Evelyn’s hand were shaking. Her lips curled downwards into a frown before it shifted over to a scowl. This was stupid. She placed the datapad on the island before opened the cabinet above fridge and reached up. It was time for her daily glass of wine anyways.
Then she stopped and look over at the time. It was very late.
“Oh,” Evelyn murmured outloud. If it was so late, maybe she should not text Cole-
“And now I am thinking of excuses,” Evelyn spat bitterly at herself. Just do it. Rip off the band-aid as Aketa used to like to say.
Aketa. Kist. She would love for her to be here. She would want to tell her everything. If she knew what she knows now, she would’ve told her long ago. And Aketa would never left home and died thinking Evelyn hated her-
She flinched and almost dropped the wine bottle she was holding. With a small pop, she grabbed the glass and stopped. She was off for two days. After decided that she needed some courage help, she put the glass up and took a sip straight from the bottle. Evelyn set it down by the datapad as she started to type.
Mr. Farrow, I do apologize for what time it was. There is something I need to tell you and I realized this was information I should had told you upon finding out that Graham had die-
No. That sounded too much. She deleted most of it and tried again-
Mr. Farrow. I do apologize what time it is. There is something I need to tell you. Honestly, you deserved to know this information months ago. Can we meet?"
No response came that night. It was already past midnight and Cole Farrow was asleep. It wasn’t a restful sleep, it never was, but he was tucked up with Sofila and that was enough.
Morning came and he woke, heading to the bathroom before returning, thanking Sofila for starting the coffee machine but still heading back into the bedroom. He sat down on the edge of the bed, still in his boxers but more alert than a few minutes prior.
A notifcation sat on his screen. Evelyn Wyvern.
Kark,
He opened it, his expression not reflecting the contempt at her messaging him in the middle of the night and for what- Information. What information? How karking cryptic could you be after interrogating someone about their damned-
Cole inhaled slowly, releasing the breath and looking back down at the screen.
When and where?
He sent it, pocketing the data pad and heading back out for the caf that was suddenly far more desirable.
Evelyn groaned as it had been awhile. It was definitely late. She should’ve waited. Part of her knew deep down if she waited, she would’ve put it off more. Stars, she wish she could go find him and delete that message without him knowing.
Her datapad went off and she jolted awake. Her brows furrowed and her head hurts. Oh. Right. She downed an entire bottle of wine. She reached over and grabbed the datapad and winced at the brightness before turning it down. At least he didn’t reject seeing her. It would make things easier.
I am off today and tomorrow. As for meet up, that would be your decision. I do recommend somewhere private.
He might get emotional- Stars who was she kidding? She might get emotional so privacy would be good. Evelyn sighed as she slowly removed herself from the bed and headed to the bathroom to take a shower and prepare for the day. She imagine he would pick a quiet place on Port Ol'Val. At least, she had her own ship so getting there wouldn’t be an issue.
Sofila tiredly smiled at seeing Cole as she rubbed her eyes, “Caf is-” She stopped and squinted at Cole. “Are you okay?”
“Wyvern wants to meet up with me.” Cole said plainly, sighing slightly after. The data pad dinged and he drew it back out, reading it and rolling his eyes. He’d rather not go somewhere entirely private with her. “I’m fine, though I will apparently being going out later.”
This evening, there's a coffee place off of the main market streets. I'll send you the coordinates. It'll be quiet that late.
He sent the message before standing up.
“Apparently she has something to tell me.”
Sofila noticed Cole rolled his eyes when he read the recent message he received. She prepared his caf while he was sending a message. When he was done, she handed him the mug.
“Wyvern… I don’t think I remember her but okay.” This all sounded weird and a woman had something to tell him? At first, she was going to be upset for not being asked to come along but she remember she had some stuff to do at work to deal with certain Hutts and angry criminals that thinks they are being slick.
“Wonder if it’s work related or something.” She asked as she leaned against the counter, took a sip of the caf, and sighed at it’s bitter warmth.
“She’s the one that knew my brother. She was at truth or dare at the halloween festival for a while, with Jax. You’ve met her. Evelyn Wyvern.” Cole spoke, trying to remind her.
“I held her at gun point as a teenager.” He added on with a hint of hunour though it didn’t really sit well.
“Oh. Oh, the one with white hair?” Then she took another sip, pondering for a bit. What kind of information can she possibly have? She winced at remembering Cole was aiming his gun at people just as a teeanger. While she avoided it as long as she could.
Course, it didn’t help that Buir was the one calling the shots.
Legit.
“Maybe it’s about the compound. Who knows? I’m not sure if she would be the type to help you with that.”
“She was banned from entering the territory never midn the compound over a decade ago. I doubt that even knowing we’re gone now she’d have bothered going back.” Cole shook his head, “No. I’m not sure what exactly but it’ll be something to do with Graham if I had to guess. It’s the only connection we have and when we last spoke, she made a point of refusing to tell me anything about why the kark she cared so much about what happened to him.”
Sofila looked at Cole with confusion evident on her face. This… didn’t make any sense. If it’s not the compound, okay, she can see how Graham fits in but the man has been dead for five years. If Evelyn had something to say, she should’ve said it before.
“Yea, I don’t know.” Her voice was low and on the edge of dangerous. If Evelyn keeps giving her man grief, she’ll give her grief. She glances at the clock and stood up straight.
“I should start getting ready for work. Stay safe today.” She grinned and pecked Cole on the lips before she made her way to the bedroom.
“You too.” Cole responded, returning the peck and starting to get ready for the day himself. It wasn’t like he didn’t have any work to do. But he’d be done long before the evening came at least.
The caf shop wasn’t the nicest in the system but it was a regular spot and one of the many that had been deemed no karking around areas. Anyone starting a fight would be breaking the rule of the Blind Man and no one particularly wanted that when the blind man had so many eyes and faces around the port. Hopefully Evelyn would be aware of that rule but… well. Cole doubted it’d be relevant.
Hoped. Slightly.
He settled into a booth away from others, a cup of coffee in hand and waited for the arrival of one of Galeres’ pilots.
A minute after Cole sat down, Evelyn arrived in her normal pilot suit that doesn’t indicate where she hails from. Her black and green BB Unit rolled in behind her. Evelyn did a quick scan to see if he was already here and their eyes met. She gave him a one moment finger and went to the counter and ordered some caf for herself. Her eyes glanced around at her surroundings. It was… quiet. Less people than she thought. She shifted her glance over to the people in the back, minding their own business. Lastly, she looked quickly for the exits. When they handed her the cup, she thanked them and made her way over to Cole, sitting across him. The BB Unit rolled up and rested by her side.
She didn’t look good. More exhausted if anything. This was a heavy weight on her mind. Her mask was gone.
“I-” She started and looked up at him. She cleared her throat and straightened up her spine.
“I wanted to apologize for my attitude and behavior towards you about Graham. I freaked out. I just did not know how to-” She stopped and shook her head. Best to get the point and then explain if he still wished to hear it.
“Let me start over. Cole, Graham and I had a kid.”
Cole had watched her. She was tired clearly, hungover less clearly but it became so when she sat down. The redness in her eyes wasn’t from crying or they’d be swollen so unless she was ill it was likely self-induced.
It was weird to see her so vulnerable. Uncomfortably so.
-had a kid.
Cole blinked once. His features didn’t shift despite the recoil within. What the kark did she kriffing mean thAT- He was silent, fighting against himself more than anything. Graham hadn’t told him that. They.. he thought they’d told each other everything. Sure some things likely slipped past but a child? Asking when was stupid, there was only two absences he was aware of that Graham took in any relevance to Wyvern. That didn’t mean much but it was all in the span of a year or two.
Eventually, he spoke, his tone lower than usual but otherwise maintaining the typical cold stare that he wore. His tone held no judgement nor.. anything else. It was clinical. “You kept the kid?”
There… was no reaction from Cole. Just the same cold look. She had to look away for a moment and took a sip as she watched the people behind the counter cleaning up from previous traffic. Was she also like that?
Evelyn grimaced as she shook her head and looked back to him.
“No. I was an assault pilot under contract. At the time, with Kadnikov. And… I was- am not a fit mother. She deserved stability and happiness. Both I was unable to provide. Graham informed me he did not want to raise her at the compound. So now… she is with Skylar and Tednor, my cousin and her husband. They are stable and been wanting to be parents for years…. it-” She stopped and paused for a moment.
“Graham trusted me to make the decision and I have not regret it since. They are the right fit for her.”
Cole kept the quiet, watching her carefully for a few moments before taking a sip of coffee and pulling his gaze away to give her a break. She looked a mess already and was only getting worse with how she was stuttering over herself.
He’d had a niece. One who didn’t know he existed and.. shouldn’t. A part of him wanted to yell that she’d have been safer at the compound but then… It conflicted with everything, the rest of that thought. It led down a path he was karking scared to walk. He exhaled, placing the cup back down.
She worked for kadnikov once. That was interesting. Irrelvant but notable.
“So why did you want to know how he died. Some.. kind of latent… guilty connection?” Cole suggested, trying to work it out. The connection. The kid. “Does the kid know who birthed her? Did she need to be told?”
Evelyn exhaled as she had another sip. At least that one, she can answer a bit easier.
“It was guilt, yes. I completely panicked. When she becomes old enough to decide she wants to meet me, what am I suppose to tell her about her dad?” Then one of the corner of her lips actually uplifted into a sad smile before she continued.
“But then I realized I was wrong. That it would not make a difference in knowing how he died. If you are comfortable, I can direct her to you when she starts asking me about Graham. You can tell her stories about him. It would be better that way.” She removed her hand from the cup and tapped her finger a bit on the table before she caught herself.
“She knows she was adopted but she does not know who her biological parents are. Cole, she has not asked where she was from. She is already at the age to understand adoption. Her two younger siblings are also adopted and she is so loved-” She exhaled when she noticed she was rambling. She hasn’t told anyone this. Not even her own therapist. She leaned back into her chair.
“My apologies. She will visit or call when she is ready.” She took a sip and put it down.
“Skylar has been sending me updates. She also sent photos but I did not have the heart to look at them. I- It sounds so stupid now I realized it but I was hoping to look at the photos with Graham. When it was safe for me to meet him. The offer is there for you as well.”
“And what’s her name?” Cole asked, avoiding Evelyn’s eyes. For his own sake more than hers now.
Stories?
What stories wouldn’t terrify her. Or make her hate her biological father. What good stories did he have?
Some. Few and far between.
“I doubt she’d want much in the way of stories about us, either way. Farrow, that is. I’m not exactly thr most friendly face to look to at the best of times.”
While he had few qualms about his appearance, he’d seen the stares and frightened hurried correctings of them from children trying to not be obvious. He wasn’t stupid.
Evelyn almost decided to be snarky and suggest he would be with Ms. Armis when Myla meets them. She knew exactly how cold he comes off as but with Ms. Armis? It was still there but just not as intense. They both don’t need that behavior right now.
“If you really do not wish to meet her by the time she would be old enough not to judge anyone by their appearances, I will inform her. I am not exactly… a best example either but I will tell her good stories about my life, even though I can only think of three right now.” Evelyn said honestly. The birth of Myla, her marrying Aketa, and maybe one embarssing story a young woman might like to hear.
She was quiet for a bit longer before, “Her name is Myla. Myla Graeme Wyvern. Graham picked her first name.”
“Its not that I don’t want to. I just don’t see what benefit she’d gain. If she’s insistent when the day comes then.. sure.” Hed work it out if that was the case. For… it hit again that he had a niece and his heart hurt. A piece of his brother was still-
Myla
Cole blinked, shock visible on his face for a moment. Pain, blinked away as quickly as it appeared.
“Graeme. She.. was named after him too?” He asked, avoiding the question he couldn’t ask. Graham wouldn’t have told her that, surely.
Evelyn’s expression soften towards Cole.
“She was. I remembered how he was those four months before I found out I was pregnant. Do not get me wrong, you both were not to be crossed with but he was so protective of you. Just little things that people do not notice. Not only that, his first concern was about his baby being in danger. He was also there when I gave birth to her. He could had said no when I asked.”
Evelyn wasn’t sure if she actually saw something in Graham or was it just her hormones and being young then. But the fact that he was concerned for Myla’s life just made her believe there was good in him, buried as it was.
“I never got to ask him. Do you have any idea why would he picked Myla?”
Kark. There was no point to dishonesty other than his own stupid hang ups.
“Our mother was called Maree.” There. That wasn’t so hard was it. Yet his legs were tensed, his jaw and- kark. Guilt. He shoved it down, a problem that’d be solved when he ended up in the dirt himself. This was difficult. This was not what he expecting in any way. And it wasn’t a threat or something he could work with.
It was just information that some day a little girl, his niece, his brother’s daughter, would potentially want to talk to him about her blood father.
It was terrifying.
“He was the kinder one. Of us two. I’m not surprised he did right by you. It would have been worse to hear otherwise.”
Oh. She was named after their mother in a way. That was…. heartwarming. Evelyn watched him carefully. A man who had lost his entire family and somehow, kept going despite it all.
And he was struggling right now. Dark green hues glanced around their surroundings. Maybe it was best to cut things now. She would hate to get emotional in a public place herself. She gave him a bit of a weak smile when he brought up Graham was the kinder one out of two of them.
“I like to think you changed yourself, Mr. Farrow. Maybe it is best for you to go home,” she suggested. “My comms are open if you have any more questions.”
“Thank you.” Cole replied, not seeing need to comment on.. her liking to think he’d changed. Had he?
It was among a growing pile of uncomfortable questions.
The Human remained sat, picking up the coffee up to drink and do something in the following silence.
Evelyn nodded as she got up and took her caf cup. There was nothing else to say. They had each other comm information. The BB unit rolled after her as the pair of them exit and Evelyn made her way to her ship. It was time to visit Selen and try to hunt down Consul Lottson.
Evelyn approached at the office only to find it empty. With a heavy sigh, she stepped out and looked over to the guard, “Excuse me, where is the Consul?”
The guard sighed, looking over the pilot with some concern.
“And who are you?”
“Captain Evelyn Wyvern, I’m part of the AEF. There is a matter I need to speak to her about.” Evelyn wasn’t to bring up that it was personal. Maybe the idea that it was related to military might have the guard inform her of Lottson’s location.
“Ah. Right. Apologies, but we always have to make sure.” He sighed, doing a quick check on a data pad before looking back to her.
“The Shadow Lord will be back in her office a few minutes, she just had to go to the bathroom. You may wait out here for her.”
Evelyn gave the guard a small nod in understanding. It made sense and she doesn’t fault him for it.
“Thank you.” She walked over and leaned against the opposite wall and waited.
It was indeed only a couple of minutes before a rushed set of footsteps came up the corridor, Zuza Lottson hurrying back in her formal wear.
She’d been wearing it more now she was Consul. Usually she didn’t care but Cora made such a fuss about her looking proper she wasn’t sure if she could get away from it. Yet it felt wrong. Kark.
There was so much paperwork to do. Backlogs, as well as the formiddable shifting of gears. Bril was only recently hired and she’d had to officially hire Diyrian too. Plus she’d had to put out calls to replace herself.
So lost in thought, the short Human took a moment to notice she’d said hi to more than her usual guard. Evelyn.
Zuza stopped mid-step, almost comically. Oh.
“Oh- Evelyn. Uh, hi. Is something wrong?” Usually people were coming to her about things wrong now. Maus, with turning tides about the upcoming fight with the Gods. Cora with updates on Ruka and his non-returning sight. Just, problems.
Evelyn turned to the sounds of the footfalls down the corridor. She walked like a woman with so much on her mind and the world on her shoulders. Zuza seemed to finally noticed her as she stopped in middle of her walking and acknowledge her.
“Consul Lottson, no, nothing is wrong.” She reassured her leader as her eyes went to the guards and back to Zuza. “I wish to talk to you in private, if you have a moment to spare?”
Zuza pulled a face. “You really don’t have to call me Consul like that. Zuza is fine. Or, just Lottson if you have to do that.”
She frowned slightly before nodding, pointing a thumb to her office. “Sure, just don’t mind the mess.”
Leading Evelyn in, the pilot would see that mess wasn’t an understatement of affairs. The floor was clear but there were extra tables and everything was piled with data chits, screens and paperwork in some semblance of organised chaos.
Evelyn followed Zuza, “I am sure that it is not that-” She stopped as she froze at the doorway. Her skin started to crawl. A hot scolding shower sounded good right now. Evelyn cleared her throat and does her best to ignore the chaos that was occurring in the room. It fit Zuza to a Z but-
“You are aware you can ask a bit for help? I mean I would like to extend my hand. I could- I would not do anything, just organize them in correct- locations. Files. Folder. Pile.” She stopped herself and realized she was getting off topic. She looked over to Zuza.
“I wanted to apologize for my anger and behavior towards you. It was severely misplaced.”
“Oh- no. It’s all organised.” Zuza had stopped suddenly, a look of mild panic in her eyes when Evelyn mentioned organising it all.
It had taken her hours to get it to this.
“I know it looks bad, Zig about had an aneurism when she saw it, but the tables all mean a thing and so do each pile. If you change it I’ll never find it again.” A slight laugh escaped her but it died quickly as Evelyn apologised.
Right. That… She looked uncomfortable. “You were trying to help, I.. appreciate the apology but- To be honest I hadn’t thought about it since really. You did help, it’s just gotten a bit lost.”
She smiled, as if the piles of paperwork and backlog, upcoming conflicts and overall being thrust into a new position was lighthearted.
Oh. Oh no. Zuza was one of those people that some how, chaos and clutter, was their domain. Evelyn rubbed her arms and then crossed them to try to keep her composure. She’ll just do extra cleaning when she gets home. Even though her home was already cleaned. Zig? That name sounded familiar but she couldn’t remember where. At least Evelyn wasn’t alone in… this disorder.
Evelyn looked at Zuza with slight shock. She helped her? What?
“Hm.” Maybe Zuza meant about understanding she did what she had to do to live. Her eyes flickered over to the ‘organized’ mess before back to Zuza.
“How are you? Really.”
Zuza saw Evelyn rub her arms and grimaced. Kark. Maybe they should go somewhere else. She didn’t mean for it to be messy but it just.. didn’t work for her any other way. Not with this much to do- kark it had been worse before she came along!
How was she?
Zuza shrugged, the deflection instinctive.
“I’m managing.”
Which she was. The new duties of Consul had come with a hefty list of tasks but she got it done. She was leading. Talking to the other clans. To the Council. Everything was going just fine.
Evelyn watched her for a moment before she tilted her head at the door.
“Do you like ships? You can pilot mine or I can take you for a quick fly.”
Well that worked. Zuza nodded, looking back at the work before visibly going fuck it.
“Sure. I have my own but I’m not really a super skilled pilot. Good enough, but- yeah. Sounds good.”
Once Evelyn started walking, she followed.
“What kind of ship do you own?” Evelyn asked, figured she can try to make small conversation while they made their way over to the main hangar. Flying always help clear her mind. Whether the Consul was being honest with her or not, it would be good to take a step away and get a breather.
“Oh just a freighter but I’m no combat pilot. It’s good for taking a few friends around or doing smaller jobs.”
Zuza walked alongside Evelyn, glad to be walking away from the office and not toward it. Even though it was.. Well kark she’d get it done eventually just not right now. Soon.
“Freighters are good for that. Who taught you how to fly? Yourself?” Evelyn wouldn’t be surprised. Zuza seemed to be the kind to teach herself anything if she wanted to.
“My dad did, the basics at least.” Zuza replied, “We were always on the move so as soon as I was tall enough to reach everything he got me able to at least get around. Who taught you?”
“That is quite lovely. I am certain he cares and loves you.” Zuza asked the similar question, which doesn’t surprise her. It made sense. She had no qualms in answering but how much should she tell her?
Maybe it was time to … try to develop friendship among the two?
“My nanny. He was a good man. My parents fired him for teaching me how to pilot. So I started to learn in private.”
“They fired him for teaching you that? That’s karkin stupid.” Zuza glanced to Evelyn, an eyebrow raised. “Its one of the most useful skills in the galaxy.”
“Why learn, to them, a lower skill, if they had the credits to hire any pilot they wished to hire? My parents raised me to be a good politician in their image,” Evelyn explained as they were almost to the hanger. The breeze was nice today. She started to wonder where Zuza would want to go. Just patrol the planet or take to the stars?
“So naturally, I became a pilot. Much to their dismay.”
Zuza pulled a face. Is that the life she would have faced? Knowing who her mother was now, a politician, tradeswoman, noble, it very well could have been.
“I’m glad you did. They sound… well.” She shrugged.
“I did not have much of a choice. They kicked me out when I was sixteen. Here we are.” She made her way to her ship and popped the cockpit open. “Go on.” She slipped inside and got to the co-pilot seat.
“You remind me of me when I was younger. That spark in your eyes. Last time I had that spark, I just wanted to fly away from karking everything.” Evelyn’s accent changed at the last sentence. It was less proper and posh. It was an accent she picked up during her mercenary days. She leaned back against the chair and waited for Zuza.
Zuza frowned slightly but Evelyn didn’t linger. It was something she was clearly at least.. to terms with.
She slipped into the pilot’s seat with ease, taking a moment to look over the controls though Evelyn spoke again and it took her notice. The young woman tilted her head, eyes cast over the Echani mix for a moment before back to the controls ahead of her.
“I do. Sometimes. Both want to and actually do so. Though I suppose I ought to stop that now.” Zuza smiled slightly, a sadness tingeing it as she clipped the harness into place over her shoulders and waist, having to tighten the straps slightly to fit properly. “What.. stopped you?”
“Hm.” Evelyn considered it for a moment. She never lie but if there was questions she didn’t want to answer, she would let them know. But this could possibly help Zuza, in a way. Even though their reasonings would be different, she assumed.
“Aketa did and trauma as well. I grew up with rules and laws. It felt disorientated in a way to not have them. I made a few severe mistakes before meeting Aketa and joining Arcona.” Evelyn responded honestly then gave a weak smile as she glanced out of the glass.
“Aketa used to mention how I actually became like a Wyvern from the old legends. It can fly but always return where treasures are. I guess, at the moment, my treasures are here. Or having lost my treasures, I had not yet found a reason to seek freedom. I am not sure.” Then she shifted and slipped her arms to underneath the straps in case Zuza wanted to do some tricks as she started to clip.
“It would be hypocritical of me to say it, but do not stop looking for your freedom. Maybe right now, your wings are clipped. Wonderful thing about nature, even clipped wings find a way to grow and fly again.”
Zuza paused, considering it and letting out a soft sigh. Were her wings clipped? It felt more that a weight was placed, grounding her because she wasn’t strong enough to raise from the ground.
A sparrow, crushed beneath a rock.
“I’m not plannin’ on stopping trying. Though you shouldn’t either, if that’s what you want. Not like you can’t make your own kinda freedom with rules.” She pointed out, and deftly shifting the convresation back away from her. It was an instinct, though she was genuinely invested in helping her friends it was also had the helpful note of avoiding her issues. She was getting better sure. But not with everyone.
The Human began the start up procedures for the craft, careful but confident even faced with fairly new controls.
She grasped them once the engine was thrumming at a even pace.
“I guess you got your ship all fixed up huh?”
Much more complicated than that. Evelyn didn’t want to tell her everything that made freedom a bit harder. Finding out the Kadnikov was here on Selen, or at least one of their men was, had made her uneasy for the past few months. Evelyn noticed the shift in the conversation to avoid Zuza and try to make it about her.
She was not going to encourage that. She will, however, continue the conversation. For both of their sakes in a way.
“Yes. That was a long week.” Evelyn admitted before glancing back to Zuza.
“Where are we flying to?”
“I’m not sure. Probably stay on planet, at least.”
She looked over the map, considering, before plotting a reasonably scenic route around Ussun with plenty of spots for potential side trails.
“Yeah. That should be nice.” Zuza nodded to herself but getting comfortable and in a smooth series of motions and buttons, getting Evelyn’s ship off the ground and out of Estle’s airspace.
“I do have a suggestion, if you are wanting to get off of the planet for a moment.” Evelyn offered.
“There are a pod of purrgils not too far from here. They are migrating and resting nearby. Have you ever heard Purrgils sing?”
Zuza considered it before shrugging, removing the route with a press of a button.
“Not in a long time. Do you know where they are?” She asked, keeping her eyes on the skies ahead.
“I do. Not as much as I should but.. I do.” Zuza had answered softly, content to let the conversation move on.
“I spoke to him recently. About.. everything.” She admitted, after Evelyn’s explanation. It made sense as to why the Echani was so set on the topic, on trying to make Zuza better. It sucked, but it made sense. She still felt like a burden for it, he was just worrying about her now too. But then he’d also been relieved, it had been audible in his voice. Visible.
It was difficult. It had been for Evelyn too.
“He never told me to not tell him anything. He was always there and wanted to listen I just…” She shook her head, “I dunno.”