"What do you mean there are no available huts?" Leila placed her hands on
her hips in frustration and at that moment, she reminded Kyp of Jaina. "We
have thousands of refugees being processed through here at any given time
and more are sure to be on the way. How can we run out of huts?"
"We run out if our shipment is held up." Said an older gentleman donning a brown jumpsuit and a badge identifying him as a relief worker.
"Held up! How?"
"Some sort of political thing is all I can tell. This shipment was suppose to receive payment from the tribute of one of the Hapan Houses. The House has not paid, so we won't be getting our shipment."
"Hapans" Leila spat, "I might have known. Do you know what house?"
"It's actually not a house Miss," came the voice of another worker entering the tent, "it is actually by rule of the Consortium itself. It seems they are concerned about the funds being misappropriated, so they want to evaluate the need before they will release the funds for the shipment."
"Evaluate the need!" Leila wondered incredulously. "I'll have to talk to Tenal Ka."
"Impossible." The first worker abruptly put in. "According to reports, she has left to visit the Hapan fleet."
Leila let out a long frustrated sigh. "Has anyone contacted Mon Calamari yet?" She asked wearily.
"We've sent messages but we've yet to talk to anyone."
"With all of the traffic on Mon Calamari these days and the transmissions trying to go through, it is no wonder you haven't been able to talk to anyone." She said understandingly. "Maybe I can help. My mother sent me some codes to private frequencies before I came here. Maybe I can get someone."
Leila sat down at the communications desk and typed in one code after another. She was able to get through easy enough. The problem was, no one was available. Finally, she left a detailed message for the Chief of State and implored him to get in touch with the refugee center as soon as possible.
"I don't know how long it will take for them to get back to us Kyp. Until then, I guess you're stuck in my hut."
The comment raised a few eyebrows from those within earshot but no one dared comment. Leila was undeterred by their speculations.
'Looks like you're reputation is going to get a booster after all' she told Kyp through the force.
Kyp smiled at her. Actually, booster or not, Kyp was not fond of the idea. He wasn't concerned for his sake, but rather for the reputation of the young woman he had come to admire and respect.
"If there is truly no other way, then I'll accept your invitation."
"Let me know if anything comes through." She told the relief workers before leaving the hut.
"Typical. So very typical." She said as they walked toward her hut. "The Hapan Royal Houses don't need to evaluate the needs of these refugees. They know their situation. If they want to know if those huts are neccasary, then they should come down here and take a look themselves."
"That's not likely to happen." Kyp offered. "Come, there is nothing that can be done now."
"I know." She said and fell into silence. "It's kind of nice Kyp."
"What?"
"Having someone to voice my complaints to. Usually I just fume to myself and sulk in my own hut. It's refreshing."
Kyp smiled. He could feel the tension that he had felt in Leila begin to subside a little.
"You spend so much time helping others, you ignore yourself. It's a Solo disease. I've seen Jaina do it a million times."
"True, but I'm not Jaina." She said.
"I'm sorry, have I struck a nerve? Do you and Jaina not get along?"
"No, we get along fine. I love my sister and have always been proud of her, but I am not her. I've been compared to her so many times, especially since the war started that it gets next to me. I don't want anyone to confuse us."
"Well, having known Jaina and coming to know you I can say that I would never make that mistake."
Leila smiled gratefully at him. "Thanks."
"Jaina could never do what you do."
That made Leila stop suddenly. She had never had someone compare you to Jaina quite like that before.
"What do you mean?"
"Jaina's a fighter pilot. She's used to reacting and quick solutions. She's also a military leader, so she's used to a certain order and to people conforming to her demands. It would frustrate Jaina to have to deal with all of these issues at once and people differing in their approach. She would have sliced some of those people with her lightsaber out of frustration."
Leila giggled at the image of a frustrated Jaina slicing her way through some of the people that she dealt with on a daily basis. She detected a note of admiration for Jaina in Kyp's voice as he spoke the last comment. She remembered Jaina telling her about how Kyp had flirted with her in the past and about his "sentimentality" toward her. Leila thought Kyp rather preferred the strong fiery type of woman that Jaina was. For some reason, Leila felt a twinge of disappointment.
"Do you think I'm weak Kyp?" She asked, a glint of fire in her own eyes.
"Not in the least." He said honestly. "In fact, I think you're a stronger person than I am." Her face softened and the pair continued their walk in silence.
"We run out if our shipment is held up." Said an older gentleman donning a brown jumpsuit and a badge identifying him as a relief worker.
"Held up! How?"
"Some sort of political thing is all I can tell. This shipment was suppose to receive payment from the tribute of one of the Hapan Houses. The House has not paid, so we won't be getting our shipment."
"Hapans" Leila spat, "I might have known. Do you know what house?"
"It's actually not a house Miss," came the voice of another worker entering the tent, "it is actually by rule of the Consortium itself. It seems they are concerned about the funds being misappropriated, so they want to evaluate the need before they will release the funds for the shipment."
"Evaluate the need!" Leila wondered incredulously. "I'll have to talk to Tenal Ka."
"Impossible." The first worker abruptly put in. "According to reports, she has left to visit the Hapan fleet."
Leila let out a long frustrated sigh. "Has anyone contacted Mon Calamari yet?" She asked wearily.
"We've sent messages but we've yet to talk to anyone."
"With all of the traffic on Mon Calamari these days and the transmissions trying to go through, it is no wonder you haven't been able to talk to anyone." She said understandingly. "Maybe I can help. My mother sent me some codes to private frequencies before I came here. Maybe I can get someone."
Leila sat down at the communications desk and typed in one code after another. She was able to get through easy enough. The problem was, no one was available. Finally, she left a detailed message for the Chief of State and implored him to get in touch with the refugee center as soon as possible.
"I don't know how long it will take for them to get back to us Kyp. Until then, I guess you're stuck in my hut."
The comment raised a few eyebrows from those within earshot but no one dared comment. Leila was undeterred by their speculations.
'Looks like you're reputation is going to get a booster after all' she told Kyp through the force.
Kyp smiled at her. Actually, booster or not, Kyp was not fond of the idea. He wasn't concerned for his sake, but rather for the reputation of the young woman he had come to admire and respect.
"If there is truly no other way, then I'll accept your invitation."
"Let me know if anything comes through." She told the relief workers before leaving the hut.
"Typical. So very typical." She said as they walked toward her hut. "The Hapan Royal Houses don't need to evaluate the needs of these refugees. They know their situation. If they want to know if those huts are neccasary, then they should come down here and take a look themselves."
"That's not likely to happen." Kyp offered. "Come, there is nothing that can be done now."
"I know." She said and fell into silence. "It's kind of nice Kyp."
"What?"
"Having someone to voice my complaints to. Usually I just fume to myself and sulk in my own hut. It's refreshing."
Kyp smiled. He could feel the tension that he had felt in Leila begin to subside a little.
"You spend so much time helping others, you ignore yourself. It's a Solo disease. I've seen Jaina do it a million times."
"True, but I'm not Jaina." She said.
"I'm sorry, have I struck a nerve? Do you and Jaina not get along?"
"No, we get along fine. I love my sister and have always been proud of her, but I am not her. I've been compared to her so many times, especially since the war started that it gets next to me. I don't want anyone to confuse us."
"Well, having known Jaina and coming to know you I can say that I would never make that mistake."
Leila smiled gratefully at him. "Thanks."
"Jaina could never do what you do."
That made Leila stop suddenly. She had never had someone compare you to Jaina quite like that before.
"What do you mean?"
"Jaina's a fighter pilot. She's used to reacting and quick solutions. She's also a military leader, so she's used to a certain order and to people conforming to her demands. It would frustrate Jaina to have to deal with all of these issues at once and people differing in their approach. She would have sliced some of those people with her lightsaber out of frustration."
Leila giggled at the image of a frustrated Jaina slicing her way through some of the people that she dealt with on a daily basis. She detected a note of admiration for Jaina in Kyp's voice as he spoke the last comment. She remembered Jaina telling her about how Kyp had flirted with her in the past and about his "sentimentality" toward her. Leila thought Kyp rather preferred the strong fiery type of woman that Jaina was. For some reason, Leila felt a twinge of disappointment.
"Do you think I'm weak Kyp?" She asked, a glint of fire in her own eyes.
"Not in the least." He said honestly. "In fact, I think you're a stronger person than I am." Her face softened and the pair continued their walk in silence.
