine suggestions about how to fix the life that is in shambles around me...or you showing up."

"My family is no threat to you.  You return to Imperial Space, and you will be welcomed.  Whatever assurances you need Aittera, whatever concessions I will give.  You killed Kiabe in combat. Do you realize what that means?  If I was to punish you for that, it would betray everything I have ever believed in.  Think about that. You know me.  You know there are some things I hold sacred, not many but this is one."

She laughed bitterly. "Dumb luck killed Kiabe. And don't you know me yet? I don't belong in the Empire anymore than I belong on the throne of Alderaan. Besides, there's this needling distrust in the back of my head that I realized I should've been listening to all along. You already promised I'd be safe from your family, and look at everything that's happened."

"That wasn't my fault.  You left.  And look at what happened, SIS made up some bullshit about you.  My sister wasn't in her right mind, not that she is now, but she's at least trying.  It wasn't a lie Aittera, we were not a lie."

"So...what you should have said was that you'd keep me safe from your family as long as what your family did wasn't your fault," she smirked and took another drink. "None of that disproves my theory though. I gave up too much for you. I gave up Davin for you, my guiding star, and now, I'm lost as all fuck."

"Aittera, he would have wanted you happy, and we were happy together, you and I.  You say you're lost, then let me find you.  I don't care about my family, I don't care about any of it, I care about you."

She stared at his image for a long, silent moment; the drunken sullen sneer evaporating. She was miserable, lonely, and perhaps even a little scared at how easily he was making her want-- no hope. Hope really was devious, wasn't it?

"Already said you were welcome to find me. Let's see how much you're willing to give up," she near-growled before disconnecting.