Fallen Heroes

[Rick Wright]

The guards at the door of the Bar and Grill smiled. It was a while since they had seen old Rick Wright. Their smiles were somewhat sad, though, as the former soldier was looking quite literally beaten. His arm was in a sling and he looked as though he hadn’t slept for weeks. He slumped down into a chair, rubbed his eyes with his good hand, and looked up at the waitress.

“What’ll it be, Rick?”

“Whiskey.”

“Whiskey, Rick? You look like a caff would do you better.”

“Fine, fine… a caff then.”

She bustled away, somewhat perplexed at the unusual mood Rick was in…

[Angelina Kincaid]

Angelina Kincaid entered the B&G, the guards allowed her passage once she gave them the five daggers she carried, two at her hip, two in her leather boot straps and one fastened to her left forearm by a unique-looking leather strap as well.

She was dressed as a Falycin Ocean warrior, doned in brown leather. Brown leather vest pulled over a lighter tunic and brown pants of the same soft leather as the vest. But, this leather wasn't as any leather that had ever been seen, it was special. It had been made from the backs of Sea Yumhi, a type of ocean dwelling creature. So, it was able to get wet with out bringing any damage and it was a very tough leather, hard to penetrate with blades or daggers.

The Ocean warrior wore it proudly, even though it had been sometime since she had been with her ocean clan, ever since...River.

But, she wouldn't dwell on it right now. At this time, she was more interested in a drink, it had been only a day since she had arrived and it was time to get a feeling for her surroundings. Time to meet people and make herself known.

Angelina walked up to the bar and ordered a Falycin Ale, once in her hand she turned around and scaned the area in hopes of seeing....no, he wasn't here. With a sigh, she noticed another man, who looked down on his luck. With a deep breath and a slight toss of her blond hair, she walked over to him. "Care if I join you, you look like you could use the company. If not, I can go."

[Rick Wright]

Rick looked up at what appeared to be a Jedi, “Sure. Have a seat.”

He looked down into his cast and sighed. There had been a time when he felt so much compassion for people, even Jedi, but lately he had felt so down. Something was dragging him into a depression and he couldn’t fight it off – literally. A fall during an attempt at stopping a fight had left his good arm out of action for at least a couple of months.

“I’m Rick… I’d offer to shake your hand, ma’am, but as you can see, I’m in no good state to do so.”

[Angelina Kincaid]

Angelina smiled as she slid into the seat across from him. "That's alright, Rick. No hand shake required, I'm merely seeking friendship. I'm Angelina or Angel, if you'd like. It's been a while since I've been on the social circuit myself." She told him as she took a drink.

[Rick Wright]

“Well, it’s good to meet you, Angel.”

Rick smiled. It was the name that had made him do this.

Ironic, he thought, that the first person he met in his time of weakness was an Angel.

“I’m in a similar situation to you, although I expect as a Jedi you get many more opportunities to interact with people than us simple folk?”

[Angelina Kincaid]

Angelina smiled slightly. "I've only been with the Order for a day, so my interacting is still lacking some. And besides, I like simple folk being one myself or at least I still believe so." Her smiled widened. "No one could be any simpler than a clan warrior or at least...I had been."

Angelina smiled despite herself as she thought of the days in the Ocean Clan.

[Rick Wright]

“A clan warrior, eh? I don’t rightly think I’ve heard of one of those before,” Rick replied, rubbing the thickening stubble on his chin with his one good hand.

[Angelina Kincaid]

"Not a lot of people have. I come from a small system in the inner core called Falycin. Falycin is ruled by the Council of the Four Great Clans. Desert, Forest, Ocean and Plains. My family belongs to the Csai'De'Rhune, the Great Ocean Clan. I was a warrior with them from the time I was a child." She smiled slightly. "Ni'in'Sa was my warrior name, it means 'Eye of the Storm', a name given to me by my father, who was on the council of the Four Great Clans." She stopped for a moment, thinking that she was rambling as her Falycian accent bled through more.

She shook her head slightly and took a drink. "You'll have to excuse my rambling."

[Rick Wright]

“It seems like you have a lot of pride in your heritage. That’s good. You shouldn’t ever forget where you’ve come from. It’s what makes you who you are.”

Rick smiled. He would never forget his past either. It was what motivated him and drove him, and what would keep him fighting to his last breath.

[Angelina Kincaid]

Angelina nodded in agreement. "Yes, the Clan was my home for many years and I defended it with my life. But, times change, people change and I've moved on." She took another drink. "How about you, Rick? Where do you come from, if you don't mind me asking."

[Rick Wright]

“I’m Coruscant born and raised, ma’am. I served in the Republic army for fifteen years, but I’m afraid my health isn’t what it used to be. I favored retirement over settling into a desk job.”

He smiled. People didn’t know it, but he was still upholding the Republics beliefs, without being a soldier or a Jedi.

[Angelina Kincaid]

"That's understandable, Rick." She smiled. "I know when I left the Clan it felt somewhat like retiring, but now I'm here and ready to take on a Jedi life in full force." Not mentioning that she was also on a venture to find her family.

"Life here is so different than on Falycin, we're very primitive in some areas, living off the land. Though, we do have two main cities, but nothing like this one."

[Rick Wright]

“It sure is an intimidating place, but you’ll grow to love it, I’m sure of that. It’s got a lot of character, in spite of its flaws. I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

His caff was delivered, at long last. He thanked and tipped the waitress, before taking a long invigorating sip that almost totally woke him up. He blinked his slightly bleary eyes and gave a little sigh of contentment.

“Did any of your family come with you to Coruscant, or did you have relatives already here, for that matter?”

[Angelina Kincaid]

"I've come in search of family that was supposed to be part of the Order, though now it seems they aren't there." She sighed. "I may have to wait for a while before they'll be found, they're on some kind of mission or so I've been told. But, when I see them what a reunion that will be, you see they thought I had died." A new loneliness burned in her eyes as she thought of River and her children, but deep down she knew she'd see them again, soon. Very soon, or so she hoped.

[Rick Wright]

"That's awful sad, Miss, but I'm sure your kids will be real happy to see you again. Absence makes the heart fonder, they always say."

[Angelina Kincaid]

Angelina smiled. "Yes, I've a son named Ry-Obi, he's eight, nearly nine and a daughter named Hunter, she's four. I was kinda hoping that one may be on it's way later this year." She took a drink. "I'm not so sure now."

[Rick Wright]

"Not meaning to pry, but why do you say that?"

[Angelina Kincaid]

"I've no idea when I will see them. I miss my husband dearly, we've never been apart this long. We've had so many struggles that the two of us went through and he's probably beside himself thinking I'm dead. I just wish I would've been able to talk to him sooner."

[Rick Wright]

"That's the way life goes, huh? Seems to litter you with pitfalls. The best things stay strong through it all, though. It'll take time to get used to things again, sure, but you can't deny love. Even I know that."

[Angelina Kincaid]

Angelina nodded. "Oh, I definitely will stay strong for River. I do love him dearly." She took a drink and then looked back at Rick.

"So, how about you, Mr. Wright? Anyone special in your life, if I may ask, of course."

[Rick Wright]

He laughed at the inevitable, shaking his head, "I was a soldier. We didn't have time for love, and since it seems I'm past my prime, there ain't much hope left for me. I don't mind though… you couldn't say I'm married to my country."

[Angelina Kincaid]

Past his prime?? Where in the oceans did he get a thought such as that?

Angelina shrugged. "You're never too old for love. One day, it'll come I do think, Rick. When you are least expecting it."

[Rick Wright]

"If love sneaks up on me, knowing my reflexes, I'll probably mistake it for something else and sock it one in the face."

[Angelina Kincaid]

Angelina laughed. "Now, that wouldn't be good. It's laible to slap you back."

[Rick Wright]

"Slapping a former Republic soldier is a punishment offence, ma'am. I certainly wouldn't be encouraging that kind of behavior," he replied with a grin.

[Angelina Kincaid]

She gave him her best innocent look. "Me? I would never. Of course, perhaps if I was drunk and he slapped me first, I'd go into warrior mode and...who knows what would happen? Besides, I'm trying to change my ways, it wouldn't be very Jedi-like."