Visit from the Major

[GM Craig]

Major Antilles appears at your door the morning after the feast, at a respectable hour.

You open the door, and he smiles warmly. "Ms. Keshani. I am here on behalf of the Queen and Prince Consort. They wish to offer you a reward for your actions on their behalf, and I am here to discuss what your desires in that regard might be. May I come in?"

[Keshani]

She blinked at the man for several long moments. Reward for her....

She was a SLAVE. They rescued HER!! Reward?

Finally she remembered some semblance of manners and managed to nod to the Officer.

It was hard in a way - to be anything but...hostile...toward a man in a military uniform.

Up until this point the only military officer she had had ANY type of good experience with had been Danni.

A flood of images raced in her mind - images of the violence, the forced servitude, the fear, and the death...

She blinked again, this time trying to hold back the flood of memories and the emotions that they brought with them.

She stood back from the door to let the man in, taking the opportunity to try to collect herself a little more hopefully without him realizing how....uncomfortable...she was feeling.

The combined unexpected adrenaline rush at the sight of another uniform along with the flood of memories was making her feel a bit dizzy so she moved into the room and unceremoniously plopped down on a couch before turning her attention back to the Major, waiting for him to speak again first.

[GM Craig]

"I trust your accommodations are satisfactory?"

[Keshani]

Satisfactory? She looked around again at all of the....things....around her. Satisfactory. That was more than an understatement...

"Uh, yes", then remembering that he was an Officer and probably expected some degree of respect (for want of a better word) she quickly added "-sir. Thank you."

[GM Craig]

He smiles and says, "You can call me Raymus if you prefer, Ms. Keshani. You are not my subordinate - if anything, I am yours. Now, do you have some thoughts on what the Queen and Prince Consort might do for or give you as a reward? They are most anxious to show their appreciation for your actions on their behalf."

[Keshani]

"I'll call you Raymus if you drop the 'Ms.' part."

"Um. I don't really have anyplace to go. The others suggested that maybe I could stay here for a while? I mean, if it's not an inconvenience. I can earn my keep in work, I promise, and I won't cause any trouble...."

She paused at that. "At least, not on purpose..."

[GM Craig]

He smiles. "Keshani then.

"You are certainly not an inconvenience, so banish that thought from your mind. You could stay here as a guest of the Queen indefinitely, or be given a comfortable pension and private residence on Alderaan. Or, if you prefer something more active, you could join House Organa. If you are interested, you could join the Alliance to aid the fight against the Empire. Alternatively, you could get work outside the House, here on Alderaan. The Queen could even set you up with a business of your own, if that is something you would want to do. With the gratitude of our Monarch, the galaxy is your oyster. Do not be afraid to dream big, Keshani."

[Keshani]

"But I just want to be helpful..." she answered before fully taking the time to process everything he had said. "Surely there's something I can do around here to be useful? "

[GM Craig]

He nods. "Certainly. What we're trying to figure out is what you would want. If you want to remain with House Organa, there is certainly a place for you here. But you should not feel obligated if you would prefer something else."

[Keshani]

"Can you give me an idea of what type of stuff I would be able to do if I stayed here?"

[GM Craig]

"Well, to do that, I would need to know what sort of skills or interests you might have. We can train you in areas of interest if you wish as well, so your existing skills are not a limitation. What would you want to do?"

[Keshani]

She thought for a minute.

"I'm good with security type stuff and okay at fixing stuff. I'd like to learn more about demolitions, but I'm not sure that there's really a place for that here.

"I think it might be neat to learn to fly, be able to see parts of the galaxy and all that, but.."

She shrugged. "I didn't want to commit to anything permanently before and I'm still not sure that I'm ready to do that." She shrugged, feeling a bit...uncomfortable sitting in a room with a man who had pledged his life to the military. "It's just a lot all at once..."

[GM Craig]

He smiles again, holding up a hand. "There's no pressure to make any decisions, Keshani. Take all the time you need. And remember that the Queen wishes to reward you, not shackle you. There is no intent on her part, nor mine, to infringe upon your freedom. Please try and view this in that light. No decision here is binding - if something you wish to try does not work out, we can do something else."

He shifts slightly. "I fear I may be making you uncomfortable. Perhaps I should return at another time?"

[Keshani]

"No. It's okay.", she responded, letting out a slow breath.

"I'm sorry. It's just...I've had some bad experiences with uniforms. It's not your fault."

"I'm better with my hands than I am with decorum, too..."

[GM Craig]

"All the more reason for me to leave. I'll give you some time to think about it." He stands. "I'll be in touch, Keshani." He bows, and heads for the door.