Devin swept into his office, his mood sunny. He took off the heavy black cloak that felt almost a part of him, and sat at the desk, arranging the datapads before him. A little shower sex makes the whole day better, he mused, as he waited for the computers to get ready. He even hummed a little tune as he went out and to the mess hall, suddenly needing sustenance. He passed his parents' detail, waving over his head at his dad, who waved back.
Miriah had been restless all night, Corso knew, and wanted her to eat well so that she'd have the energy to get through her morning. He brought her more food than usual, and was disappointed when she only picked at it. One of the side effects of not sleeping well was a slight nausea. Fixing his beloved with a smile, he took the opportunities of the frequent visitors to the table to put small amounts of food at her hand, and she did manage to get most of her breakfast down. On the way back to the secure area, he saw Devin, who looked very happy, wave at them. Grinning himself, he waved back and moved into the warm inner base, taking a seat at his workstation as Miriah sat at her desk. All in all, a good morning, he thought. He was just finishing a section of one of the new warships when Magdalane entered.
"Mir, I have news," she said, and while her face looked relaxed, Miriah heard the tension in her voice.
"What's up, Maggie Mae?" Miriah put her hands in her lap as her sister folded herself into the plush chair across the desk.
Magdalane took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Ian and Kira married yesterday." Miriah raised both eyebrows at that. "I'm very happy for them, but I fear that they acted in haste. Kira's pregnant, and I'm sure Ian thought it was the best idea, but I felt unease from her last night when they came to tell me."
Miriah stood and went to sit beside Mags. "How do you feel about it?" she asked.
"I'm happy for them, I can say without reservation that Ian is on top of the world." Mags lowered her head. "I'm worried, Mir. There was no fanfare, no celebration. Surely he knows we would have welcomed Kira..."
Miriah hugged her sister, and felt her tears. "Mags, it'll all work out. It's just that it caught you unaware, and now you're still trying to reconcile it in your mind. If Ian's happy, and Kira's as happy as she can be probably still in the sick stage, then all is good." Mags raised her head with wry smile.
"You always know the right priority of things," Mags sniffed. "I'd love to have a big dinner for everyone, think Caly would take it on?"
"She'd love it," Miriah said. "As soon as I see the documents, I'll make sure they're recorded."
"Would you do a cake? Not a huge, tiered fancy one, but one we can all enjoy?"
"Of course, I'd be honored." Mags chatted with them both for a bit, and when she rose, both Miriah and Corso could see she felt steadier. Walking with her to the door, Corso leaned in and hugged Mags, telling her they couldn't wait to see the baby. Waving down the hall, Miriah turned to her husband and put her head on his chest. His arms instantly held her close and they stood that way for several minutes. When Miriah lifted her head, he only looked into her eyes, and both settled, they went back to work.
Ian followed Kira as they entered the mess hall. Kira had used the force to help with the dizziness, but she couldn't deny her hunger. Picking several things from the line, she was about to take her tray to her table but Ian intercepted her, taking her tray along with his, earning him a grateful smile. "I can't believe it all smells so good," she said, sitting beside her new husband. Ian nodded, his mouth already full, and they enjoyed the peace. When they'd left Mags, they'd gone back to Ian's place, and Ian had apologized profusely for the small space. First thing on the list, Ian thought, was a new place to live. He was taking their empty dishes to the dishwashing conveyor belt when Scourge entered, going over to Kira and sitting with her. Ian made his way back, and could hear Scourge encouraging Kira to take a day or two to relax and enjoy her marriage, since they were working day and night on finding the lost ship. They'd even sent Tee-seven to see if he could find it, the sensors of his small craft able to pick up extended signals.
"At best," Scourge said, "we'll get a transmission and I'll notify you. At worst, you'll have a little break and come back refreshed."
"I agree," Ian said. "You all need to take a break every so often." Kira stood, and put her hand on Scourge's arm.
"I believe I'll take you up on that," she said, and Ian grinned. Good, he thought. We can get moved. With that thought, he turned to Kira.
"I'm headed to the quartermaster, want to come or go have a spa day?" he asked, and Kira blushed.
"I'm with you. I want final word on our apartment." Waving to Scourge, they set off.
Scourge turned at the strong but now familiar presence that had appeared at his side. The black-haired granddaughter of the Commander looked at him with her light blue eyes, and he had to take a deep breath. The force presence of this small person had amazed him before, but standing this close to her made his heart skip around. Scourge crouched to her height, and Merida reached out and gently put her hand on his arm, and he felt the room around them slow until it was only the two of them. She asked a dozen questions at once, and he felt himself falter under the relentless force. He answered as quickly as he could, until he heard someone calling the child's name. The Commander's son, the child's father, strode to her. "Merida! Stop bending time this instant!" He saw the child shrug and then the rest of the mess hall materialized around them. Slowly, Scourge stood, his skin tingling and his thoughts a little jumbled.
"I am so sorry," Devin said, and leaned closer, looking Scourge over. "Are you alright?"
"I am fine. Your daughter is quite powerful in the force, much as you are, I suspect." Scourge saw Merida grin behind her father's leg.
"She is, but her manners need work." Devin was already scolding Merida through their force connection, and they had turned to walk away when Scourge asked them to wait.
"I would very much enjoy learning more about how you both use force," he said. "Perhaps, I could just sit with the child for a limited time?"
Devin thought about this, and finally nodded. "I would think you both would learn something. I work with Merida in the afternoons, three days a week. Tomorrow would be fine, we can meet in the temple."
"Thank you," Scourge said, and bowed slightly, producing a giggle from Merida. Devin took her hand, and Merida waved over her shoulder, making Scourge smile to himself. This place never fails to reveal something new almost daily, he thought, and made his way back to his work.
Devin handed Merida off to her mother with stern words, which had the little girl teary-eyed and subdued. Mia kissed his cheek and he went back to his office. He had just picked up a datapad when he stood again and strode to his mother's office. "Mom, Ian..."
"I know," Miriah said, smiling. "Mags was here earlier. It is always nice when there are more babies in the mix."
"Baby?" Devin asked, and whistled low. "Ian hasn't said a word to me for weeks now, but it's only because we seem to be doing different things. I'm happy for him."
"We are too," Corso said, turning to them. "I think Mags will have a big dinner with all the family soon to welcome Kira. Other than that, what's going on?" Devin told them of Merida's escapade with Lord Scourge and they all had a good chuckle. When he stood to go continue his work, Miriah was interrupted with a holo call and their day went on.
Lana took the now empty bottle from her son's mouth and placed him on her shoulder. He was already drowsy and she knew he'd sleep a few hours once she put him in the bed she had for him in her office. So far, bringing Jaren to work had been uneventful, but she knew that soon she would need to have him cared for, either at home or at the base's child care facility. She had no idea who would be available to care for him at home, though. Sighing she lay him down, and stretched her back. The plan was that Nico would come by and pick Jaren up, and Lana would get Tali from school and the girls would go shopping. Life Day was close, and they still had shopping to do. First, Lana thought, I need to go over the daily brief with the Commander. Knowing that everything in this hallway was safe, she went next door to confer with Miriah.
Ian nodded with the quartermaster's words. The most recently finished housing was in the smuggler wing, where most of his family now lived. Only Devin still lived outside the secure area. He turned to Kira. "What do you think?" he asked her.
"I think it would be good to have family around," she said softly. She'd wanted family, long ago, but thought it would forever be something she only dreamed about and had abandoned the wish. Now, she was afraid to embrace it, but it dangled so tantalizingly close.
"Then we'll take one here," Ian told the other man, who tapped on his datapad a few times and then turned it to Ian for his thumbprint. The quartermaster told them there were three full rooms of furniture they were welcome to choose from if they wanted, and they left to see their new home, which was on the same floor as Coleen and Ty. Opening the door, they saw the spacious rooms and were pleased. Suddenly Kira whirled to face Ian, her face showing her confusion.
"So we just live here, no rent, no payment for power or water or just to be left alone?" she asked, and Ian laughed.
"Everyone asks those same questions, love. That's how the base works. All of the things you mentioned are taken care of by the natural resources of the planet. That's why the Commander, my Aunt Mir, is so careful about expansion and immigration. Even the furniture for this space, if we want it, will not be at a price. I draw a modest salary from teaching at the temple, but I rarely spend it since I don't need for anything." Ian drew his new wife close as she slowly shook her head side to side.
"I can well imagine that there are hordes of people wanting to live here then," she said.
"Well, the other towns aren't quite the same. They barter for goods and services, and purchase as a town from open markets. Haven is in the shipbuilding business, and Riggsville is farms and fisheries. The Annex is the biggest vegetable farm, and provides our mess hall with food. So far, it's worked out well." Ian took Kira's hand and led her out into the hallway. "Let's go see if any of the stored furniture is something we want, and make arrangements for our respective places to be moved." With a nod, Kira went with him, silently wondering how she'd managed to find such a place.
Corso lay on the sofa in their family room, and Miriah was curled into his body. When he knew she was relaxed, with his voice as even as he could make it, he asked, "Miriah, do you wish you weren't married to me?"
"What?" she replied, sitting up. "Why in the stars would you ask me such a question?"
"Calm down, darlin'. I just keep seeing you avoid talking about the vow renewal ceremony that Caly has been planning."
"Corso, love of my life, it has nothing to do with not wanting to be married to you. I just… am not sure I should be wearing an almost white dress and having such a thing when the media has already said that we're separating." She stood and paced. "The dress Mom made is just beautiful, and if I thought we could do it without the entire galaxies knowing about it, then I'd be more on board with it."
"We could do that, I mean, not let anyone but just family know," he said, and saw her shake her head.
"And encroach on Ian and Kira's lack of wedding, and Coleen and Ty's being so close?"
"I don't think anyone would see it that way," Corso protested. "Maybe, just talk to Caly?"
Miriah sighed and ran her hands through her hair. "Okay. I can just talk about it. But it has to be here, not in the office." Corso nodded his agreement.
"Now, come back here beside me," he coaxed, and Miriah did, though she faced away from him, her mind now mulling over the idea of a vow renewal.
Ian helped Kira make their bed, and once it was done, they both lay down, too tired from moving things to even think about the next day. She put her head on his shoulder and he felt complete, his body and mind relaxed as he fell asleep. At last.