Nineteen-year-old Kyp Durron took yet another steadying breath, pulling at the collar of his new coat for what seemed like the hundredth time. Han had made him wear the new clothes; Lando had come along for a shopping trip and it had been beyond embarrassing. It seemed Lando had his personal aides for everything.
Besides the high-collared coat, he wore black boots above comfortably fitting dark brown pants and a simple white tunic – courtesy of some new and universally known designer, according to Lando. Therefore, he sat looking like an average young man, on an average day in an average environment.
However, there was nothing average about Kyp Durron.
He ran a hand through short dark hair then tugged at his collar again. In the far corner sat a young mother with her daughter. They held hands firmly. The little girl trembled with bright red eyes and a blotchy face.
They looked the same way Kyp felt.
He sat back in his seat and grabbed a holozine from a table next to him. There wasn't anything worth reading, really. Some actor having been caught cheating with his wife's sister, the Corellian Senator having an affair with a servant girl, the death of a major singer – someone Kyp hadn't even heard of before.
Gossip.
Just peachy.
He'd missed so many normal things in the past few years. It was exciting to discover everything anew but then again, it frightened him to such an extent that sometimes, late at night, he shook uncontrollably because he was afraid.
Still gripping the holozine, Kyp felt nervousness creep up his spine and he breathed in deeply, letting it out on a quiet sigh. He focused on his surroundings next, anything to keep his mind off the coming conversation.
The waiting room was of a modern design. It was held in whites and grays, with red decorations along the walls in spiral patterns. Plants stood in each corner and there was soft music playing in the background. But what caught Kyp's attention was the water fountain in the middle of the waiting room.
It sprinkled turquoise water high into the air, collecting in a basin made of a startling dark blue marble material. Pink starflower blossoms swam atop the surface of the water, dancing with one another to a quiet tune. It really was beautiful and Kyp smiled to himself.
If only it were real.
The hologram malfunctioned now and again, flickering every ten seconds or so. It completely messed up the image of peacefulness.
Across from him, a door opened, sliding into the wall with a silent hiss. A young woman stepped into the waiting room, a warm smile on a freckled face. Dark red hair was twisted up into a bun at the back of her head; she wore a golden necklace around a slender neck that matched the dark red outfit she wore for the job. A skirt and a blouse, a nametag attached to the pocket. Green eyes sparkled.
She seemed in a very good mood.
It annoyed Kyp.
She held a holochart to her chest and stepped aside. "Doctor Kayle will see you now, Mr. Durron."
His collar seemed too tight again. Refusing to act on it, Kyp laid the holozines back onto the table and got to his feet. With every step, it felt like it was getting harder to breathe.
Clearing his throat, Kyp followed the young woman into the neighboring room. He risked a quick glance at the mother and her daughter, smiling weakly.
They couldn't manage a smile in return.
***
"He'll be with you in a moment."
Kyp nodded while the door closed behind the young woman. He realized belatedly that she smelled good.
The office was amazingly huge. Five floor-to-ceiling windows on one side with a sitting group underneath. He saw a small box atop the glass table. Curiosity got the better of him and he took the few steps to hold the small box in his hands. It was a music box he realized when he snapped the top open. A holographic figure of a girl dancing in circles, arms spread to the sides. She smiled while her hair whipped around her head. The music was beautiful, a melodic tone, an unforgettable melody.
It made him sad.
He snapped the music box shut and put it back.
Kyp turned to the desk in the middle of the office room. It was made of glass, with a transparent computer monitor on the tabletop. Holographic pictures of little children stood on one end, while pieces of flimsies lay on the other. Everything had its place it seemed.
All was perfect.
In Kyp's life, nothing was perfect. He felt out of place. He felt wrong.
The door opened behind him, again silently and the Doctor entered. He was a tall, middle-aged man with blond hair swept back from an aristocratic yet kind face. Bright blue eyes almost smiled at Kyp. He was dressed in casual civilian wear, all dark colors and a silver pendant hung around his neck. It glittered as the sun filtered through the windows.
He smiled warmly. Kyp thought he didn't seem like a Doctor at all, more like one of those holostars in the gossip 'zines in the waiting room.
"Mr. Durron." He stepped forward and extended a hand. Kyp took it with a slight nod. "I'm Gorden Kayle. Won't you have a seat?" He gestured to the chairs in front of the desk and Kyp swallowed.
Nervousness and Kyp Durron did not make the best of friends.
"How are you today, Mr. Durron?" Gorden asked in a deep, almost hypnotic voice. It eased Kyp's anxiety a bit, lessened the tension. Still he had to blink at the question. It was an average question everyone asked occasionally. But hardly anyone really meant it.
Kyp cleared his throat. "Alright."
Gorden chuckled. Two deep dimples appeared on his face. He looked younger when he laughed. "Are you sure about that?"
Again, Kyp had to pause. "Yes. I'm sure."
"Then why are you here?" Kyp didn't like the smile on the Doctor as much anymore. His voice was even, filled with compassion. It made Kyp feel ill.
Why was he here?
Because Han had asked him to go? Because he hated the pitying looks people gave him? Because he hated it when people felt sorry for him?
No.
Not it at all.
Kyp looked away from the Doctor's penetrating gaze and glanced towards the window. There was enough to see, no doubt. It was Coruscant after all, the busiest planet in the galaxy.
Yet Kyp saw nothing at all.
"I'm here because I'm lost." He whispered.