**Shame Corner…
Ro had been confused when he had approached his daughter, standing there hugging and gently comforting the man whom he had seen her talking to all the time he had been talking with Avalon. Looking at his daughter for some sort of answer, her tiny smile and the subtle curling of her Lekku meant that everything was alright, but needed some time. Ro had wanted to interrupt, but decided to wait. After a few moments, and she felt he had calmed a bit, Zeva broke the hug and introduced Rue to her father.
After talking for a bit more about why they were there, the subject of the young Twi'Lek/Togruta’s mother had come back around. Ro a little wary to talk about it, as Zeva had been before, but young hybrid felt better now that her father was here, telling Rue that her Twi'lek mother was gravely ill.
When the hybrid offered to try and heal her ailment, Ro was going to kindly refuse, but seeing Zeva shake her head and sadly say in the most rational and adult way possible.
“I don’t know. Mother has been sick for so long, as long as I can remember. I don’t know if there’s any medicine strong enough to heal her.”
*The rumbling of Zeva’s stomach interrupted things and Ro quickly excused himself to go get a table. He then told Zeva to follow the waiter and order anything she wanted. Zeva smiled and hugged Rue once more, thanking him for the birthday crown and taking her plushies walked to the table and started looking at the menu.
Meanwhile, Ro-Tahn thanked Rue for his offer, asking if there was a way to possibly save Zeva’s mother he’d like to take the chance. He had asked if the hybrid would be able to come to the Aliso system in a few days, since he still had a few things to do. Upon a nod of confirmation and a quiet “Yes,” the Togruta gave Rue a flimsi with his comm frequency code and told him to contact him when he was comfortable to come.
—- A few days later —-
Aliso System Aliso
Ro-Tahn was in the transport center, waiting for the off world transport to arrive. Nervous as he was with the upcoming meeting, he still couldn’t help but chuckle as he watched Zeva play with her stuffed plushies. The little girl was wearing one of her new bright blue dresses she had picked out at the Shame Corner.
“I wish Aunt Tahiri was here to meet Rue,” the tiny Togruta/Twi'lek hybrid looked around the transports, swinging her legs as they dangled off the bench.
“She’ll meet with him some other time I’m sure,” he had finally gotten around to telling his older sister about her little niece. Luckily he hadn’t gotten the full onslaught of questioning, but she knew his time on Nar Shaddaa was tough. She had given her blessing and that was all that mattered to him.
The passenger transport that they awaited descended, and the terrible wait of waiting for exactly the right person to disembark began. Landing procedures and the doors opening and flight crew and all that. A sea of faces. Cargo and bags. Until finally–
Bright color glinted and gleamed in the sunlight, like metal struck. Red and purple and gold. Rue was tall as he was thin, and he stood out immediately. His face turned towards the waiting pair, softening from its worried look, and he rushed to meet them.
The hybrid only slowed when he got close, moving so as to not startle Zeva. He carried a bag with him, and a little dolly. It was made of plant fibers, woven tight and strong and decorated with flowers. It had tiny montrals and tiny lekku, just like Zeva.
“Hello, sweetling,” he greeted her, and then to her father, “Blessed Day, Ro-Tahn. This one hopes you are well.”
He bowed.
“Thank you. You as well Rue,” Ro made a little bow in turn.
Zeva seeing Rue approach, had set her plushies down on the bench and waited till he stopped in front of them. She curtsied and then stepped forward to gently give the fellow hybrid a quick hug.
“Hello Rue,” she smiled big and then turned to grab her stuffed animals from the bench. “I choose names for my stuffies,” declaring very official like. Holding the Nexu up first she proclaimed, “Her name is Seku, and his name is Cozaar.” The tiny hybrid grinned as she held up the Tailring. “Do you like their names?”
“I can take your bag for you, Rue, the transport is just outside to take us to the med center,” he extended his hand along with the offer. Knowing that Zeva was excited and wanted to talk with him.
“I like them very much,” Rue told Zeva, smiling at her. He looked to each stuffy and said seriously, “Blessed Day, Seku. Blessed Day, Cozaar. And thank you, Sir Ro-Tahn.”
He dipped his head to get his bag strap over it and passed it to the father. Then he offered the dolly to Zeva.
“This one will need a name too. It is for your mother, so we can give it to her.”
Ro took the bag, slinging it on his shoulder, nodding and smiling as he began to lead the way to the transport. Zeva hugged her stuffed animals with a bright smile, before gently placing them in a sling like pack and carefully slinging her shoulder.
“Oh, thank you Rue. She’ll love this. Hmmm,” she gently took the dolly from Rue, studying it’s features and thinking hard for a moment. The little hybrid then looked up and announced solemnly, “I think Alema is a good name.”
Ro-Tahn turned and glanced at the doll before asking with a small chuckle, “How did you come up with a name so quickly? When it took you literally a whole day asking both Aunt Hiri and myself for a Togrutan name, and then asking your mother for an hour for a Twi'lek name.”
“Alema is a very good name and it was a contester, before I choose Seku instead,” Zeva puffed up a little, very dignified. “It means ‘protector’ in Ryl, and I think that is a great name for this dolly. Something to protect mama.”
Ro’s eyes softened, and his jaw clenched a bit as he rubbed the the back of his right Lekku, glancing to Rue and then back at Zeva. The tall Togrutan stooped a little and smiled, “I think it’s a great name sweety. I just a… was surprised you came with something so fast. Anyways, lets get to the transport and over to the med center. Aola should be up by the time we arrive.”
Rue’s look back to Ro was soft and old with understanding, but his smile to Zeva was gentle.
“It is a very good name indeed. They will protect your mother just as you make her happy.”
He followed along to the transport, offering Zeva his hand if it was wanted.