It was a bright day. Sunny, schools were active and those who were working had surely already gone that way. The streets were quiet, the air crisp and only one thing was out of place. A lone figure, wearing clothes from a hodgepodge of places and certainly not so far into the city to be walking without guidance. Despite having a hood, it was down, revealing blonde hair that was comfortably long enough to be tied back in a messy but appropriate bun.
Graham Farrow paused as the door came into view further down the street. It had taken time to pin down the best moment to reach out like this. He looked down at his datapad, confirming the time, the location. Everything. It was all perfect, as planned. Yet, his stomach acted worse than after it had recieved a beating in the pits. Was this really the best idea? It could go so karking wrong so fast, if Skylar even told Evelyn about him, Evelyn may just kill him anyway. Or it might just hurt all of them as they sent him away.
Turning around was an option, continue being dead to all who still lived to know his face. The… minimal number that that was. Graham frowned, thumb tapping against the datapad.
“You’ll never forgive yourself if you wuss out now.” Graham muttered to himself, turning the datapad off and looking back up the street. He inhaled slowly, straightening his posture, setting his shoulders. One step then the next. Until the door was in front of him. Then until it was within arms reach.
And then, three firm but gentle knocks.
A small step back, turn to the side, be polite. Be good. It was fiiine, everything was chill. Totally.
He brushed a traitorous strand of hair back behind his ear.
Skylar was already cautious as she made her way towards the door. Neither Tednor or herself was expecting anyone and the salespeople knew better than try to sell anything in this area. Her hair was up in a bun with silver chopsticks that had a golden swirls at one end.
She glanced down towards the doorcam by her door and frowned. He… looked familiar? But she wasn’t sure. It almost looked like the man was deliberately avoiding a full portrait on the cam but just enough for Skylar to see him. Silver hues darted to the table by the door where one of the blasters rested.
Rather be safe than sorry, she removed the blaster from its holster underneath the table and turned off the saftey but had the stun on. Skylar slid her right arm to behind her as she finally, opened the door.
Her brows furrowed for a moment, Graham would see that she does recongize him, not entirely, until-
Her facial expression went from confusion to pure cold and stone faced. A look of someone who has killed and can kill with no hesitation.
But she wasn’t dumb. Killing the imposter outside of her doorstep would be a very bad idea with who knows what neighbors had cams facing her home. There was enough space between the two that Graham would have to lunge forward to try to grab her.
“You have two choices,” she started, “Turn around and live or take a few steps into my house and answer some questions. Depending on the answers, you might live.”
No karking way was she going to let this man walk free anyways, not with Myla’s life at risk.
Graham waited through the recognition, watching her as carefully as she watched him. The abject paranoia was a touch… unexpected but only in how much, not in it being present. Her being murderous was completely unexpected although, he only remembered the woman crying in joy as he passed an infant Myla to her. It wasnt exactly a great profiling moment. Plan going wrong.
not fine not fine not fine
Somehow knowing a weapon of some kind was likely being aimed at him was the least stressful part of this.
Graham lifted his hands to his shoulders, palms flat and facing forward with a nervous smile breaking any ~cool~ exterior he’d tried to mush together before knocking.
“Is a few.. two or three steps to you?”
YOU DUMB SMARTASS-
“Not- to be sarcastic I just dont. Uh.” He cleared his throat, “I choose option B?”
There was no verbal response from Skylar. Instead, she took steps backwards, eyes focused on Graham as she figured it was a safe distance and Graham would clearly see the blaster now aiming for him.
“Step in and close the door behind you. Then turn around and hands behind your back, Graham.” The tone in saying his name would hint to Graham that she one hundred does not believe that he was who he was portraying to be.
“Okay, okay.” Graham stepped inside, closing the door gently and doing as he was told.
“Id love to go on a big ramble to prove im real but we uh, only met once. Ever.” He began speaking, a touch nervously, “I know you asked me what I wanted to name Myla. And I said that, and I could have proved i was real but you dont know why I named her that which would be the useful intel.”
He sighed, trying to mull over anything that would help her not execute his ass right now.
Skylar’s eyes narrowed but he would see the hesitation.
Which only angered her further because Skylar was trained to not hesitate. This could be some game that this Clawdite or another species that can shapeshift, stars, there’s even technology to have a real life mask.
But… if this was really…
No. He’s dead. However, she’s also not Evelyn who would’ve already shot him and wouldn’t care to get caught by people in doing so.
“This better not be a game.”
“Well if it was I’d have already won.” Graham glanced around, past Skylar, at the house. It was nice.
“Do I just, reel off stuff until you’re satisfied or do you want to ask me questions, or…?” He asked, admittedly gaining a touch of confidence in that hesistation from her. He had a chance. Just needed to not kark it up.
“That’s cute. You assume I’m alone. Who are you and why are you here pretending to be Graham?” Skylar stared at him, blaster still steady and at a safe distance away from melee combat. If Graham looked around a bit more, she was right. There was this ‘feeling’ they were being watched.
They are not alone.
“I am Graham Farrow, son of the deceased Trevor Farrow. I have been publicly known as dead for the last… uh.” Graham paused, visibly going back through the years mentally. “Like, 5 years? No it’s been 6. Yeah, 6 years. I was wounded real bad by Zuza Lottson while being a complete kark head, totally deserved it, and didn’t really want to nearly die again so ran off. Like… a kark head. I’m here to- I don’t know. Honestly. You guys are the only ones really still alive.”
His expression dropped. The confidence didn’t dim but Graham didn’t do much to disguise the quiet grief that had led him here.
“I didn’t see that Evelyn was dead, but I couldn’t really find much on her at all. It’s like she disappeared into a black hole for a decade or something. I just, dunno, taking responsibility?”
Skylar’s jaw shifted. She was obviously chewing her cheek.
“I believe him,” Teddy voice came from above. There was a moment of beep and then the camo disguise was gone, revealing a square like hole in the ceiling with a sniper aimed right at him. Tednor jumped down from above as there was another beep and the ceiling has resumed to looking like one.
“I don’t-”
“Come on, he would’ve already got shot if he tried to attack you. By you or me, or both.” Teddy then added, “He hasn’t made any intentions to harm you.”
Skylar scoffed.
“Evelyn is not that hard to find-”
“She wasn’t until she got married to-”
“Fine.” It was obvious that Skylar was still not convinced. “He’s-” then she looked to Graham, “You are not going to see Myla. Not until you see Evelyn first. And honestly, I am not going to be involved in that messy encounter.”
Graham glanced up. He saw the glimmer of the rifle’s scope before everything disappeared again and Tednor began speaking with Skylar. He remained still despite at least one half of the couple believing him.
He smiled awkwardly when Skylar turned to face him properly again.
“I wasn’t expecting to. Though, you should probably at least… set us up to meet. So I don’t, die. Immediately.” Though he spoke as if letting her in on a joke, there was a slight strain to his voice. Evelyn had grown a lot in between him meeting her and the last time they’d met after Myla was born. Another ten years had passed since she was a naive youngster making it solo.
Skylar scoffed at Graham’s request. She’s not angry about Evelyn finding out the man was alive.
She’s more furious about Myla finding out after being told he was dead. Skylar may had not given birth to Myla but she loves Myla and the twins, Lestrom and Kani. She would destroy planets just for those kids.
Evelyn would too.
“You got some-”
“We will give her some heads up, yes,” Teddy interrupted as he gently tried to take Skylar’s hand who only yanked it back to her side.
She was not having it. She turned and walked away.
Teddy sighed and scratched the back of his head. He wasn’t pleased about the situation either.
Graham wasnt sure what to say. He wanted to make sure hed get confirmation about when Evelyn would be here to kick his ass but Tednor didnt exactly appear friendly.
Friendlier but that was comparing a Krayt Dragon to a Nexu. Still gonna kark you up.
“I’m sorry. I just… didnt-” Graham cut himself off, brushing the loose hairs back out of his face and glancing toward the door. He was fidgety, now the imminent threat of death no longer hung over head. “Is there a good number for you guys that I can use, so im not hanging around being more of a problem?”
“Ah. Right. Yea.” Teddy said as they both exchanged numbers. He was still grateful to Graham to letting them have Myla but even Teddy himself wasn’t sure how he felt about all of this.
“We’ll be in touch.” There was promise in his voice at least.
The big question was how?
Not how Graham Farrow was alive. There was a long list of possibilities that could explain any individual’s survival in a galaxy wrought with terrors in the darkness. Anders had experienced it himself.
What concerned him most was that Mr. Farrow had bypassed his surveillance. Anders had covered up his tracks, he had sworn to Evelyn he would watch over the family for protection.
So, how?
“Hey! Evelyn! What’s the big rush?” Zoom had tried to stop her from solo-piloting the Astral Drake. The key word being trying. “She’s gone mad!”
When he entered the cockpit, Zoom looked at him with pleading eyes. Anders stared at his own communicator. News of Draca at this moment was barren. Was this another ploy by Appius? Lenora?
Damn them all.
“It would be prevalent if you informed Miss. Zoom'aski of our intended location,” Anders stood. He didn’t need to tell Evelyn why. It would be faster if they worked together.
Evelyn turned to look at Anders.
Draca.
Her jaw tightened as she didn’t know what to do. Myla. Draca.
Ga'ia was far and there was the protentional of Appius finally contacting Anders while being away and her worry was Appius making unreasonable decisions such as a deadline.
And worse part, leaving Anders alone to do it all.
“Leave us-” Evelyn snapped at Zoom before taking a deep sigh to collect herself.
“Please. For a moment.” Her voice layered with promise that Zoom will come back in after Anders and her have a discussion. Once Zoom has left the cockpit, her gaze went to Anders.
“I cannot do this to you. Ga'ia is two days flight and there is the possibility of Mr. Wright contacting you. I will take my ship.” The intention was there. The suggestion of them separating for now.
Anderson was not stupid. He was perfectly aware of his ever increasing list of enemies, thank you very much. Lenora, Zylar, Appius, and there were countless alone in the Brotherhood who would have no qualms seeing his head crushed in a vice.
It satisfied him that he lived to torment them. Until, of course, they attacked one weakness he would never admit out loud.
“Absolutely not,” Anders wasn’t harsh, more firm. “For all we understand, this could very well be a ploy by my old Master, Appius Wight, or some Ne'er-do-well. No. I will not take that chance. I will accompany you.”
Evelyn stayed quiet. Logically, it made sense that it could be a ploy to separate them or even get Evelyn. But she had friends and people on Ga'ia if needed. She wasn’t going to be alone for the entire time.
Now meeting ‘Graham’….
And there was no way that Graham Farrow was actually alive. The way Cole talked and act around Graham’s pictures or even Myla, it was full of grief and hurt so she knew off of that alone that Graham’s death was real.
And yet, there was a nagging spot in the back of her mind. What if he was really alive and Appius does contact Anders while they were away?
This would only endanger Draca’s life more. The more she dwelled on it, the more they wasted precious time.
She looked away from Anders which would signal to him that she agrees.
For now.
Two days passed in relative calm. Tense calm, but nothing really happened.
Graham had recieved the message a day ago, to meet at some old barely used mall in an area of the city that looked like some of the blown out areas on Ol-Stun. Still, the abandoned quality meant he could slip inside, climbing up the side of the building for a broken window, and hang out until Evelyn arrived.
The previous night he’d slept on the roof of a hotel behind a vent. Finding work hadn’t been an immediate hit, so Graham had done what he often did and found the forgotten areas to plop down before hanging out rather than wasting his credits on a room. He had enough for it, but not… enough. Thankfully the bathrooms at the mall still had the water running. The lights were on. It wasn’t bad at all really, though Graham made a point to ensure it didn’t look like he’d stayed here overnight.
That was not the impression he wanted to lead with.
Morning came, he slipped out to grab an early street vendor claiming it was once sponsored by some Endrin people, then returned to hang out in the mall until a familiar face appeared.
Or hopefully appeared. Before a blaster bolt struck him in the back of the head or something. His nerves steadily rose, taking walks around the perimeter of the walkways, through the all but one store that were closed and even into a few storage rooms. It was easier to be moving, than to just sit there and wait.
That was Cole’s-
Graham exhaled sharply, returning to the center of the mall to look around once more, sticking to areas with barriers. Just in case he needed to duck.
Evelyn was not going to listen to anything. Or anyone. She would happily end up in prison if she had to, Skylar was more of a mother to Myla than her anyways. If she had to be a sacrifice, then so be it.
Without even giving her husband a heads up, Evelyn used ghost the moment they had arrived. She was certain Anders was going to make her pay for that later.
Right now? None of that matter.
And she had found her target. Evelyn was still learning about the Force and for a moment, the concentration was broken. And it was enough.
A flicker would warn Graham exactly what was coming as Evelyn appears out of seemingly ‘no where’. She had daggers in both hands and one went straight for him.
“Woa-” Graham side stepped the attack, glad that hed been paying attention.
Where the kark had she come from?!
“Hey- HEY! By the-” Evelyn was unrelenting, “Evelyn!”
He set his feet shoulder width apart, lowering his center of gravity though remaining mobile. Years of pit fighting on top of old, far more precise training since childhood made it easy for him to, despite his size, maneuvere around freely.
Evelyn was fast though, deftly dodging away from Graham’s elbow and he shoved it toward her shoulder. He didnt want to hurt her, but he needed space.
He needed to get a damn word out before she killed him.
“At least talk to me first-”
His answer? A swift, uncontrollable urge to fly through the aircas if he had been hit by a moving vehicle. Anders was right there. He saw how viciously Evelyn had attacked him.
Who was he to deny her vengeance?
But first…
A quick foray into Graham’s mind would have answered every question Anders had. Unfortunately, much like Cole, thos one too appeared resistant to the mental arts.
“Of course,” he grumbled.
Oh, well. At least he had him restrained for Evelyn.
“Kark-” Graham gasped out as he tried to regain the breath in his lungs.
Despite the annoyance of the mental intrusion attempt, graham was almost thankful for the attack. It hurt, but it put a buffer between him and evelyn. Now, he just needed to use those limited seconds to convince her not to gut him. For the first time in six years, he felt the cold surge of fear for his life pulse through his veins. The blue frack was a force user, powerful at that. He was dead the moment they chose him to be.
“Misty, come on, you think id be this dumb about this if I was fake?”
Evelyn made a move to-
Then the flicker of recognition as she stopped. Did he just say Misty? Daggers lowered to her side but still prepared to strike if she needed to.
And she hated that nickname. But no one knew about it. They were alone in the room when they-
Evelyn’s jaw tightened as she pushed that memory away.
“I was informed you were dead.” Evelyn pointed out as she waited for an explanation but then remembered as she glanced to behind her and her eyes met with the crimson orbs of Anders.
“Please release him.”
-# <@837236610684813342>
He didn’t acknowledge her gaze. At first. Very well. She wanted him released, but not before Anders could make a definitive point.
He squeezed ever so slightly with the Force clasped around Graham’s throat. A warning. Very clear.
Then he let him go, letting Graham drop to the floor unceremoniously.
The ball was in Evelyn’s court.
Graham went still for a moment as he hit the ground, considering options.
Standing up was way too risky when it could be interpreted as a threat. So he opted to get himself sat up, back against the wall, with his legs crossed under him.
The pressure around his neck, though gone, had left a ghost sensation behind that kept his pulse high. Graham was not going to kark around with these two. He knew Evelyn wouldve become… more, since they last met but this was worse than hed imagined.
No wonder Skylar didnt want to be here for it…
A few seconds passed and Graham looked up at Evelyn properly.
She was staring at him.
He blinked twice, waiting for something to happen unless- oh kark she was waiting for him to-
The realization made Graham chuckle once, nervously, glancing to the blue guy before settling on Evelyn.
“Right uhm. I did not die. Nearly did, I think the doctor resuscitated me and I had blood tranfusions and everything but he got me back up.” Graham’s foot tapped against the ground, “To cut a long story short, I left the business. My father advertised my death so I wouldn’t bring shame or… weakness or some kist on his precious legacy. Aaaand I karked around for a bit. As Grey, dont judge me I still was low on blood when I picked the name, I went off, got good at pit fighting. Worked some normal jobs, its a weird shift going from people shooting at you every day to, uh, the worst thing being some schutta writing you up because you can’t tell customers to frack off. Been sticking to the mid-ring. And I… missed having people who knew what I was. Who get it. I have friends but, y'know.”
He sighed, trying desperately to ignore Anders glaring a hole into his skull.
“I couldn’t find you. I tried to show up when Myla and her siblings weren’t home to be less scary, but- well. Yeah. Here we are, I think I still did the mostly… right thing.” His gaze dropped slightly, and offered a shrug.
Evelyn didn’t say a word. She remained quiet, staring at Graham and caculating in her head.
He couldn’t find her? Her eyes glanced over to Anders for a moment before back to Graham. Was Anders the reason?
At least, Graham did show up when the kids weren’t home but still
“Why did you not contact Cole instead of looking for me?” Evelyn was ready to punch Cole if Cole knew the whole time and didn’t tell her.
Graham blinked, once then twice. Surprise then a soft bitterness as he shook his head.
“Frackers swept through the compound a few years back. Hes gone, Evelyn. And even if he wasn’t, as long as our father was still alive it wouldnt have gone right.”
Graham exhaled slowly, then shook his head again.
Being an Inquisitor, Anderson understood the importance of secrecy. He also understood that this was likely a ploy by Graham, fishing for information he neither wanted nor deserved.
Instead, the Chiss took several, methodical, calculated steps forward until he was right beside Evelyn, his six-foot-five frame towering over either of them. Even was not intimidated, obviously, a sign of their current relationship. Anderson narrowed his eyes on Farrow, not speaking, analysing, watching for any signs of deception.
Evelyn still watched Graham and she can sense Anders presence beside her. At least he wasn’t angry at her for ghosting him quickly.
Yet.
I believe it is him. He called me a name that was only uttered when we- She stopped, unsure of how he would feel knowing the two had history, but that’s what it was. Anders was smart enough to fill in the blanks.
Graham glanced to Anderson as he approached, shifting awkwardly as the silence extended on.
“Guess you found your own wings and nest at least.”
And indeed, Anderson could fill in the blanks. Very, very easily. He would like to consider himself above petty jealousy, but that would be a lie.
Suddenly, Graham Farrow had become a threat, an enemy. If Evelyn gave the word, he would have no qualms about annihilating him where he existed.
“Indeed,” he declared. “She has.”
The threatening tone left nothing to the imagination.
Evelyn’s eyes dropped for a moment. He actually remembered. Before she could even get a bit bittersweet about it, Anders’ jealous aura was noticeable for her as she took in a slow deep inhale that rose her shoulders for a moment.
Her brain was scattered and she started to feel a bit overstimulated.
They just informed Myla that her biological father was dead. Anders was being jealous. Lenora. Dol. Appius.
Draca. Was he safe? Was he okay? Melissa-
Then an unexpected sharp exhale. Both daggers glowed a bright green for a moment and they were… gone.
Then she tensed her entire body, closed her fist, and struck Graham right at the jaw.
The punch felt good but it also hurt. She shook her hand, “We told Myla you were dead, Graham!”
Then her head snapped right to Anders, who was looking a bit smug. Then it was slightly less smug.
Slightly.
That’ll do.
She looked back to Graham and composed herself quickly.
“Farrow, Cole is alive.”
Graham had glanced to Anders, picking up on the death threat immediately and having to resist from rolling his eyes. Was this guy that insecure that he thought some dude she banged once ten years ago could steal his wife. Or steal a woman at all.
Pfft-
Evelyn darted forward and, while Graham expected the incoming blow, he still defended his lower torso. The organs and squishy bits just in case one of those blades re-appeared. A spark of pain later, and he was thankful she didn’t do that. He barely shifted under the blow, his head snapping to the side but remaining sat up. Graham touched a finger to the spot, heat pulsing through his cheek bone already in the warning signs of swelling.
Not that it mattered. Guilt flushed through, again. Skylar had told him as much. Maybe they could just present him as someone else or-
Cole?
The Farrow tensed, the wince and guilt and amusement and sass all draining away and leaving a thinly veiled distrust and anger. If Cole was alive, that changed… everything but why should he believe her just at that. When- where? Karking how? It made more sense than he wanted to think but-
“Don’t kark with me Wyvern.”
Anders had to resist the urge to snort.
“You are hardly in a position to be making threats.”
He pulled aside his cloak just far enough that Graham could get a good look at what awaited him should he have any pre-conveived notions about what Anders would do if he so much as made a move against his wife. Who did this man think he was? Did he think Anders weak? A pacifist? His lightsaber gleamed in the light, a highly modified design, customised to his liking, and it took an extraordinary amount of self-restraint to not plunge it through the man’s skull, double down on the defences around Evyn’s family, and be done with this whole facade.
How do you wish to proceed?
<@216702440140046336>
Evelyn’s fingers rose to her face and she pinched the bridge of her nose.
She had questioned herself for years if she had a ‘type’.
It wasn’t until these two cocksure idiots were in the same room, she realized she does have a type.
Stubborn. Strong in their own ways. Dominate. Confident.
Though they were teetering on the fine line of confidence and ego. She lowered her hand.
Everything in me is saying it is Graham. We need to call Farr- Cole. He would be our lie detector so to speak without needing to invade and break his mind. Evelyn added to make it clear that she did not want Anders to do that.
“I do not-” She stopped herself, unable to say the word. But the message was clear, Evelyn was too serious for that.
“We will call Cole. Since it is a two day travel, where are you staying?” Evelyn glanced to Graham.
She could also use up the two days to train some more as well see if she can find some more family history in regards of Magick as well have a more personal investigation with one of her late teachers.
-# <@1382824894877794314>
Graham saw the lightsaber. Frankly though, upon the discovery his brother was still kicking, he pushed any concern aside with the rush of relief.
Cole was alive.
He was still tense, but the emotions softened. His mind raced. How? He could ask in two days he supposed. But- Kark. Why hasn’t Cole looked for him? Did he go to far…
“At least he’ll be able to explain to you guys how I made it, being as you’re not exactly believing me. I don’t know what our father would have told him, but he’ll know.” He let out a slow breath, running one hand through the scruff of his beard. “We can just meet here again, like we did today.”
At least, Graham hoped thats why Evelyn wanted to know where he was staying. He didnt really want to admit that in front of the posh prick.
It was a nice quiet at home. Evelyn was reading when her comm had went off. She glanced around for a moment and saw that Anders was still in the room with her and that the ‘kids’ were not here. So she felt safe to answer the comm. The projector flickered and showed Skylar.
“Hey.” Skylar started as Evelyn frowned. She looked to their location behind her. They weren’t home.
“We’re at the hotel and the kids are safe. We might’ve been compromised-”
“Skylar.” Teddy’s voice came in from the background as she watched Skylar scoffed at Teddy. Evelyn completely tensed. Skylar then continued.
“I don’t know how to put this delicately at all, but Graham Farrow, if that is who he is, is alive.” Evelyn felt her stomach dropped as she became pale.
“What?” Then she stepped away. She started to speed walk towards the door with one goal in her mind, to get into the cockpit and get them there as soon as possible. Even if it meant damaging and/or straining the ship on the way there.
Anders would be able to sense that if anyone, save for himself, gets in the way, there was no hesitation for her to kill. A faint green glow appears by her hand as a dagger was conjured as she held it.
Evelyn considered it for a moment. She had no qualms attacking Graham in a public place, she figured Cole might be the same.
Evelyn wasn’t even sure if she can manage to get Cole to hand over his weapons.
She wouldn’t hand over her weapons herself.
At least both men did not have the Force so Evelyn and Anders can make sure they don’t try to kill each other. Though she’ll have to be clear with Anders later to make sure no harm came to Graham too. It wouldn’t surprise her if an ‘accident’ were to happen.
“Very well. I will see if I can get some blasters away from him at least.” She approached Graham and handed out her hand.
“Your comm.”
-# <@837236610684813342>
He watched Hraham closely. The slightest movement, the slightest hint of deception, and this Farrow would find himself without a hand, wishing he was dead.
“I would acquiesce to her demands, *Mr. Farrow,” he hissed his name with such disgust that it would be plainly obvious even to the most oblivious of individuals.
What had Evyn seen in this man? Anders was the superior choice now. Of course he was. She could see that.
So, why him?
“Yea good luck with-” Graham had started, bitter amusement at the idea of disarming Cole interrupted by Evelyn’s partner flashing himself around again.
Graham plucked the comm out of his pocket, managing to resist from rolling his eyes, “You realise itd have karked me over to not do this too? Chill out.”
He held it out to Evelyn. If this guy was always like this, he really didnt see why shed hooked up with him.
Evelyn closed her eyelids for a moment as to take a breather. Both men would notice how tense her shoulders were getting.
Anders, please.
She hoped that Anderson and herself can resolve this before seeing Graham again with Cole or she was going have to find a way to leave Anders behind. She took Graham’s comm, plugged in her code, and sent his code to herself. Evelyn handed it back to him. Then a small sad smile.
“Myla turned out beautiful, did she not?” She turned and started to walk towards Anders with a look that said, ‘we are talking when we get home.’
-# <@1382824894877794314>
“I havent seen her yet.” Graham stated, taking the comm and placing it into a different pocket.
“I dont know if ill be allowed to. It’s okay if not. I want to, obviously, but, everything we did was to give her the best. If im not that then, well.”
He flashed a grin, though it was hard to hide the sadness behind it.
“Ill have Cole. That’d be… a lot. Im just surprised I never heard of him lookin’ for me.”
Was Cole mad at him for leaving? Thoughts swirled but he waved a hand, “Two days, here, same time. Am… I allowed to get up? Or are you guys going to leave first or something.”
Anders had to resist the urge to give a half answer. Maybe, maybe not. He knew that would infuriate the Farrow beneath him. Instead, he breathed a long sigh through his nose and differed to Evelyn.
As much as she was his wife, this was still her history, their history, he corrected, and that made him shudder internally.
How do you wish to proceed? I will support your decision.
<@216702440140046336>
Evelyn was surprised that he hasn’t seen Myla yet. Then how did he know the kids schedule? It occurred to her that he didn’t know. Things weren’t adding up and she was becoming skeptical. Why Graham would think of all of those things if he knew that their father had advertised his death?
He should know. Cole will not react well and Graham deserves a chance to defend himself. Yet, something is not adding up.
“You said your father advertised your death.”
She said nothing else, waiting to hear his response.
-# <@837236610684813342>
“Well, yeah. I was watching the news for a bit after I left. It got leaked, which is advertising for our father. Better our enemies think I’m dead than that Trevor Farrow’s-” He spoke the name rather bitterly, evening back into a normal tone after, “-boy ran away from the business. They even did a hunt for Lottson, for a bit. She was Cole’s lass who almost killed me, but, yeah either way I guess Cole or Corvo must’ve… I dunno somehow convinced father to y'know, not murder her ass for a cover story.” Graham paused for a moment, looking between Evelyn and Anders and picking up on the slight shift.
Something was up. His brow furrowed.
“Why? I can show you guys the scar, I don’t think they ever said how I was supposedly killed though so I don’t know how else to prove this kark to you.”
Anders afforded himself a small smile, the kind if smile Evelyn had seen when he had one of his little nefarious ideas come through his mind like a lightning bolt.
“There is, of course, one way that you can prove yourself to us, though you will find the experience most… unpleasant.”
Anders drawled out the last word, his features darkening as he gazed hard into Farrow’s eyes.
Before Evelyn can bring up the point that was going over Graham’s head, she heard Anders and she knew exactly what he was thinking.
A cold chill ran down her spine. He was reminding her of Dol and she hated it.
With a heavy and sharp exhale, she turned to look at him.
“Stop.” The voice was there. A very dangerous underline underneath the tone that there would be consequences and a strain of their relationship if he doesn’t stop.
Then her bright green eyes went back to Graham, “Farrow, Cole is under the impression that you are dead. Mr. Farrow had the entire compound believed it. Including Cole and Corvo. Your grave is by your mother’s.”
Graham didn’t have time to tell blue-bitch to go frack himself before Evelyn did with a far more effective method.
Initially he smiled, about to wave off the notion. Cole would know. Should know. But Evelyn’s gaze was hard. She knew Cole apparently, had been in contact with him. She had thought he was dead, where Cole had had no reason to maintain the lie that he was dead. If.. Cole knew he was alive, and knew Evelyn, Evelyn should know too. Possibilities of alternatives waned with the steady resolve in Wyvern’s gaze.
His smile waned, any rebuttal dimming into horror. Though his expression hid it reasonably well, Graham was by no means Cole who could suppress his emotions to the point where even perceiving them within the Force could be awkward. No, there was a twitch to the corner of his mouth, a crease between his eyebrows and the telltale Farrow tensing jaw that was taught enough it was a shock it wasn’t followed by the sound of teeth cracking. In the Force, anger flooded from the man. Yet amongst the rush, the electric tinge of fear was unmistakable. Betrayal. Grief.
Graham didn’t speak for a while. Then his eye twitched and everything else snapped with it.
“THAT FRACKER!”
Graham’s fist crunched into the duracrete ground in front of his. The skin of knuckles broke, grit digging through the damaged flesh. He breathed into his teeth, withholding any other outburst. Recovery began immediately, one slow exhale slowing the next inhale, each one shaking. Graham could feel the heat, knew that his blood would leave a pretty imprint of this on the ground but he left the fist there. Nails digging into palm though it didn’t ease anything.
“I knew father was- I didn’t- Kark. Cole’s gonna kill me.” A somewhat hysteric laugh danced past his lips, the initial anger stemming as the realisation took point. Another breath. Reign it in. Chin up eyes forw- “He’s going to try. No matter what you say. Kark! I don’t…”
He exhaled again, shaking his head.
Well, Anders had been well and truly scolded. Mentally, ye held his tongue. That reprimand had simply made him want to commit all the more. How simple it would be to tear into the mind of this delinquent. This farce would be over in mere minutes.
Alas, it appeared Evelyn decided to take the longest route possible. Some long unrequited feelings, perhaps?
His eyes glanced down at the now bleeding knuckles of Farrow.
‘Cole Farrow is currently under my employment. We could divulge that information and attempt to create an amicable meeting between the two of them. Cole will be bound to my orders.’
Anders relayed the message telepathically to his wife.
<@216702440140046336>
Evelyn just stared at Graham as he caused a rather dramatic display. She glanced over of their surroundings and saw that the scene had gather some glances but no lingering attention.
The words reached to her and Anders would get a slight sense that she was hiding something on the topic of Cole and his job. It was gone as fast as it arrived.
We will try. I will also use my connections here.
“I will send you information of a medical clinic on here for further testing of your DNA. It may be logical enough to convince your brother and to slightly put me at ease.”
-# <@1382824894877794314>
“Yeah sure.” Graham responded, only half paying attention. It took a few seconds before he processed it, leaning back. A few tiny bits of debris fell from his knuckles.
Maybe the DNA proof would help but… It was Cole. He’d do it, probably spend the last of his creds on it, but kark. He’d need to delay going to the pit fights again if Cole was coming. Not for appearances sake but for karking survival.
“Are.. you two gonna be here when he comes?”
The question came slowly, cautiously. Graham frankly wasnt sure which would be better. Cole wouldnt be able to kill him, but convincing Cole he was real without bringing up kist he wouldn’t want anyone else to know…. harder.
Evelyn considered it for a moment. She felt that Cole doesn’t trust her still and it was the same for her. In the topic of Myla, however, she can trust Cole and the same was for Anderson.
-# Even when he frustrates her.
And as she found out recently, trying to get Cole to understand or listen was like pulling teeth sometimes. At least, their relationship had improved over horrible beer. Her stomach twisted thinking about it.
Which leaves…
“I will.” Evelyn knew that Anders being there may make things worse. She glanced over to her husband for a moment before back to Graham.
“I may have a plan. No one will like it but it will assure that Cole will not kill you. Afterwards, any feelings he harbors, that is on you two.”
Graham made a concerned expression, following the glance to Anderson but not shifting his gaze fully off of Evelyn. He dusted some debris off of his knuckles.
“I think I wanna hear it before I commit to it.”
She was suggesting being alone.
With them.
He already knew what Cole was capable of. Ach-To was still fresh in his mind.
Whilst Anders could not ascertain to Graham Farrow’s abilities, the fact the man had survived whatever hardships suggested a heightened level of survival instincts. On top of that, he was a man who, seemingly, was scraping the bottom of the barrel. What did he have to lose?
In his experience, they were the most dangerous kind of individual.
Do you require my presence?
<@216702440140046336>
“You will know if I decide to go with it. I am not going to leave you in the dark, Mr. Farrow. You are our daughter’s fahter and I am not going-” She exhaled sharply. She still own Zuza an apology.
And there was the fact that Zuza needed to know about this. Once the two men can settle down, she’ll remind Graham. Or Cole. Perhaps both.
That was another concern down the line.
“I just do not like to talk about ideas until I make the decision, and then will discuss among my peers.”
Evelyn shook her head to respond to Anders’ question and realized that he talked to her by the means of telepathy and Graham would’ve caught the shake of her head.
“Will that be all? My husband and I have other pressing matters that we must attend to as soon as possible.”
-# <@837236610684813342>
Graham glanced back and forth between the two. Something was up. But they were both Force Users so no fracking kist. He didn’t care, really. It was just a bit rude but so was faking your death for six years. It was fine. Her husband. Jeez dude’s insecure ain’t he?
“If that’s all you want from me, yeah. I can head out and get that DNA check done. Will.. you let Skylar know? I don’t want her and Tednor to be sat waiting for something to go down when it’s not.” The man slowly rose to his feet, purposefully going as directly up as he could to ensure it couldn’t be misinterpreted.
“I’m just gonna… go.” He gestured a thumb behind him, toward one of the many exits the mall had. “Thanks Mi- Evelyn. I won’t say for giving me a chance exactly considering you came at me with a knife, but for listening at all.”
Graham doubted there was much point trying to be nice with Mr Blue Cock, but he did a small salute-esque gesture to the man to not be entirely rude as he began to step away.
Anders inclined his head ever so slightly. Apparently, there was something in the Farrow bloodline that made them naturally resistant to invasions of the mind.
Instead, his small gesture offered a truce. At least for now. If Graham was going to be courteous, then he could respond in kind.
Especially given Evelyn’s reactions to Anders’ methods. Before Graham had vanished out of sight, the Chiss spun and began to walk towards a separate exit to the mall.
<@216702440140046336> <@1382824894877794314>
Evelyn disliked every single idea she had tried to think of as she walked beside the Chiss.
The only idea I can think of at the moment is to be honest with Cole when he arrives and show him the blood work when I receive it. Maybe in a public place.
Evelyn wanted to bring up his sourness towards Graham but she figured with Draca being missing, Anders could be in a bit of a foul mood for awhile.
She was too.
The distance was made between them before Graham turned back to return to the mall. He glanced around as he walked, ensuring the scant wanderers paid him little mind before dipping between a pair of broken plasteel bars into a abandoned shop. It appeared to have once been some decor store, shelving of various depths, heights and widths left to gather dust in what once would’ve been a nice walk around.
Now, bar Graham’s backpack and sleeping bag in the back corner, it housed nothing but memories.
If he had been feeling more poetic, Graham may have made that connection himself to his own situation. Instead, he faceplanted the in-built pillow and laid there until his throat started to burn slightly before turning his head and inhaling slowly. Then, grabbed his pack to count credits.
He’d get the test done in the afternoon. When adrenaline wasn’t as high and the only face in his head wasn’t his little brother who he’d thought dead for years. Who thought he was dead for even longer. Who’d been alone. Did it count as abandoning him if Graham didn’t know their father wouldn’t tell Cole the truth? Did it matter, really.
There was…. just enough to get the test done. He groaned into his teeth, pressing his hands over his eyes with just enough pressure that colours sparked under the black of his eyelids.
Pit fight and eat properly for the next two days, or skip out on that to avoid having his ass kicked in potentially right before facing Cole?
Hazel eyes stared down at the credit chit, brows drawn into a deep frown.
“Fuck you Trevor.”
Anders hardly said a word to Evelyn as they made their way back to the Astral Drake. Of course, this was done purposefully.
Evelyn had stopped him peering into Graham’s mind. Even if that dolt had been willing, the effect of her past still afflicted her.
Had he pushed their boundaries? Anders thought himself above such tripe notions, yet, apparently, he was not.
<@216702440140046336>
The walk to the ship was silent. She would hoped Anders would ease up on the invasion of the mind around her, especially how much it affected her.
His nightmares had been progressing since Draca was taken and Evelyn worried that one day, she wouldn’t be enough to pull Anders back with her. That he would go full Aequitas and never come back.
They needed to find Draca as soon as possible.
“What was that back there?”
He did not answer, not immediately. Truthfully, deep down, there was a desire that the question would float away and be lost to the infinite vacuum of the universe. However, Anders knew that was wishful thinking.
“An attempt to get our quarry to be speak,” he sighed through his nose. He did not look at her. “I suppose an apology is in order?”
Not to Graham, but to Evelyn, though he left that unsaid between them.
For a moment, Evelyn wasn’t sure if he meant that the apology was for her or Graham. Most likely not Graham, Anders would never do that.
Stars, maybe not even to her.
“I do not want an apology if it is not meaningful.”
She shook her head.
“I do not even know how to inform Mr. Farrow of this.” Evelyn knew at least, it should come from her and not Anders after Cole had revealed her some things and she felt that maybe, Cole would be more open to her than Anders. She knew if that she tells him before they even arrive, Cole would just straight up try assassination.
Because honestly? If she found out any one she knew or believed was to be dead, she would had done the exact same. She stayed quiet, trying to think of different options and plans where they would all come out of this alive.
Well. Graham really said who he was. She respected his privacy on anything else that may came up and it was his alone, but he was a match for Myla.
As paternal father. Not that there was any doubt. Just as she expected, Cole was here just as early as her. They both were in the kitchen of Drake. Anders… went somewhere along with the other crew for the time being. So the only sounds they could hear was the soft hiss and smooth mechanical noises of the ship’s purr.
Something that used to help Evelyn sleep.
Not anymore.
“I will need to try to keep a clear head of what I am about to say. And to understand that Anders and myself had investigated into this deeply too. Myla is fine.” Evelyn quickly added, wanted to assure him that Myla was alright considering they were on the planet that Myla and her family resided.
She pushed the burner datapad that was on the table towards Cole. Right now all he could see was Myla’s picture in the corner and her DNA profile.
“For the next, possibly, hour, I will need you to really listen during maybe your hardest moment of your life. I do not know your life fully but I am aware it may become difficult because… if I was in your shoes..” Then she sighed.
“And it is not me I am requesting you to really listen to. It is someone we both believed dead.” She leaned over a bit and swiped to second profile which had a male face but it was blank, commonly used in medical if there was no picture. However, it showed the DNA profile and being a paternal match of Myla.
“Graham is alive. It is a match. Of course, Anders being himself and me being me, we investigated deeper and made sure. It is really him…” She then pulled up an address on the burner datapad.
“That is where he is and waiting for you. He knows you are coming. Cole, I do not care if you two duke it out but I strongly request you do not kill Myla’s biological father in case she has questions and wants to get to know him.”
Cole hated Evelyn’s queries. They always came with vagueries, forced vulnerability to hear whatever she had to say and no matter how many times they did this, she always had something to say that was worse than he could have imagined.
Some shape-shifter copying the visage of his long dead brother had never previously made the list of scenarios his paranoid mind cooked up. Yet all the possibilities surged forth like a damn had burst. He had seen Graham on the floor, too much blood surrounding him. His father had made him watch Zuza’s lethal blow. They had lowered his coffin in the ground mere days later. The only reason they stopped hunting Zuza was because he lost it at his father. They didn’t know Graham. How could they tell?
The reality presented did not line up with the one he knew.
Ice blue eyes stared down at the data pad, emotionless. Stoic. On the off chance Evelyn wasn’t in her right mind, it was best to play along. If she was, it would still be the same really. If he stated his intent now, to eliminate the threat now, she wouldn’t let him take that address down.
Hardest day? He had to restrain a laugh as her earlier words echoed through his head. This would be easy enough. He gave it another moment, before pulling the datapad closer. Cole stared down at the placeholder image, before giving a slow nod.
“Very well.”
Evelyn watched him.
No questions. No emotions. Nothing. It was eerie how similar he was to her in hiding emotions.
And to Anders.
Either he really believes her or-
No. He doesn’t believe her. Of course not. Does he really think she would fall for something so foolish without question-
She shoved her anger down. She was too tired worrying about Draca and Anders. And relieved to find out that Myla wasn’t in trouble.
She wasn’t going to fight.
“I only have one advice. Do not do anything you will regret.”
Cole exhaled a breath, slowly, peering out of the window.
He’d slipped into the shop through a maintenance hall. It was far from an ideal entrance but there was only two stores in the mall that were active, today at least, and the hubbub of people didn’t populate the building as far in as the location Evelyn gave him. The best avenue was to remain unseen until the target was spotted, so, here he was. His face half angled toward the window, breathing lightly to reduce the amount of condensation and letting his eyes focus past the sheen of dust particulates that had gathered on the glass.
His blaster was shouldered yet, shooting open a window would be stupid. It wasn’t until, after a tense ten or so minutes, that movement was spotted. A large figure, the jacket he wore covering most of his body but even from the small glimpse Cole got, the fabric was hiding the broad shoulders of someone who could fight.
Even if it was fake, he doubted someone would copy the visage of his brother and not have done the baseline research to know the man fought with his hands.
A small voice in the back of Cole’s mind called out the leap of logic, the paranoia. His brow furrowed a moment, before he shook his head and slipped out of the store’s front door and into the walkway. He pressed his shoulder into the wall beside the door, drawing the blaster rifle from it’s holster as Cole leaned just enough to see in the direction the stranger went.
He couldn’t shoot until he had confirmation.
–
Graham pressed his hands into his face.
Cole had to be here. If it was his little brother, he’d been here longer than the original meet time which had been long enough ago now to be a problem. Part of Graham wanted to contact Evelyn and let her know he was being hunted, as a prior warning before anything could occur, but neither could he stop watching every available crevice, corner and gap in a way he hadn’t since he left home. This was why he karking left, the adrenaline was addictive but cloying, sticking and leaving him jumping at the motion of shadows-
It was just from the corner of his eye. Yet, Graham moved to put a pillar between him and it. It could have been nothing but… something moved. In a doorway.
Two options. Get shot sticking his head out, or just call out and hope for the best.
“Hey-” Graham started, then stopped. What the kark would he say? He hadn’t even thought… his eyes burned slightly, chest tightening. “Look. I- Can you just let me try and convince you, before shooting at me?”
Silence followed, for a moment, before there was a metallic click. Graham was tensed to run, returning to old instincts when it bounced off of the floor, the clang echoing in the dilapidated mall sending Graham out of cover in a instant. After which he didn’t stop running, turning toward the direction he’d seen the sliver of movement.
–
Cole raised the blaster rifle, hearing the footsteps before twisting out of his hiding spot. Yet, even as he raised the gun, his eyes took in the other’s appearance.
It looked like Graham. That was enough by itself to catch his breath in throat, yet what made Cole’s hand’s shake, and the shot go astray, was how off it was. It was Graham’s face but it wasn’t as he knew it. It was older and as the hood slipped back, the hair was longer.
Cole dropped the rifle, his hand grasping the hilt of the knife on his hip and wrenching it free.
It was too late to make it so it’d impale the other in the stomach as Not-Graham impacted him. Cole braced for the collision, his head still rocked backwards into the wall behind him. His vision filled with sparks but he still shifted the blade, trying to get enough space to stab it sideways.
“Oh k-”
The blade met the fabric, beginning to dig in though Cole couldn’t tell if he made contact truly. It must have, yet there wasn’t time. No. Not before his wrist was grabbed. Cole heard the other trying to talk to him but he struggled, twisting to escape and managing it for a scant second. It was enough to realise how tight the grip on his wrist was a breath before said grip was used to drag him back into the store entrance way and slammed into the corner of it.
“STOP!”
Cole paused, more so to re-establish a plan than truly to obey. It couldn’t be Graham. It couldn’t. No. He had another blaster, a pistol, there just needed to be the time to take advantage of it.
He kept his gaze down. It wasn’t Graham, but the eyes were too real. The other let out a sharp exhale, not exhausted but stressed. The pressure didn’t relinquish.
“Cole.” That voice sliced through him. Dead dead dead dead- It had only been audible in the paranoid nightmares and glimpses. “I know you’re not gonna trust me man but, let me talk. Or ask me anything.”
A second passed.
“Or… not. That’s okay, it’s fine. Do you remember when we were kids, and we got our first mission together? It was just a pick up, but do you remember what our father said? Cause I do. Chin up eyes forward. He loved that phrase, I suppose that… doesn’t make it a great indicator- kark.”
The pressure lifted slightly, Cole found himself staring at the patch of dark that stained the right side of the other. Other. There wasn’t enough space yet.
“I guess there’s one I never apologised for. I mean, we were tiny kids but, still. I don’t know if you even remember it but you were what… four or five? You grabbed something I wanted, and I got so mad I blamed you for.. for mom. And I never forgot how you looked at me y'know. Father took me aside and told me I shouldn’t do that but, he never made me apologise. I should have. I should have told you I was alive my damn self as well apparently.”
The grip loosened. Cole shifted, slowly, feeling the eyes on him but trying to keep it casual but… how would anyone else know about that. Only… But- Cole looked up, finally meeting the opposing gaze.
It looked like Graham.
Graham, who’s eyes widened in what could only be horror though it took a moment for Cole to realise why. Yet that also didn’t make sense for a copycat.
“What the frack happened to-”
Graham’s words caught behind his teeth, Cole snapping into action as the man’s posture relaxed and shoving the muzzle of the pistol into the underside of his chin.
Be better. Do not do something you will regret.
“What did Zuza say before she left that day?” Cole felt the words spoken as if they weren’t produced by his own throat. As if he was standing away, looking in. Distant.
“She didn’t say anything. She just ran.”
He watched the frown form, creasing into wrinkles that weren’t there that day. That day. Cole stepped forward yet felt his stomach lurch as no movement followed the urge. His arm remained locked in place, in regretful limbo between realities.
“Cole…” Graham spoke slowly, the words taking what felt like an age to reach his ears. “I get it, if you don’t want to think I’m real. But only four people were in that room, Zuza isn’t… she isn’t what I wanted her to be when I followed her and the only other who would know she didn’t say frack all that isn’t here right now is dead.”
It made sense, logically. Yet the Force had proven so much could be faked… The caxquettes, Scimitar, the Children of Mortis. But…
The train of thought was abandoned as Graham’s hand inched toward the blaster.
Cole watched, split to the point he did nothing but observe as Graham slipped the blaster out of his grip and free from under his chin. He watched as the safety was clicked back into place and listened to it clattering across the floor.
Defenceless. Weak. Do SOMETHING- Move, do anything!
“Cole..?”
Move. Claw his eyes out, break his jaw, run, wake up, defend yourself, move, just move- do something just move, get OUT
Contact. Shoulder. Cole flinched backwards, though found himself with the wall against his back again.
Graham stood, his hand hesitantly hanging in the space between them. Then across the gap, landing on Cole’s shoulder again and gripping.
“I’m real. I swear on the fracking stars and whatevers on the other side of them that I am.”
“Where… were you.” Cole breathed the words, evil, accepting, traitorous words.
Graham sighed, not releasing Cole’s shoulder but deflating somewhat.
“Everywhere, really, except home.”
“Tell me… yourself.” Cole echoed the words, they returned to his mind as he tried to spot any fallacy in what was being spoken and that was it.
Graham had clearly forgotten, though managed to recollect the memory. His eyes widened, face brightening slightly. Small ticks that hed never been able to guise.
“Father knew. I thought hed have told you. I thought you were just mad at me, I tried to stick around so if you tried to find me you could but then.. the compound got attacked and-”
Cole zoned out the rest of the sentence.
Was it rage or grief? The sickly cold was digging its way out of his stomach, spreading into his lungs, his throat, his eyes.
Cole looked into Graham’s eyes, watching as the man continued to talk. The cold swept through his limbs before everything snapped, needing to do something before his whole body froze into place.
It just so happened to be his fist striking Graham directly in the jaw. Then the stomach, before Graham got a leg up and kicked him into the wall.
Cole wheezed, holding onto the corner to stay standing.
“WHAT THE FRACK DUDE?”
If hed have been able to breathe, Cole might have laughed.
Graham held the initial strike location, frustration finally bleeding through.
“I thought you were dead too you prick, how was i supposed to know Trevor was more of a schutta than we thought he was?”
“Shut up.”
“Oh or what? Do you think he really can crawl out the grave to tell us off? Well, COME ON DADDIO!” Graham swung in a circle on one leg, his arms flung out wide, before facing cole again a few feet away.
Cole felt his eye twitch.
“You look just like him now, is that what youve been up to? Finishing his legacy of driving us into an early grave. I didnt want to die Cole, and he couldn’t accept me leaving the doomed life without making me lose everything else with it.”
With the space between them, Graham had warning for Cole’s next strike. He blocked it, though not the follow up blow. He struck back, the pair descending into a borderline brawl that Cole was evidently not going to win.
Bruised, bloody lips and a broken ancient bench later the pair separated enough to breathe without reigniting the fight.
“Ill run your ass into the ground if you go for me again Cole I swear it.”
Cole glared, resisting the urge to start again just for that but… he wasnt that stupid. He walked a few steps to the nearest wall and slid down it to sit down. His metal leg clanked against the floor.
Graham placed his hands on hips, leaning back slightly with a hissing inhale before letting it go. The clang didnt go amiss, but he let the thought sit as he looked over what little was visible of his brother. Cole’s hands had always been a mess, but his face? Only one scar was familiar, the rest all seemed massively problematic. His neck bore a new one too. What little was visible of his ankle showed strange, thin branching scars and the other was… metal.
Cole glanced up, raising an eyebrow before looking away.
“You can ask.”
He heard Graham huff, stepping away. Then his brother walked over, sitting down beside him. The area was a mess.
Cole glanced side ways, before pressuring the point “If you don’t I will.”
“Theres not much to tell on my end Cole. Pit fighting, keeping my nose clean and my name out of the picture. I… dunno. Only recently got the back bone to try and see Myla. Evelyn, more so honestly. Talk to someone who remembers. I have friends but… well.”
Cole nodded slowly, quiet. A small frown pressed into his face.
Graham continued.
“Its nice though. No expectations, near death experiences are rare to the point its a shocking fun fact about yourself. Simpler. If I had to guess, you didn’t find that.”
“No.” Cole answered, looking down at where he could only assume Graham was. “After you… I stopped taking care, for a while. Thats most of this. The leg is new, and was necessary.”
“What the frack could be necessary and still taking care if it lost you your whole ass leg?”
“Its a long story. But it was.”
“Actually was or Farrow was.”
Cole scoffed, “Actually. Our father may have been… flawed but you dont have to talk about him like that.”
“Fine. Whatever. Just… I dunno. I dont-”
“Where I ended up was with the Tyris’. Originally. Over in the Dajorra system. It turns out theres a lot of force users in the organization that they were from and plenty were there. I got… involved in a mission to eradicate a Sith figure and he… left a mark on someone. One that required a sacrifice to get rid of, so he wouldn’t take her body instead of dying.”
Graham blinked twice, almost audibly, taking several seconds before a smile tentatively formed, “You gave your leg up for her?”
Cole looked out the corner of his eye, “We’re together, if that’s what you’re asking. And yes. I don’t recommend the experience but…”
“I get it.” Graham noted, “Though that wasn’t as long of a story as you implied.”
“It’s the short version.”
“Even excluded her name.” Graham spoke teasingly though it faded. Cole, robotic Cole, who he’d seen emote so few times, actually looked uncomfortable. Untrusting. He was used to that, but seeing it even minimally in Cole’s face was almost disturbing. Graham began to speak then stopped, repeating this one more time before finding the words. “What… happened. At home. I saw the news but they just talked about how they won and you were all dead and kist.”
He watched Cole, seeing the small shift in expression toward being at ease. Then back into the apathy Graham was familiar with. Hm.
“I found out recently it was a rogue organization. They convinced a few of the Force users we had recruited and they convinced some of the others that we were holding our people back and should be destroyed. They let in others, and overthrew us just after the shift change. I was coming back from a training elsewhere, Corvo and father were in the hub. I managed to get up to them, but we were overwhelmed. I saw our father go down. Blaster bolt to the temple, it… I couldn’t stop it.” Cole paused, remaining static in place but needing a moment. He then gestured to the scar that took up most of his left cheek.
“They almost got me. Corvo got me to the shuttle and I didn’t see it but they shot him off of the ramp when he went to close it. He’d put the coordinates in and I managed to get the ship out of orbit before I passed out. I… Kark. Corvo is alive, he stayed near the complex. I went back last year with a task force and we cleared it. He came across us. He thought I got shot down so never followed and I thought he died at the complex. He will be glad to see you.”
Graham gave a relieved laugh, “Well so far I’ve had Tednor point a gun at me, fairly sure Skylar was ready to throttle me, Evelyn tried to gut me and her blue boyfriend dude threw me into a wall with the Force or some kist, then you’re trying to shoot me. Someone has to be happy to see me eventually from the get go. I’ll have Myla trying to bite my ankles off when I meet her or something at this rate.”
Cole raised an eyebrow but let himself settle somewhat. “Zuza probably would be fine with you.”
“Zuza?” Graham snapped his head round to look at Cole directly, “You still-”
“She apparently ended up in Dajorra before I did. We crossed paths and… we’re friends again. It is Zuza afterall.”
Graham snorted, “Okay fair. Kist, I thought with the hunt after her and everything, you’d, y'know, hate her.”
“I did for a while, even despite stopping that said hunt for her myself. I didn’t forgive her for what she-” Cole paused, frowned, then restarted, avoiding looking at Graham, “What I thought she did. Not for a long time, but I did make father stop.”
“You… made him stop?”
“In hindsight, it does seem convuluted.”
“No karking frack, he set her-” Graham groaned into his teeth, standing up again and pacing away a few steps. He hurt, but sitting was annoying. “I don’t know if she’ll want to see me either way.”
It was hard for Cole to not notice how close Graham came to insulting their father again. It made sense yet… he was glad the words hadn’t been said. This was tiring. He followed the topic change, “She didn’t want to hurt you. It did affect her, it’d likely be a relief for her, knowing Zu.”
“You’re probably right but… not yet.”
“No.”
An awkward silence followed, Graham pacing through the space as Cole watched him. He tried to not be obvious but still found himself examining the way Graham walked. Any tics, expressions, or anything. The sensation this wasn’t real wasn’t dissipating. Sofila would… Well she wouldn’t know what to do but she’d work it out because she actually knew how to handle emotions. Urgh.
Cole exhaled, “I need to go home tomorrow. I have too much work to do to stay too long. Do you have a place to stay here?”
“Uh.” Graham hesistated, pausing midstep and running a hand through the back of hair. “Well. Sort of. I’d rather stay here, but Skylar would probably feel better if I wasn’t. I’m not sure, honestly. I was going to work it out after today.”
“Where would you stay here?”
“Well. Somewhere in this area, probably-”
“Graham where have you been sleeping?”
Graham smiled somewhat nervously, “What, you gonna make sure I actually sleep and I’m not a droid on recharge or somethin’?”
Sofila was right. The question dodging is annoying as frack.
“Graham.”
His brother huffed, crossing his arms, “In one of the empty stores upstairs. I have some savings but I didn’t want to dump that on hotels if I wasn’t sticking around!”
Cole pinched the bridge of his nose as Graham continued.
“I’ll find a pit around here, build up some money and find a place more permanent around here. It’s fine.”
“I’ll talk to Evelyn. If Skylar is uncomfortable with you being on planet then you should come to Kasiya with me. Either way, you’re getting a hotel tonight. I’ll cover your costs.”
“No way-”
Cole looked up, meeting Graham’s gaze with icy annoyance. Graham hesistated, before growling to himself and heading toward the escalator nearby as he yelled over his shoulder.
“I’m paying you back!”
Cole shook his head to himself, before pulling his datapad out.
He pulled up Evelyn’s contact.
Check if Skylar is comfortable with Graham staying on planet. He can come back to Kasiya with me if not. Either way I will need to depart tomorrow.
Evelyn sent a message to Skylar and awaited a respond.
She shifted her body weight to her left leg as if she was keeping her guard up.
She was still mildly annoyed and wondered what Cole thought when she first presented Graham was alive. No matter. At least they didn’t kill each other and it’s one less problem for Evelyn.
Or was it? Considering they would have to somehow explain everything to Myla.
Evelyn slowly exhaled through her nostrils as she glanced up towards the ceiling, her silver locks slipped back. There was a soft ping and she glanced at it before responding to Cole.
“He can stay on the planet, but suggested not to meet Myla just yet. We should set that up, delicately as possible.”
She paused for a moment, wondering how much she should tell him.
“Graham may end up meeting Myla without me, I have other priorities to take care of now since Graham is real. So either you can be part of it or it will be just Graham alone with Tednor and Skylar.”
Cole had to ignore an surge of annoyance. Other priorities? Was she going to leave Myla’s life just because Graham showed up- He contained that emotion, setting it aside for whenever he and Evelyn inevitably argued again.
At least it'll be simple. Without details, all Myla knew is that we thought he died. It may bring up questions but they are answerable. My presence will be entirely dependant on scheduling, but one of us should be there. Skylar should likely warn Myla ahead of time either way, so the first time she hears the news isn't when facing him.