Family Reunion

[jamessour]

Dantooine had always intrigued Tarnit. The beautiful plains spoke to his heart. In a different life he'd likely be a farmer, or maybe a small town cafe owner. Alas, he was now a Captain in the Grand Army of the Republic and he had different things to bide his time with. However, on rare occasions when he had a breather, he took them - and often tried to connect with his dear friend Leira.

He was waiting outside the space port for her, wearing simple civilian clothes and his leather jacket. It had been weeks since he had last seen her, and he had a few things he wanted to show her, and a surprise that he couldn't wait to reveal to her. But for now, he sat and enjoyed a peaceful bustle that surrounded him. Farmers trying to sell goods to distant travelers, couples on their honeymoons, and Jedi arriving to head to their new-founded temple. Tarnit was one of the Jedi who had helped secure the mining of Kyber Crystals on Dantooine, and he felt attuned to the planet.

After a few moments, he saw her shuttle land, and he stood waiting for her to exit the ship.

@Queen

 

[MariaDespisesYou]

Instead of a little girl exiting, Javier exited.

Children always hit a soft spot with him, especially since this particular child was the splitting image of his little sister, Gracie, who'd been dead for almost 15 years. Her death still stung, and caused him to be fiercely protective of Leira. Even though, he wasnt too kind to her. He feared he'd lose her, too, if he got attached, or formed a bond with her. But she was as difficult as he was. Foul-mouthed, impulsive, and had some major trust issues.

He could only wonder what happened to her.

Walking out, he saw Tarnit. Looking at him in a skeptical way, he said

"Are you Tarnit?"

 

[jamessour]

Seeing a grown man, who seemed slightly unkept, exit the shuttle instead of Leira immediately put Tarnit on the defensive. Standing up straighter, his hands fell to his waist, his left hanging, ready to use the force, the right resting now comfortably on his pistol. Javier would be able to feel Tarnit actively drawing the force to himself, ready to act. Though Tarnit's energy was distinctly light, it was strong and manifesting quickly.

"Are you Tarnit?"

Eyeing the man up, he replied solemnly, "I am. Who are you, and where is Leira?" His voice grew stern as he said the girl's name - fiercely defensive.

@MariaDespisesYou @Queen

 

[Leira Rys]

The fields of Dantooine swayed with a soothing ambience. Soft shades trembled against the translucent layer of grass separating Leira from the outside, beckoned for her to frolic in the quivering sea of wheat. Yet, a directive shackled her to the vessel.

Stay put.

Teeth grinding against one another, arms intertwined, she grumbled. Unable to greet her father, instead placing the responsibility in a stranger’s hands. And not by choice. Manacled to Javier’s command, she was forced to stomach orders, as if she were simply a reckless child. The notion sent a burning prickling up her throat.

The faded wisps of a smile spread across her contours when she saw Tarnit. A sight for sore eyes. Promptly dismissing the demands, as if they had never existed, her hands wrapped around the chilled handle of the shuttle, her mahogany head peeking out of the hatch.

“Tarnit!”

Spoiler: Short Posts

I was very busy with volleyball tonight, and SOMEONE *glares at Maria* Was rushing me for a post, So, here it is, folks.

​

 

[MariaDespisesYou]

OOC: Haha, fuck you too! <3

"What did I tell you?"

Javier turned his head to see Leira peeking out of the ship. It was obvious she was eager to see this guy, but Javier felt obligated to protect her. He didn't know who Tarnit was, and he didn't know his intentions for Leira. It irritated him to see Leira so blatantly defying him, too.

"Get back in the ship. Now.

 

[jamessour]

Tarnit couldn't help but grin when he saw Leira's face pop out of the hatch. It reminder him once again how young Leira really was. He was proud of her.

However, his smile quickly turned solemn once more upon hearing Javier's orders. Tarnit stepped forward to address him, "And who are you to tell her what to do? Leira has been my friend for quite some time."

He looked up to the ramp, "Leira, feel free to come down." His voice beckoned his companion down. He would test her loyalty.

 

[Leira Rys]

A pain. Shooting up heels as she descended upon lush grass, quickly denounced by excitement. Eyes alight with merriment at seeing Tarnit, the grin over her face unfading as Javier scolded her. No living creature could sully the moments they shared. Nobody could coerce her back into the metall straw. Instead of compliance, she met him with a bitter truculence. Extending middle finger. A riposte to Javier, before scampering to Tarnit.

"It's been awhile since I've seen you."

If they lacked company, Leira would've embraced him. Drawn her arms taut around him, let him know she wasn't indifferent to affection. A certain displeasure stopped her. Loving displays were an exclusive thing, not for the eyes of many. Definitely not for the eyes of Javier. Leira's eyes said it, though. Painted the picture of platonic endearment on her face, meaningful as any physical deed. To see Tarnit felt like feasting after days of famine, a breath of air after being drowned. A spark of light after days engulfed by dark. Metaphorically, yet still painfully accurate to things of real. He subsided in pure light, something many struggled to accomplish, and almost always failed. Tarnit was refreshing.

Reunion would have been perfect, lest Javier hadn't accompanied her.

"You can go now."

Brazen with irritation, she dismissed him. No effort slaked to give the appearance of politeness. Leira craved solitude. To have the burden of being supervised ripped away from her. Never had she been watched so closely, never would she delight in it.

 

[MariaDespisesYou]

When Leira flipped him off, he wanted to yell at her. But his conscience got the better of him. Tarnit would be displeased if he scolded her as severely as he normally did, and he didn't want to make any enemies afterall. Although it seemed that was what he was doing with Tarnit.

"I'll get out of here." Javier grumbled. His heart thumped in worry for Leira. He felt he was leaving her with a complete stranger, and he had no idea what would happen to her. It terrified him.

"You. Keep her safe."

Javier practically growled at Tarnit. It was a command, not a request.

 

[jamessour]

His heart was in a violent torment of disappointment and love. Leira was terribly rude and beligerent, and it broke Tarnit's heart, yet at the same time, the sight of her brought a smile to his face. This must be what parenting is like, he thought to himself. He had taught several students during his tenure as a jedi, but none of them had captured him like Leira.

"You. Keep her safe-" "Of course." Tarnit nearly cut Javier of with his retort. He wasn't trying to be rude, but Javier's eyes seemed to protective of Leira... and it made Tarnit's heart burn with a sort of jealousy. He couldn't help but be cold back.

Immediately, Tarnit extended his arm to Leira's shoulder, and pulled her close, side by side, and walked her out of the space port. He had her, and for the time being, that's all that mattered.

"I have a surprise for you, Leira." His voice was warm and whispery, a delight wrapped up in every word. His smile warm, inviting, playful. He led her through the space port to a speeder, where he would open the door for her to sit down, before walking around to the driver's seat.

@Queen

 

[Leira Rys]

Capture him she did. Lovingly bound the threads of attachment around his wrist, tethered him forevermore. It was captivity. But, she allowed it. No attempts made to escape love's endless reach, compliant prisoners sharing the same cubicle. Slipping a hand eagerly around his waist, Leira melted into him. Grip firm. As if she was afraid he may evanesce any given moment, leave her to wonder life's road in solitude. Face tucked in folds of fabric, she felt serenity, at odds with the war-torn world swirling around her. For a few moments, it triumphed. Fleeting and transitory, as all precious things were.

Released. A lengthy breath of satisfaction bit at the throat. Embrace was rare, and without a need for solace? Almost non-existent.

Body slinking into speeder, ankles crossed, flecked cheek leaning on knuckle. Swathed in gentle air tickling her cheeks, she remained placid. Something she struggled to do. Hers was a body that never ceased fighting. Never took a moment to compose herself. War did that to a person. Yet, sometimes peril left her. With it, fear.

She considered his words. Head cocked in interest, eyebrows pinched with thought, lips curved into a grin.
"Really? What kind of surprise?"

Excitement tremored through vocals with childlike interest. Pure, unaltered by stress. She held little regard to what it was. The notion that he spared thought for her while absent was enough. Curiosity, the only component of the inquiry. A mind that craved to know.

 

[jamessour]

He grinned as he sat down in his seat. "Oh, you will just need to wait for a few minutes." He started the speeder, and it took to life. Quickly, efficiently, and anxiously, he piloted the speeder outside of the spaceport towards an open prairie.

"So, what have you been doing the past weeks Leira? It's been awhile since I've seen you." It was true. He missed her. He was on the battle lines, and she was... not. Thankfully. But, her whereabouts concerned him. He was not ignorant to the darkness that had found it's home in the child occasionally. However, she was not beyond hope. In fact, being around her made Tarnit incredibly hopeful.

To think that at one point, he was mildly annoyed by Leira's foolish wandering. Now he was going to... well it was still a surprise and he didn't want to think to clearly about it lest her curious mental probing heard what he was planning.

He would set the speeder down as he listened to her, but his mind would be far more focused on the excitement of the surprise he had for her. And it would be obvious that he was up to something. His eyes were brilliant. His face gleaming.

 

[Leira Rys]

The answer was lengthy, heavy on her tongue. An awkward shape she could not fix her lips around. So much had betided since that night, most of it unpleasant. Traumatic, even. Proper response would be tedious, bitter. Reminding her of what she longed to forget. And Tarnit? Heart-broken. Dejected over the events he could not shield her from. Perhaps it was easier to linger in silence. Certainly better than spoiling the blithe ambience which was so, so rare. Yet, the brain hated mystery. Depriving it of answers would only intrigue.​

She did what she did best. Lie. Not to control or take advantage of him. But to spare him from hideous truth. Keep him happy.

"I, obviously, got away from Vereshin and joined the Fireflies. Other than that? Not much. I'm sure you've had much more excitement than me, Captain Taddler."

A sly change of subject. Bumped elbow to shoulder with playful gesture. Interest poured through her features, dull eyes gaining glister. The word Captain triggered pride. Sent it crawling up her spine, warming her chest. Fortunate, was she, to have someone so noble love her. A failure of a child, a nothing. Somehow his heart had room.

The speeder descended. And before her, laid a world of beauty. Unlike anything she'd seen before.

"Holy shit..."

Breathless, she spoke. Too awestruck to watch her language.

 

[jamessour]

The craft came to a soft landing, but before it did, Tarnit's smile fell as Leira's words descended on his ears. Her obvious lie, less than subtle changing of the topic. Yes, Leira was wounded, hurt, and didn't want to talk about it - or she didn't want to ruin their reunion. All this capped off with an abrupt curse piercing the air.

Turning the speeder off, Tarnit sighed and turned to the girl. "Listen. Leira... You don't need to keep me at bay, and you don't need to lie to me. I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want to know..." He extended his hand to her forearm, a gentle reminder of affection. "I care for you, Leira. I'm happy you escaped that evil... thing. He still haunts my thoughts."

He waited a beat to let his words sink in. Then, as if a page was turned, Tarnit's smile returned. "However, you are correct, this conversation can wait. We need to enjoy."

He exited the vehicle, motioning for Leira to follow. He set them down on small hill, overlooking an incredibly beautiful river valley. Animals grazed below, the sun kissed the terrain, it was picturesque. On the hill was a solitary tree, and under a bench with a gift-wrapped box setting on it's seat. Tarnit smiled and waved Leira to follow.

 

[Leira Rys]

Shame hung on lying lips, brought shades of embarrassment to porcelain skin. Eyes bore guilt, gaze heavy and distraught. Sapphires that lost their radiance. If she had not known him, lying would have been simple. Just another fickle person swayed by false words of the tongue. But, Tarnit? No. His name resonated in her mind with something sweet, a sensation that made her yearn for more. Love was strange. Something Leira longed to fathom. His grip arose goosebumps, smooth skin gaining texture. Reassuring and warm. Her grin returned.

She followed. Traced footsteps up a steep hill. Horizon aglow with blush, leaves dusting pristine ground. Branches curved to protect a single bench. Rusted by time, paint peeling chip by chip. Adorned with a package. Thin, rectangular, swathed in metallic alabaster, cream roses blossoming forth from taut string. Her gaze fell back to him, eyes searching for emotion. Excitement kissed his features. The gift must have been something exceptional.

"Here goes."

Voice enveloped with curiosity, she began. Fingers neatly peeled away decoration, until it fell to her side. A lifeless pile.

She saw, and her emotions ran wild. Tears of happiness streaking ivory, hand finding its' place over lips. Everything, spare Tarnit and the gift, became a whirl. A mass of silhouettes. Her mind struggled to grasp the wonderful reality. Certainly it was too good to be true. Vocals tried to speak, incoherent stammers their only product. Speechless, drowned by sobs of joy.

 

[jamessour]

Motioning towards the gift, it was obvious that she was excited. Tarnit considered if she had ever received a gift before... it was unlikely. This only made him grin more, as it would be the first of many gifts.

As the girl pulled away the wrapper, she would see a large legal sized datapad. On its screen would be an adoption form. It was a legal republic document, filed from a Corellian court. Everything was filled out, except a space for Leira to accept being adopted and signing her new name... which would be Leira Taddler.

Tarnit was caught off-guard, however, with the tears that followed. He had never had a daughter... and didn't quite know what was going on.

Stumbling over his words, "I'm sorry if it's to sudden... if you need time to think about it... or you don't want to at all it's fine.."

He stopped, caught without any more words and waited.

 

[Leira Rys]

Quietly, she lingered. Stared at the radiant blue screen, traced fingertips over smooth glass. Reassured herself it was real. Not the makings of a dream. For mere moments, there was naught but the screen, writing overwhelming and hopeful. The single blank space tugged her eyes. Left pristine for her touch, for the curls of her writing. A signature alone would certainly alter her life's path. For the better.

Fingers coiled around pen. Shook with happiness, disbelief. Slowly, shakily, black lines formed the inscription. Discarded vestige of her old life. Her old family. And became part of his. Leira Taddler. Suiting.

Rapidly turning, arms flung around torso. On tip toes, pulled him near. Corrected his misunderstanding. Tears wrought not out of sadness, but joy. So potent it brought similar reaction.

"No. I'm so fucking happy. I wanted this, so bad."

 

[jamessour]

All Tarnit could do is hold her.... his daughter. So, that's what he did. They both cried together - in joy and in celebration of their new family.

Tarnit would then take her back to the spaceport, asking her to join him on Chandrilla when she could.

/end thread\