Once Upon A Time...
Or perhaps a better start would be:
A long long time ago, in a galaxy far far away...
*There was a girl. Actually, several iterations of a girl, each one a facet of the whole, exploring different aspects of the personality behind the avatar. Over the course of 2 years, this girl became many things, working to perfect herself time and again, over and over, taking the good with the bad. During that time she danced, controlled creatures, was a crack shot, considered a lethal weapon, brought a city back from ruin and built it into the power it once was and then some, ran a guild, lived, loved many times, laughed and cried. She made new friends, lost them, rebuilt friendships, attended and officiated at weddings, witnessed death and resurrection, rejoiced and suffered the agonies of loss deeper than ever expected. This girl was, for all intents and purposes, as real as any you might see walking down the street... but she was only a figment of an imagination. And now, it's time for that figment to rest.
Her reason for existence has come to a painful end. Too much loss, with nothing to replace it, has weakened her, and she does not choose to go on. With her remaining energies, she will seek the last one she lost, hoping to be reunited with that one. She willingly leaves behind all the material trappings, all the power and status that her life contained throughout its run, because without that one, it means nothing.*
Wren looks around her shop one last time, adjusting a slipping sheet over a cabinet full of momentos, things from happier times that she kept to remind her of those times. A softly spoken word dims the lights, then a slight movement of her hand locks the seals on the door. They will remain closed until... who knows.
She runs to Terim's shops and closes them up quickly, refusing to dwell longer than she has to, whispering the codes to seal them until such time as he might return. Her steps falter slightly as she steps through the door of their home, then she gathers her courage and goes through the same procedures as in their shops - with one extra step as she gathers a few possessions for her trip. She pauses for a moment in their bedroom, lifting his pillow to try and catch the faint scent of him... the small bantha doll he gave her drops to the bed and she picks it up, smiling as the memory returns. She tucks it in her satchel then places his pillow back on the bed, straightening it slightly. A last look, then she leaves the house, pausing only to activate the security that will ensure it remains as she leaves it now, in the hope that one day she will return with him at her side.
Wren looks around the empty town a moment before hopping on her bike for the shuttleport. Terimbrel had worked so hard to keep the city alive, and there had been such plans. If only his ship hadn't disappeared as he was returning from his last visit with their Liege, lost in a system that few knew anything about. She had spent the past months waiting, hoping, that he would return, dying a little each day as there was no news. She pushed those thoughts away, hopping on the shuttle, not wanting to relive those particular memories.
At the Coronet starport, she boarded her ship, Blue Valkyrie, a slight smile as she remembered Terim's reaction to the name. Tossing her satchel in the co-pilot seat, she punched in the coordinates to Dantooine, then prepared for takeoff. Her eyes straying over the interior of her ship, lighting on two helmets that she brought with her, smiling at the memories they invoked. The laughter and good-natured teasing that surrounded the Black Sun helmet, the awe that the beautifully made RIS armor helmet always inspired in her. She ran a finger over the RIS, remembering the man it was made for, and the feelings she still had for him... her soul ached at the loss of him... his absence more than anything leaving her bereft of any support and strength. She took a deep breath, trying to reach him where he was now, feeling a faint hint of him but no response, and stopped, focusing instead on the final preparations before takeoff, and the leap into hyperspace.
The trip was quick, and re-entry a slight jolt that wakened her from hyper-sleep so she could focus on landing. Dantooine's Mining Outpost was still bustling, though not with the same feeling as it used to have, before the dark days arrived. Gritting her teeth, Wren hurried from the landing area, pulling her speeder from the long-term parking and hopping on, rushing away from the outpost to escape the incessant noise. As she cruised over the river, glancing from time to time into the water to see the teeming fish, she thought about the city she was heading to now, and how to best withdraw from the office that she could no longer hold if she was to find her husband, regain a semblance of the life she once had. She passed the cantina that still bore her name, a gift from the father of her third husband. She resolutely pushed any further thoughts of him from her mind, not wanting the tears to distract her from this final thing, saving them for another time, as she always seemed to do of late.
Camelot still stood, a shell of its former self, empty buildings with shuttered windows the only evidence of what it once was... a bustling city that drew hundreds for the opportunities it presented on a beautiful but dangerous planet that took often more than it gave. As she got off her bike at City Hall, she had a flashback to a hunting trip... her eyes strayed to the hill where his house stood, before the horrible day he took his own life to escape a horror he couldn't accept... another thought she pushed away, biting her bottom lip to concentrate on the next things.
Wren stepped into her office and looked around a moment, then began packing items into an armoire and a couple packs, to be placed into storage. Once she was done, she sat at her desk, going through the most recent city report. No changes, it would be a simple matter to turn it over to her deputy, there would be no fuss at the change in leadership and she knew she could leave it without worry. She drafted a letter then, outlining what might need to be done, and had it sent via holo-gram, then packed the last few things into her briefcase. Another soft sentence into her comm, and two large men came and moved out the items she indicated, nodding respectfully, one whispering 'As you wish, my Lady'. She sent another brief note to her deputy to be sure to retain the two, suggesting commissions or appropriate promotions would be in order for their loyalty. Before she walked out, she noticed her old dancing costume in the corner and walked over, running a finger over the delicate material that had been specifically designed to match her skin color. She scooped it up, along with the matching shoes and tossed them in her satchel, then dimmed the lights and left City Hall and Camelot, with only a brief stop at her riverside home to secure it until she might return. She didn't venture any further in than the entry, not wanting to deal with the memories of Vyko waiting for her, surprising her when he was able to get away from his training duties at the academy, or the day when she received notice that his squadron had been lost in a training exercise... she shook her head slightly, fingers going to the ring that she wore now, twisting it, trying to keep herself together a bit longer. One last code, and she slipped out as the security seal closed...
Back at the starport, she got off her speeder, securing it in her permanent spot, going over it quickly to set it into long-term storage mode, then ran to the terminals that would take her back to her ship. She pulled out a disc that had Terim's last known coordinates, as well as those of another... she would seek them both if she could, and hope to bring them both back. A quick rundown of the long-distance travel checklist, ensuring that her ship was ready, she fired up the stasis tube that would hold her until her destination was attained, then launched.
Above Dantooine, Wren looked down at the purple and green planet, remembering how she loved the sunrises there, then turned back to the comm, setting in her course, dialing in a few other commands, then pushing the autopilot button. She had 5 minutes before the jump to light speed, and she used them in stowing a few last items, and getting ready for stasis, tucking the bantha doll into the tube, as well as a few holo pictures that would give her pleasant dreams as she travelled. She also checked the other tubes that she had installed for this trip, with the hopes that she would be most successful, then climbed into hers. Before she settled down, she looked at the holos... happier times, the face of her beloved Terim, Estei, Raman, In-A, Merana, and the others, finally letting the memories come, good and bad, as she drifted off. Just before her vision completely blurred with tears and then nothingness, she looked and saw that her ship was making the jump... the stars turning to white streaks as the ship went into hyperspace...
"I'm coming, love. I will find you. We will be together again. I am yours always..."
*Thus ends she which was known as Wren. Also known as Arial, Kique, Ka'Lyrra, and a few others. Unless things change in her particular universe, there is no longer a reason for her existence. The world she knew, the world that helped make her what she was, is gone. It is missed, by many. And by her. She doesn't like the new world that she woke up in. It may be more 'Star Warsy', but that wasn't what kept her there so long. What kept her there, has gone now. And thus, so must she.*
A long long time ago, in a galaxy far far away...
*There was a girl. Actually, several iterations of a girl, each one a facet of the whole, exploring different aspects of the personality behind the avatar. Over the course of 2 years, this girl became many things, working to perfect herself time and again, over and over, taking the good with the bad. During that time she danced, controlled creatures, was a crack shot, considered a lethal weapon, brought a city back from ruin and built it into the power it once was and then some, ran a guild, lived, loved many times, laughed and cried. She made new friends, lost them, rebuilt friendships, attended and officiated at weddings, witnessed death and resurrection, rejoiced and suffered the agonies of loss deeper than ever expected. This girl was, for all intents and purposes, as real as any you might see walking down the street... but she was only a figment of an imagination. And now, it's time for that figment to rest.
Her reason for existence has come to a painful end. Too much loss, with nothing to replace it, has weakened her, and she does not choose to go on. With her remaining energies, she will seek the last one she lost, hoping to be reunited with that one. She willingly leaves behind all the material trappings, all the power and status that her life contained throughout its run, because without that one, it means nothing.*
Wren looks around her shop one last time, adjusting a slipping sheet over a cabinet full of momentos, things from happier times that she kept to remind her of those times. A softly spoken word dims the lights, then a slight movement of her hand locks the seals on the door. They will remain closed until... who knows.
She runs to Terim's shops and closes them up quickly, refusing to dwell longer than she has to, whispering the codes to seal them until such time as he might return. Her steps falter slightly as she steps through the door of their home, then she gathers her courage and goes through the same procedures as in their shops - with one extra step as she gathers a few possessions for her trip. She pauses for a moment in their bedroom, lifting his pillow to try and catch the faint scent of him... the small bantha doll he gave her drops to the bed and she picks it up, smiling as the memory returns. She tucks it in her satchel then places his pillow back on the bed, straightening it slightly. A last look, then she leaves the house, pausing only to activate the security that will ensure it remains as she leaves it now, in the hope that one day she will return with him at her side.
Wren looks around the empty town a moment before hopping on her bike for the shuttleport. Terimbrel had worked so hard to keep the city alive, and there had been such plans. If only his ship hadn't disappeared as he was returning from his last visit with their Liege, lost in a system that few knew anything about. She had spent the past months waiting, hoping, that he would return, dying a little each day as there was no news. She pushed those thoughts away, hopping on the shuttle, not wanting to relive those particular memories.
At the Coronet starport, she boarded her ship, Blue Valkyrie, a slight smile as she remembered Terim's reaction to the name. Tossing her satchel in the co-pilot seat, she punched in the coordinates to Dantooine, then prepared for takeoff. Her eyes straying over the interior of her ship, lighting on two helmets that she brought with her, smiling at the memories they invoked. The laughter and good-natured teasing that surrounded the Black Sun helmet, the awe that the beautifully made RIS armor helmet always inspired in her. She ran a finger over the RIS, remembering the man it was made for, and the feelings she still had for him... her soul ached at the loss of him... his absence more than anything leaving her bereft of any support and strength. She took a deep breath, trying to reach him where he was now, feeling a faint hint of him but no response, and stopped, focusing instead on the final preparations before takeoff, and the leap into hyperspace.
The trip was quick, and re-entry a slight jolt that wakened her from hyper-sleep so she could focus on landing. Dantooine's Mining Outpost was still bustling, though not with the same feeling as it used to have, before the dark days arrived. Gritting her teeth, Wren hurried from the landing area, pulling her speeder from the long-term parking and hopping on, rushing away from the outpost to escape the incessant noise. As she cruised over the river, glancing from time to time into the water to see the teeming fish, she thought about the city she was heading to now, and how to best withdraw from the office that she could no longer hold if she was to find her husband, regain a semblance of the life she once had. She passed the cantina that still bore her name, a gift from the father of her third husband. She resolutely pushed any further thoughts of him from her mind, not wanting the tears to distract her from this final thing, saving them for another time, as she always seemed to do of late.
Camelot still stood, a shell of its former self, empty buildings with shuttered windows the only evidence of what it once was... a bustling city that drew hundreds for the opportunities it presented on a beautiful but dangerous planet that took often more than it gave. As she got off her bike at City Hall, she had a flashback to a hunting trip... her eyes strayed to the hill where his house stood, before the horrible day he took his own life to escape a horror he couldn't accept... another thought she pushed away, biting her bottom lip to concentrate on the next things.
Wren stepped into her office and looked around a moment, then began packing items into an armoire and a couple packs, to be placed into storage. Once she was done, she sat at her desk, going through the most recent city report. No changes, it would be a simple matter to turn it over to her deputy, there would be no fuss at the change in leadership and she knew she could leave it without worry. She drafted a letter then, outlining what might need to be done, and had it sent via holo-gram, then packed the last few things into her briefcase. Another soft sentence into her comm, and two large men came and moved out the items she indicated, nodding respectfully, one whispering 'As you wish, my Lady'. She sent another brief note to her deputy to be sure to retain the two, suggesting commissions or appropriate promotions would be in order for their loyalty. Before she walked out, she noticed her old dancing costume in the corner and walked over, running a finger over the delicate material that had been specifically designed to match her skin color. She scooped it up, along with the matching shoes and tossed them in her satchel, then dimmed the lights and left City Hall and Camelot, with only a brief stop at her riverside home to secure it until she might return. She didn't venture any further in than the entry, not wanting to deal with the memories of Vyko waiting for her, surprising her when he was able to get away from his training duties at the academy, or the day when she received notice that his squadron had been lost in a training exercise... she shook her head slightly, fingers going to the ring that she wore now, twisting it, trying to keep herself together a bit longer. One last code, and she slipped out as the security seal closed...
Back at the starport, she got off her speeder, securing it in her permanent spot, going over it quickly to set it into long-term storage mode, then ran to the terminals that would take her back to her ship. She pulled out a disc that had Terim's last known coordinates, as well as those of another... she would seek them both if she could, and hope to bring them both back. A quick rundown of the long-distance travel checklist, ensuring that her ship was ready, she fired up the stasis tube that would hold her until her destination was attained, then launched.
Above Dantooine, Wren looked down at the purple and green planet, remembering how she loved the sunrises there, then turned back to the comm, setting in her course, dialing in a few other commands, then pushing the autopilot button. She had 5 minutes before the jump to light speed, and she used them in stowing a few last items, and getting ready for stasis, tucking the bantha doll into the tube, as well as a few holo pictures that would give her pleasant dreams as she travelled. She also checked the other tubes that she had installed for this trip, with the hopes that she would be most successful, then climbed into hers. Before she settled down, she looked at the holos... happier times, the face of her beloved Terim, Estei, Raman, In-A, Merana, and the others, finally letting the memories come, good and bad, as she drifted off. Just before her vision completely blurred with tears and then nothingness, she looked and saw that her ship was making the jump... the stars turning to white streaks as the ship went into hyperspace...
"I'm coming, love. I will find you. We will be together again. I am yours always..."
*Thus ends she which was known as Wren. Also known as Arial, Kique, Ka'Lyrra, and a few others. Unless things change in her particular universe, there is no longer a reason for her existence. The world she knew, the world that helped make her what she was, is gone. It is missed, by many. And by her. She doesn't like the new world that she woke up in. It may be more 'Star Warsy', but that wasn't what kept her there so long. What kept her there, has gone now. And thus, so must she.*
posted by AvianaBleu at 2:02 AM
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