Ask Coruscant Only Stars Shall See

[Corran Velt]

Corran Velt had seen many impossible things since he left his home on Commenor. Organically cloaking beasts on Dxun. Psychopathic pirates. Force-users with abilities that summoned fire, healed gaping wounds, and tossed tons of durasteel as if it were paper. But all those paled in comparison to witnessing what he believed to be rarer than a peaceful Sith monk. Tears rolling down Ilana's cheeks.

Tension seized the blond ranger's body. At first in utter stupefying surprise and then worry that he had wounded his lover. Corran's mouth slowly opened, eyes darting back and forth between her watery gold. Breath held in his chest; being locked away until the usually stoic Arkanian finally breathed a full sentence. It was good. She still... she still liked him. He exhaled with her but his bodily functions still needed time to restart from the shock of her crystalline tears. Only after Ilana had apologized and asked after food did the man sitting across from her stir.

Slowly and wordlessly, warm arms enshrouded her shoulders. Corran embraced her with a tenderness and affection he'd never shared with her. No thought had forced him; no decision mentally made. Natural instinct took hold. Someone crying meant they needed a hug. These were the lessons of the Velt household. Sharing them felt right. After a lingering, comforting hold, the young man slowly released Ilana and drifted back to where he sat close. "No need to apologize. We should get you something to eat. You've got an overly-energetic baby to feed too." A playful grin pulled at the corners of his mouth.

After getting Ilana a comm-device to order whatever her heart desired, Corran began wondering the apartment just to take in the opulence and interesting details. The secrets about Ilana whispered from what furniture she had or items on display. Above all it was quiet. Apartments were often noisy and small. Private ships were much more enjoyable compared to that experience. So why was this different? "Do you have any neighbors?" the blond man asked, "Above or below you?" Knowing their surroundings was a habit for a cautious officer often on-guard but it also was an idle curiosity. Discussing anything with Ilana was it's own reward.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

She was mortified at the loss of control; she had prided herself on her strength, and her ability to control her emotions. But something felt... different around him. A lowering of walls. Seeing his shocked face, she kept trying to rein in control, to marshal some inner strength, but the tears kept falling. Her shoulders stiffened momentarily when his arms wrapped around her; as always, it was such a shock for someone to willingly touch her, embrace her, and there was a moment of stillness before she leaned into him, letting out a slow, shaky breath, an arm around his waist and pressing her face against his shoulder.

He seemed to wait until the calm settled over her once more before releasing. Yet even now, there was a difference now. She was uncertain before, her place in the galaxy. But with this child, with him, she felt more certain. She wanted to understand what so many other beings seemed to take for granted from the galaxy, but she was so far behind in the learning curve. Wordlessly, she nodded, bringing up the comm before pausing, and glancing at him, taking him in just as he was taking in her own apartment.

Truth be told, she often felt unsettled in urban settings. Even with the simple furnishings, they spoke of a woman from a wealthy background, and a golden opportunity. But everything in here was earned by blood, sweat, and tears. Yet she wasn't proud of it. It was almost stark, cold. Wooden floors glowed warm, but the walls were a bare, plain white, and the wide windows faced out to a balcony that showed a harsh, unflinching vista of the smoggy gross of Coruscant. The only indication someone lived here was the riot of plants in vases, small clippings in jars put on bookshelves next to holotexts, blooming bushes in containers near doorways and suspended from the ceiling in a wide, exotic variety, and the collection of romantic holodramas stacked neatly on one shelf near a vis display.

At his question of neighbors, she tilted her head slightly, frowning.

"I do, but... they are rarely present." Her lips thinned in thought, and she let out a sigh. "This is no place to raise a child, anyhow. There are so many things where they could hurt themselves," she nibbled on her lower lip thoughtfully, then amber eyes raised to meet his, parting her lips to ask something, but something else tumbled from her lips instead.

"It was only a few years ago, that this was a dream..." She ran a hand over the arm of the chaise, features thoughtful. "Living like this, though... it's not how I wanted to live," she confessed quietly, then winced slightly, rubbing the bridge of her nose as though to ward off a headache. "Not that it matters now. But..." She held up the comm, giving him a faint smile.

"I'm ordering noodles. What would you like?"

@TerranSteel

 

[Corran Velt]

Much of what filled the abode was a continuation of the things that filled Ilana's ship back on Starfall. Countless greenery was in every corner, accenting every end table, and hanging from the ceiling. If he didn't know better, the good doctor might have been born on a primitive jungle world and had always been trying to get back sense. Amusing, but no. She just enjoyed plant life for what it was. Simple, quiet, and natural. Ilana's green thumb was as impressive as her medical skills. Beyond the endearing plants, the rest of the dwelling was rather spartan. Warm wooden floors. Bare white walls. A memory of the temporary apartment on Corellia where they first talked - more like a therapy session in retrospect - rose from the mental depths. How bare that place was too. Besides the absolute green house of plants everywhere, the only other belongings that stood out where the romance holodramas; each carefully kept in a well-protected case and organized by title. Corran smirked at the sight. For someone who approached affections analytically and with scientific curiosity, it was amusing that such media was her favorite. He'd have to ask her later about that. Maybe watch a few.

Lights of every color and hue twinkled across the darkened urban landscape of night-time Coruscant. No matter how many times he saw, the young man from Commenor was always wowed by its splendor. Doing so from the towering heights of a luxurious apartment added to the wonder. Corran listened while gazing at the sea of artificial glow. He chuckled under his breath. The icy Arkanian was already being so motherly thinking on the hazardous possibilities of a child dwelling here. She was right though, per usual. He turned around to give Ilana his full attention and both golden eyes met him immediately. Something was off but he couldn't read what.

"I'll get whatever you're having, hon-" Corran cut himself off before completing the pet name, "You have good taste." A bashful smile tried to ward off any potential ill-feelings from the Arkanian doctor. Nonetheless, what she had said before piqued his insatiable curiosity. "But did you mean... this apartment was a dream?" The blond man asked glancing about the place before meeting her eyes again, "Or did you mean... living this way was a dream?" Even asking that question felt odd. Ilana had grown up in practically another dimension compared to his, as tortured as her youth was. She had gone to medical school. Wealth and luxury was second-nature to her as it was impossible for him. Corran blinked a few times under dented eyebrows trying to grasp what Ilana had meant. "How did you want to live? Starfall couldn't have been in your plans before..." A pregnant pause lingered as the lieutenant ranger tried to find the right word, "...before us. Right?"

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

The faint curve of a smile at the cut-off endearment threatened to crest on her lips; instead; she tilted her head, lips twitching slightly at his bashful smile. "Extra-spicy noodle soup? With added five-alarm sauce on the side? You're braver than most, Lieutenant." She couldn't help, the slight teasing slipped into her voice before she could resist. But then... ah. He caught her words.

She ordered for him, but dialed back on the spicy factor. She wasn't entirely sure just how tolerant he was to spicy foods, and on their first night together in... this way... she was reluctant to find out immediately. She hesitated for a moment, trying to piece together her past. He seemed to think she always lived a life of glamour; that perhaps, it was something she wanted.

"I didn't..." she faltered, then set the comm down, the order made. Taking her now-cool tea from the table, she frowned, then tried again. "I didn't always live like this. In fact, shortly before I met you, I didn't have an apartment. I lived out of my ship most of the time." She broke her gaze away, looking down into her mug, as if it held the answers. "There was no point to a permanent address; I lived at the mercy of on-call emergencies and patients. I was several times too poor to eat, for docking fees and medical equipment expenses. I thought I wanted this..." she lifted a hand, gesturing to the wide space, but a frown pulled at her features, a look of frustration glinting in golden eyes. "But it feels hollow. Before us... I just wanted a small space alone." Her eyes settled on his once more, a smile on her lips, but tinged slightly with sadness. "Just a small space with a garden. Before... us. Before Starfall." Even saying the name held a note of wistfulness; she missed it. The quiet, the solitude, no people with their emotions always pressing, pressing, like a growing buzz in the back of her skull. No demanding or denying, a space of her own.

But then, her hand ghosted over her stomach, and she sighed. "But now? I just want a small space... for..."

Once more, eyes lowered, the word spoken quietly. "Us."

@TerranSteel

 

[Corran Velt]

Corran felt his tongue catching fire already. Spicy food wasn't something he disliked. Variety was the spice of life for cooking after all, but he knew for a fact he'd be gulping water throughout the entire meal. Imagining Ilana doing the same was almost enough to force a belly laugh. The refined, stoic, and aristocratic doctor fanning her mouth and panting for ice would be a sight to see. If she ordered him this flaming hot noodle bowl, he would certainly attempt it. He trusted her with his life; dinner seemed trivial compared to that. "You know I'm often more brave than wise," Lieutenant Velt teased back.

Disbelief slowly settled into the blond man's countenance as Ilana illuminated more on her life experience. Since they had first met, he envisioned the Arkanian had lived a materialistically wealthy life but at the cost of an emotionally impoverished one. Their first time working together (unintentionally) had her angelically adorned in gold. Access to higher education, medical school no less, an upbringing on an estate many times the size of Corran's humble beginnings, and now helming her own company - it was hard to envision Ilana as anything else but upper class. The blond ranger kept his eyes on the woman beside, even as she averted her own, but his gaze was very much inward. She had been a living idol of what he envied. Luxury in organic form. Each kiss from her even felt like stealing diamonds. A life he could never live but only borrow. But everything she was saying... Having no permanent address. A nomadic lifestyle aboard a starship. Constantly on-call and going from one objective to the next. Barely scraping by and sometimes indulging in three square meals a day. That just didn't sound like Ilana Morata. That sounded more like...

Corran Velt.

This thought dawned innocently at first. But then grew in warmth, like a carefully fed campfire, at the realization. She wasn't that different than him. Ilana experienced and understood everything he lived through. Because she had too. Corran's eyes glanced around at her gesture to the apartment and how she disliked it. It's emptiness. He could only see its glamor. The promise of a secure life. Things his family had to go without. Sky blue eyes glided back to meet Ilana's golden stare with a melancholy grin on her face. If she understood his life, the working poverty of it all, then maybe she was right about this as well. The gilded cage.

"I... had thought for so long you were different than me," the young man began, his eyes downcast on the space between them, "Powerful. Wealthy. Educated. A world I'd never know. But that you'd never know my world either." His hands rested in one another; fingers playing nervously. "I hoped to be like you. Secure in money and lifestyle. But I'm starting to think other things might be more important." Corran's eyes slowly rose to Ilana's belly. Their family. Us. "A home for you. Peace and quiet. Safe for our baby. You both in one place for me." Could all the wants of the galaxy be truly boiled down so simply? He liked simple.

The blond ranger moved a little closer. "Maybe we should make something of our claim on Starfall. Building something there. Hell, I could even try by hand if we want it to be entirely secret." Home had been Commenor, his mom's house, or the Crimson Venture. One of his own - their own - was a newly discovered dream. A place just for them. Undiscovered. Private. Theirs. It would take some work and planning, but the best things in life were never easy.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

A carefully constructed life, built on the mistakes of a former lover who died and left her with more questions than answers. Someone who left her angry and cold against a galaxy that seemed useless and meaningless, coasting from client to client once again. He stole apartments to squat for himself; she could now buy what he dreamed for. Yet in all her time with Kai, she knew she was a substitute for his ultimate goal; to bring a woman back to life that she was a pale replacement for, temporary, useable. And now she had that power, all for herself.

I had thought for so long you were different than me.

In the turning of a memory, she could almost see it, feel it. A click of a lighter, flickering skull features to life, a plume of smoke. A phantom memory that left her cold, and she gritted her jaw, parting her lips as though to protest. But he kept talking... and she sat back, listening, and the phantom memory faded away again.

At the mention of Starfall, she nodded once, giving a slight smile. "I think... I'd like that. Just our place." She just wanted that. A quiet place for the two of them... but then her comm chirped. The food would be on its' way soon.

"Our meals should be here soon; if you don't mind, I'll take a quick shower, then join you." She rose carefully and gave him a faint, warm smile. Crossing the space, she rested her hand over his chest. "I'm... glad you're here. You're welcome to sprawl, cowboy. I hope you'll remember that." And then, her lips lightly ghosted on his cheek, and she walked off, to clear her mind and chase off past ghosts.

Corran didn't deserve to be haunted by her past mistakes, after all.

@TerranSteel

 

[Corran Velt]

Corran offered an affirmative nod with a warm smile. When Ilana talked about a place of their own, it sounded like true peace. A place where all the problems and trials of a constantly changing galaxy couldn't reach them. Paradise was a humble descriptor for such a future. Just family, safety, and no other burdens. People went mad chasing such things in their lifetimes. Corran had the immense luck of finding a glimpse of it with a woman he loved. He wondered if they both could grasp it in the future together.

A commlink chirp updated the arrival of their late dinner. Ilana rose gracefully to excuse herself to bathe. "Of course," the blond man agreed, "I'll set the food in the kitchen if it arrives before you finish up." A ghostly hand pressed against his broad chest. Corran's vision glanced down to her touch only briefly before returning to her face. She was so concerned about making him feel welcome. At home. A motherly tendency that the estranged Arkanian daughter might have even realized she had. Icy lips chilled his cheek with a brush. Goosebumps arose on his neck at her touch. He'd never tire of that. After a few steps towards her bedroom, the young man turned to look at her back as she departed. "I guess that's a no me joining you?" Corran heckled with that boyish grin. He was merely teasing, but Ilana would know there was some tiny kernel of interest there. Always.

Now alone with nothing but thoughts. Hands tapped rhythmically on thighs just to fill the air with sound. Lieutenant Velt downed the water given to him and he rose from the couch to glance around a bit more. First the plants. They all looked healthy and well-watered. Ilana had such a green thumb. Given enough time the whole apartment might require a vibromachete to cut through just to get to the bedroom. Then he glided a finger over the romantic holodramas. Some classics, some newer. If they watched one anytime during their stay together, would it reveal something about what Ilana found romantic? What caused her heart to pump? This one looked interesting; Love on Lianna. Forbidden affections between rival corporate families.

Gentle chiming signaled that food delivery had arrived at the door. Corran took broad strides to reach it and opened the threshold. A hovering droid's optical sensor looked over the man. "Meals for this apartment dwelling." He stuck out his hands and the little robot released its package into his grasp. "Thank you for your business," it synthetically replied before hovering off. Warm and tasty smells wafted from the enclosed packages. Corran hadn't been particularly hungry but the hint of food piqued his appetite.

He got to work immediately on making the food presentable. Not entirely sure if Ilana preferred the food on plates or left in the disposable containers, he readied some water and eating utensils on the granite island that sat in the middle of the large kitchen. If she wanted anything else to go with them, he certainly could ready it. When the cleanly doctor returned from her shower, Corran would be leaning over the counter and present the meals with a playful sweep of the hand. "Just in time, madam, for your evening delights."

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

-Theme-​

There was a soft chuckle at his words, but beyond that, she didn't affirm or deny his coming into the shower with her. Though, she wouldn't lie in saying she would say no. The opposite, in fact. But she had been wearing the same clothes for two days, and hadn't really taken a break from reading reports or diagnoses from old patients.

The other reason she slipped away was because the sight of an old flame had been enough to unnerve her.

She stood beneath the hot water spray, eyes closed for a moment. The gentle pulse of water down her back became the distant waves of Bal'Demnic, and she could smell the salt, the faint sulfur and the tang of burnt flesh...

The manic laughter as the Sith woman's burnt flesh assaulted her nostrils as she was thrown back against the wall, tasting blood and feeling the pain swirl nauseatingly through her ribs as electricity sang in her blood--

She folded her arms against the tile wall, willing nausea back, the pulsing pain in her temples. Away from Corran's watching eyes, her shoulders shook as tears mingled with water as they swirled down the drain, and the Doctor released the ache in her chest that she couldn't unload for him at his news of going on a risky mission to Nar Shaddaa.

She bit down hard on her bottom lip to muffle the sounds of anguish. Even the thought of his being injured was enough to break her ever so slightly. She had promised to burn the galaxy at losing him, and she meant it.

If they hurt a single hair on his head, I will burn them all and crush their ashes to dust.

Taking in one last deep, shuddery breath, she wiped her face, settling her expression to its' neutral mask. I won't let that happen.

When she stepped out to the kitchen, the tantalizing smells of spicy food filled the air. She had dressed in a simple grey tee shirt and leggings; long white hair was braided back, skin still slightly damp. She inhaled once, and offered him a thin, tired smile.

"It looks lovely, thank you," she muttered, her voice a low, quiet rasp. "Sorry if I made you wait; I needed to rinse off a day's long work. Did you wait long?"

@TerranSteel

 

[Corran Velt]

Years ago, when they first met, Corran would have thought it impossible to ever truly read Ilana Morata. Her features were like a vault. Cold, steely, and secure. What could been seen was only what she allowed to be seen. But to be loved is to be known and the blond ranger had come to know the stoic woman to a degree even he wasn't fully aware of. His growing experience as an officer and an investigator aided greatly in parsing the real from the fake. The woman behind the mask. Sky-blue eyes followed the Arkanian upon return to the kitchen. He liked when she dressed casually. It helped bridge the mental gap between a powerful corporate executive and a humble Sector Ranger. More... approachable. Corran's warm, greeting smile was both genuine and a cover for his subconscious analysis.

Her small, tired smile. It said the most. In their courtship, the usually porcelain and frigid doctor had smiled often. Mostly forced as a social norm. Sometimes a small display of approval or affection. Rarely a toothy grin charismatic people are accustomed to. Lieutenant Velt knew the difference. Even the smallest curl at the corners of her lips could indicate actual joy at one of his passing jokes or romantic flirtations. Ilana's smile was not fatigued or exhausted, but tired. Much like her voice as she spoke. The clues here were less clear - her manner of speaking varied little except in lethal rage. But something in his gut told Corran understood something was off.

"No, not long, but any time apart from you is too long," the young man playfully grinned. Spice wafted through the air, mixing with the steam rising from the hot meals. Just the smell from Ilana's noodles gave his body a heated sensation. Like wearing a black shirt in the summer sun. His own meal felt ominous but Corran felt was no craven. Spicy food was nothing compared to blaster fire or death by toxin. Nothing matched that horrid pain seared into his muscle memory. When she joined him on the same side of the kitchen island, he'd nudge a clean utensil her way. "Good thing I have a doctor on hand if I get second degree burns from this," Corran teased before plunging his fork into the noodles and taking a large bite.

First sensations were basic. The noodles were physically a little too warm but nothing scalding. The ranger chewed, wondering if the restaurant had forgotten the sauce. Warm turned to heating up. Then to hot. Then to a kick in the jaw. "Woah," he mumble mid-chew before swallowing, "That's got some fight." He fanned his open mouth for a moment before gulping down some water he had prepared for such an occasion. Spicy but delicious. Just best not taken in bites too quickly lest his taste-buds inferno.

With his mouth quenched, the blond man turned his head from his lean on the counter and size-up the Arkanian next to him. She could likely sense his feelings, if only vaguely. He liked her empathic talents. It meant you couldn't truly hide anything and to be open and honest the best course of action. "Are you alright, Ilana?" Corran asked softly, "I mean doing alright." Sky-blue eyes conveyed the interest in something more than 'fine.' If something was troubling her, he wanted to fix it or help. He loved her that way.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

His teasing had an effect on her; as before, she was reminded of his youth, his energy, and once again, she was struck at the possible age gap between them. What had she been like, at his age...? Lost, many grey years stretched between then and now. She followed him, inhaling gratefully at the spicy scent. Rather as an odd little twist, her enhanced sense of smell coupled with an equally sensitive sense of taste, and the nuanced layers of spiciness weren't lost on her. However, where he was panting and reaching for the water... she continued calmly, picking up chopsticks to a full grasp of spicy noodles, closing her eyes to savor the physical and flavored warmth.

She had had cravings for days, but fulfilling it was lovely. A low hum of appreciation slipped between her lips between bites, and for a moment, she could feel his gaze on hers, coupled with... curiosity? An edge of something else. She would have thought concern, but it lacked the sour edge to it. Opening her eyes, she glanced back at him, cocking her head slightly.

Her lips parted; she was about to say 'fine'. To dismiss his concerns. To allow him the mental space to prepare for the task ahead... instead, she paused, lowering the chopsticks. Putting her head in her other hand, she allowed a low sigh to escape her lips.

"No."

The word was confessed quietly, but there was so much weight behind it. She could have been alone in the room; she felt the physical distance like a barrier and hunched her shoulders slightly as though to ward off the inevitable tide of his emotions. Concern, perhaps, even worry. All deserved, but they wore her down sometimes. He was a safe haven, a quiet place, but in a moment of weakness, she wasn't up to feeling defensive.

"I'm afraid. I fear... being alone." It wasn't news; he had heard her say as much earlier. "But more than that... I worry about bringing our child into the world alone. About not... doing what my mother did. Of being broken. Of losing you in a way that I can't help. Of... losing..."

She swallowed once, hard, and forced herself to square her shoulders, looking him back in the eyes.

Her hand skimmed lightly over his jaw, eyes softening to a rare look of tenderness. "What little good I've found in the galaxy. Small things such as that." Perhaps a small attempt of levity; but she gave him a faint smile, but as before, it seemed a bit forced, felt a bit crafted.

She was tired deep in her bones. The loss of this little glimmer would mean nothingness. And after decades of emptiness, she never wanted to go back there again.

@TerranSteel

 

[Corran Velt]

Corran let his fork rest among his package of noodles as he looked at Ilana, wondering if an icy wall awaited him. She was a private woman and often more reserved than anyone he'd ever met. Exuberance would have registered as mild glee to anyone else. Tonight though, the baby was lending a helping hand to her father and the Arkanian had been more... emotive than usual. He'd have to get them a great birthday present when they arrived in this big galaxy. Surprisingly, but appreciated, Ilana didn't brush aside the question.

As soft as the single word was, it had the heft of a starship. It didn't take an empath or honed detective skills to tell a small dam of emotion was leaking. The blond man had heard much of what she said before. Loneliness. A fear of abandonment. But that didn't lessen the immediate feelings of comfort he wished to share. He set his fork down and slid closer to the snowy woman, even as she continued to pour more of herself. Powerful, tired golden eyes met his own suddenly and forced Corran to pause. Ilana drifted closer like an ethereal being; moving so fluidly it was as if she hovered. A small and quiet gasp slipped past his lips when wintery chill brushed his jaw. She could knock the air right out of him.

Her smile, so small but lovely, might have been forced but he recognized the effort. A warm hand slid to her hip and rested there. That boyish smirk slowly formed on the young man's face. Ilana saw it more than anyone else. "I'm not worried about any of that." One of his blue eyes practically twinkled. "Before I met you, I had two things to live for. You became three. We added a fourth together." His gaze glanced down to her tummy for only a second. "I'm not great at math, but gaining two sounds like I'm winning at this whole 'life' thing." At first, there was only his mother. Jersan could not survive losing the last of her family. Then Corran began to live for himself too. Justice for wrongs done to someone was a powerful force. Ilana, and their child, empowered so much more drive in his life. The will to live and overcome any danger. He raised his other hand slid from the counter to her waist. "You won't lose me. I'm not going anywhere. You'll be a terrific mother." Sincerity flowed from his eyes and no dishonest could be found in his features.

Where that boyish smirk arose, so often came mischief. A small price for the confidence is exuded. Corran tilted his head forward, giving his countenance a certain trickster aura. "Besides, just looking at you from behind adds a few years to my life." The warm hand on her hip zoomed to her behind and goosed the pregnant woman's rear. Even if Ilana slapped him, a good tease could help ward off any of the melancholy that weighed her spirit. There was so much to be happy about. Reprimand or not, the blond ranger would glance at her meal and ask what really was on his mind. "How do you eat that stuff without sweating like I do?"

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

He made it sound easy like he wasn't worried at all about what could happen. She had no choice; the worries circled around and around in her mind, restless and unable to settle. Yet in her questioning mind, he had answers. They seemed to be an easy way out for answers, but she would take them.

At least for now.

His warm hand lightly brushed against her hip, and she had to suck in a quiet breath. The warmth, the gentleness, all of it made the stiffness in her shoulders ease, the tired lines to vanish from the corners of her eyes. His hand on her waist brought another warmth inside, and again, those promises. Was it a weakness to believe in them...? Perhaps. But she wanted to. In some small way, she wanted to believe it to be true.

At his last words though, she huffed lightly through her nose, giving a light swat to his shoulder at his goosing her. Before, the quiet man was reserved, shy almost, hidden behind a professional shield. More and more, she saw the true Corran glimpsing at her, and for a moment, she felt her heart squeeze in her chest.

I wonder if the child will be more like him.

At his question though, she gave a rare, sly smile, almost defiantly plucking up her chopsticks and taking a bite of chewy, spicy noodles.

"I'm afraid, cowboy, that's a secret I'll have to take to my grave..."

Some Months Later...​

A single buzz on his comm link. A few simple words were texted, but a wealth of meaning laid behind them.

Child coming early. Please arrive soon--IL

Along with the brief message was a texted location, but beyond that, the good Doctor waited. And for the first time in a long time, she felt horribly alone.

@TerranSteel

 

[Corran Velt]

Nar Shaddaa was said to be a dark reflection of Coruscant. Gangs ran every aspect of the moon. Or what was left of it. Infected wandered the streets. Droids fought to clear the dangerous biologicals. Other droids came down in dropships at the behest of Crymorah Syndicate to conquer the world. Worse still, robots of all kinds were succumbing to their own infection. Haunting, dark orange eyes signaled their possession. And below it all, in the depths, Rangers hunted Sith. Immense time spent to give them the best possible chance against the most dangerous game. Lieutenant Velt had survived by wits, blasters, and friends. Chaotic was an understatement. Yet despite all that...

Nothing frightened him more than the arrival of his child.

There had been a small window as the Sector Ranger strike team prepared all their best laid plans. The endless troubles on the surface of the Smuggler's Moon made preparations for the raid take longer than expected. He had promised to be there when the baby was born. That Ilana wouldn't be alone. He never broke his promises. As soon as word arrived, the Crimson Venture blasted out of its hidden platform on Nar Shaddaa and into hyperspace. Invasion and evacuation provided plenty of cover. In the rush of the Coruscanti evening, alive with traffic, he had arrived on the ancient galactic capital. Lethal dangers were far, far away and yet his heart rate hadn't rested. So many thoughts swam in his head endlessly.

Heavy breathing fought from his mouth as he sprinted down the elegant hallway. Past modern and high-minded art. A gloved hand pressed a code into the keypad at the apartment's door. Error. He had frantically pressed too quickly. Another attempt caused a pleasant chime at the door swished open. "Ilana!" Cried a breathless voice. In the threshold, with one hand propping him up against the frame, stood a man. His body outlined by the white lights in the hall. There stood Corran Velt still in armor. The helmet left behind in the cockpit of his ship. The blond man's hair was a riot, though had been trimmed much shorter, giving him a mercenary look. Dark purple bags of exhaustion hung under his eyes. His chest, even under the heavy armor, rose and fell deeply with each deep breath. He looked as if he'd ran up an entire apartment building's multiple flights of stairs without stop.

In fact, he had.

"Ilana," Corran called out, "I'm here! I'm here." No force in the universe would have stopped him.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

The bag had been packed, the word texted out to her employees that she would be temporarily unavailable. Every few minutes, she had to stop moving, hissing in a breath and closing her eyes to stay above the tightness around her chest and back. Her head lowered, she sat on the couch, waiting for the taxi to arrive.

She looked up at the chime, amber eyes widened slightly at his appearance.

She had dressed in a simple ivory dress, a black cardigan over that. Her eyebrows dented, and she opened her lips as though to say something to him...

But she bit on her lower lip instead, closing her eyes as another wave of pain took her breath away. When she could finally speak again, her voice came in a low, ragged rasp, trying to give a small smile at him. "Over here, cowboy. Remember to breathe." The smile faltered, though, as she exhaled again, gripping into the arms of her couch to fight down another wave of pain.

"Help me up," she panted, holding up a hand. "I can't... it's hard to move." Even from here, she could sense fear, worry, an exhilarating edge of excitement perhaps. But it was too soon, too early for the child to arrive. But he was here, he came. The sharp relief she felt was evident even in her eyes as she looked up at him, taking in the exhaustion, the shorter hair.

A chime from the wall panel indicated her ride arriving.

@TerranSteel

 

[Corran Velt]

Amber gazed at him from the room. Just seeing her gave his body energy it had long exhausted from the pits of Nar Shaddaa to Ilana's front door. The ranger sighed in visible relief to have made it. To be here. But when those golden eyes closed and strain shadowed her face, Corran pushed off the doorway to rush to her side. By the time she beckoned using her personal nickname, he was already falling to one knee at her side. "You're telling me to remember to breath?" The ranger chuckled with a huff of disbelief. "You're the one giving birth." Even with fatigue and fatherhood worry, he still was himself.

At her command, Lt. Velt clasped the pregnant woman's hand and guided her up from the sofa. Following orders made the situation easier. He guided her arm around his waist and he likewise did the same. It was similar carry to guiding someone who had been shot in the leg. Plenty of stability but also help in movement. Sky-blue eyes glanced around as if chasing a thought. Would he fly her out? What hospital is closest? All of these decisions bombarded his skull.

The chime of the wall panel never sounded sweeter. A droid-driven taxi was arriving. Ilana had thought of everything. The ranger couldn't help but grin. "Easy steps, remember to breath," Corran recommended, "and squeeze my hand when the pain spikes." Hopefully he didn't come to regret that. Child labor was about as uncharted as the Unknown Regions to him. But he was going to support the real fighter best he could.

Getting out into the hallway was a learning process. Synchronizing their movements and trying to mix caution with urgency. Corran shut and locked the luxury apartment on the way out before they arrived at the elevators. Going down endless stairs with a pregnant mother was the worst thought ever had. He pressed the button to summon the turbolift. Then they waited. The racing of his heart and standing still was an uncomfortable dichotomy. Their child was already arriving early! The impatient young man pressed the button a few more times in rapid succession. "Come on, come on."

Ding.

Elevator doors opened pleasantly, inviting riders to enter. No one had to tell Corran twice. With Ilana safely inside, he jammed a thumb against the console to send the turbolift to level that took sky-speeders. Another, different chime dinged as the doors floated shut and the transport moved downwards. Nearly inaudible music played softly from speakers somewhere in the lift. With fatigued eyes, the blond ranger turned his head to look at the Arkanian. A playful smirk on his face. "I'm not going to deliver a baby in the backseat of a taxi, am I?"

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

For once, she didn't say anything. No sounds, not even a hiss of pain. But the good doctor seemed to focus inwards, his words smoothing her own worries, her own thoughts. Her arm wrapped around his waist and she leaned against him, features cringing in pain slightly as it finally relented for a few minutes, long enough to breathe.

At his impatience at the turbolift, she lightly squeezed his hand, a slight smile touching her lips.

"It's alright, Corran," she murmured, blinking up at him. "These things... take time."

The ride down was uneventful, but she leaned against him, grateful to feel him there. The last few weeks had been a deep worry that something would happen to take him away, anxiety that perhaps hadn't helped the situation that was going on currently. At his playful smirk, however, she blinked up owlishly at him...

Then laughed.

An honest, relieved sound, suddenly cut off as another pain started, and she hissed out, her other hand releasing his to lightly rub against her back, the ache almost unbearable.

"No. We'll make it. You arrived in... record time, cowboy."

The taxi ride itself was also uneventful, but the closer they got, the quieter she was. By the time they arrived, her hands began to shake, and it was getting harder to breathe. The rest of the world blurred out of focus, and she leaned heavily against him, panting and trying to ride the tide.

Soon, it was going to happen soon.

@TerranSteel @Kestrel

 

[Corran Velt]

Laughter caused Corran to jerk back his head in surprise. She was laughing at his dumb little joke. In the best of times a small, breathy chuckle was all that was often allowed. He started to wonder if delirium was taking hold of him as much as Ilana. Pain crashed over that happy moment like an angry ocean wave and taking it far out to sea. His arm held firm in holding the Arkanian close and clear concern flashed on his features. Yet she still made time to reassure him. The young ranger subtly shook his head and huffed in amusement, "Record time? Seems like all those years trading along the hyperlanes was actually good for something."

The initial entrance to the taxi was a spirited affair. Aiding Ilana, with her limited mobility, into the backseat and raising his voice at the droid pilot to step on it. It was the lack of excitement during the ride that was unsettling. No howls of pain or clenched-teeth threats. The Arkanian grew increasingly silent. Corran's hands clasped hers the whole ride and he constantly provided support. "Almost there. Just a little bit longer, okay? It'll be okay." Some of that was just as much for himself as for the mother. Weight pressed hard on the Lieutenant's side as she slumped against him. Again he urged the droid to hurry with all speed. She was not having a baby in a speeder.

Vocal accosting must have done the job as the speeder soon pulled into the emergency entrance for the hospital specifically for deliveries. Coruscant had incredible numbers of babies born every day and a wing just wouldn't do. Sometimes entire complexes were dedicated to bringing the next generation into the galaxy. Corran didn't know this place but it looked sterile and upper-class. Ilana had planned well. "We're here. We're here," he repeated with some shortness of breath brought on by his anxious heart, "Let me help you out. That's it." Even if the Arkanian couldn't rely on her own strength, she could count on her partner's. Corran was drawing deep from the well of energy all soon-to-be father's utilized. Trained arms lifted her from the cab and began guiding her into the lobby of the medical establishment.

"Doctor! We need a doctor! She's gone into labor!" He cried with commanding urgency. Two nurses soon appeared and rushed to help the man in carrying the struggling mother. "Oh, she's early," one said with some thinly veiled worry. "Sir, we can take her from here." A primal, defiant reply came immediately, "No! No. I'm with her the whole way." Corran Velt had made a promise. An oath. And he never broke his oaths.

@Killa Ree @Kestrel

 

[Bast Emblai]

Bast had left as soon as she had heard. Corran had departed from Nar Shaddaa so quickly the woman had not had time to inquire or even bid a farewell. At the moment she had thought with selfish bitterness that the man was no longer in the habit of keeping her updated. The bitterness was short-lived. An hour later Bast received a notification from Dr. Morata. “In labour. Come at your earliest convenience.“ The adrenaline, however, wore off quickly.

The lights of the hospital were bright and the harsh smell stung her nose and made bile rise in her throat. There was no peace at the medical center. She had learned that the day she had woken up with a new spine, strapped to the been and told not to move. Someone had spooned mashed fruit into her mouth. The days had blurred together as the lights never went off. She was here for Ilana, for Corran. This was not like the other times. The tired looking ranger picked up a holomagazine on the waiting room table, idly flipping through pages. “Ten hottest trends from the center of the galaxy”, “Why Doctors Say Rancor Meat is Bad”, and “AMS: Disease or Deception?” Scrolled past on the bottom of the page. She would have to ask the mother-to-be about rancor meat later. Hazel eyes glanced at the clock. Three minutes had passed. The calm mask didn’t slip in the slightest. If she were detached, it would be alright. Someone across the room stared at her disheveled hair, the protruding line that went up the back of her t-shirt. She stared back, unblinking. Now was not the time for thoughts or emotions, so she fed herself junk, distracting the overactive mind with gossip articles and old tabloids. It was going to be a long night.

@Killa Ree
@TerranSteel

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

Ilana had worked through pain before. She had been tortured, beaten, humiliated, and abandoned. She had lost her arm, watched children die in her arms, and witnessed the terrors of war. But this pain, accompanied by anxiety, had wrapped an iron band around her chest. She was aware that Corran had carried her in, but vaguely. She could have sworn she even saw Bast as she was escorted in, but none of it settled in her mind.

All she was aware of was the pain.

It took over her, over and over. At first, she resisted, keeping the low moans stifled between clenched teeth as she gripped his hand. But as time went on, it became harder to resist, and her throat was rasped raw. In between these waves, she was left panting and gasping, only to feel another tide coming.

It felt like an eternity, one long moment stretched forever. Perhaps it was one minute, or one hundred, but the one thing that shattered the stillness, that long-drawn torment, was one final push.

She leaned forward anxiously, amber eyes wide with deep circles beneath them as suddenly, the icy dam broke. A rush of fierce protectiveness surged over her, and she reached her arms out. "Give her to me," she begged, her voice hoarse. "What's wrong with her? Bring her here." There was only one thing in the galaxy that mattered, the small bundle the nurse held that didn't cry. Tears began to leak as she reached out, and suddenly there was a fierce, sharp light that bloomed in her chest, a single command.

Breathe.

Suddenly, the bundle started and began to wail. She let out a sound, half-choked gasp and half laugh, hands grabbing at air. "Please, please--" until she was settled in her arms, and Corran would see it for the first time.

The Doctor's features softened, warmed. A rare, gentle smile lit her lips and eyes, as she nestled the newborn close, a pale finger stroking over a downy cheek. "We did it," she murmured thickly, as sky blue eyes stared up at the new world with a mix of shock and wonder. She was small, almost impossibly small, with a crown of white hair, but in her eyes she was impossibly beautiful.

"Hello, Silvi. Hello, little one."

@TerranSteel @Kestrel

 

[Corran Velt]

Fatigue and exhaustion might have overcome other beings in Lieutenant Velt's condition. Working days and nights to blend in and survive on Nar Shaddaa. Fighting off infected droids and people alike. Tracing the steps of Sith terrorists. Blasting off-world during an invasion. Scant rest between it all. But he kept going; refusing to let up. Because for all that - it paled in comparison to what Ilana was enduring.

Sterile medical professionals and antiseptic droids gave Corran brief, curious looks in the delivery chamber. A gruff, armored mercenary doting over the mother; oblivious to nigh all else. Eyes as soft as his durasteel chest plate was hard. All through the peaks and lows of pain, he kept by her beside. Loving, worried assurances flowed often. "You're doing great, just a little longer." "That's it; breath, breath with me." "Squeeze my hand. I won't let go." He may come to regret that last one. Purple and green bruises were forthcoming. When not comforting and supporting the mother, the young man could only look her over or glance about. The whole ordeal was stressing enough, made only worse that he didn't fully understand all that was happening. Nurses moved about and talked to the doctor in medical terms that only Ilana could decipher. Corran could only chew his lip and brush hair from the Arkanian's face in small attempts of easing her journey.

Time both rushed and dragged in extremes. Knowing the exact hour of the day was impossible. Through it all the young father just wanted to share the pain with her. Just to take some of the torment expressed through gritted teeth and guttural groans. What had seemed to go on endlessly ended almost suddenly. Corran groaned with Ilana, almost yelling, as he held tightly to her hand with his own and the other squeezing the medical bed railing so tightly that it might have bent. Then it was over. He glanced up and down the Arkanian woman, innocently unsure of what had happened. Then a nurse from the other end carried a small thing in her arms.

The Ranger's mouth hung open, unable to move, watching mother reach for newborn. His grip clung to the railing and he felt like he was imposing just being here. Breath constricted in his chest. Shouldn't there by crying? Why isn't there crying? A shrill wail erupted that actually startled the frozen man. Ilana was practically hysterical. Emotions of all kinds mixed in her features and rotated in expression. Corran was dumbstruck. His pupils tracked the movement of the infant as if blinking could make it vanish. The dream would end. He couldn't get a good look at the child until it was welcomed into its mothers arms.

The universe ceased to exist. Only Ilana, Corran, and the baby remained. All surroundings make a silent, fuzzy, muddled mess. The man's eyes grew as wide as dinner plates, mouth hung open, his very person stupefied. Such a small thing never felt so big. It was real. The baby was real. Heart beats rung in his ears and he glided down to his knees. No thoughts were required, no promises formed on logic. He already knew immediately - this child was the most important thing to him in the cosmos.

Only Ilana's utterance of the name finally brought the blond man back from the stilled dimension. "Sil... Silvi?" Water began to form in crescents at the base of his eyes without knowing it. "We... we have a daughter." A tear trickled down his cheek. Then another. "I have a daughter." Raw, unadulterated joy and love radiated from Corran's very being. A wet kiss pressed against Ilana's temple. "You did it. Oh, Gods and Stars, you brought our daughter here." Would there ever be enough gratitude in the entire existence of all sentient beings who ever lived to express the thankfulness he felt in this moment? Doubtful. The young father bounced an index finger at the newborn even if it was unaware and cooed tenderly, "Silvi, you're perfect. Just the cutest perfection the galaxy has ever seen." He blinked away the tears, forcing some down his stubbled cheeks. She even had his eyes.

@Kestrel @Killa Ree