General Leia Organa (thereisanother) wrote in thegalaxy, @ 2016-04-29 11:36:00 |
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Entry tags: | !locale: naboo, kurama, leia organa (canon), log |
Who: Kurama + General Leia
What: A meeting to discuss what Kurama can offer the Resistance.
When: Sometime near the beginning of the month
Where: Leia’s secret office on Naboo.
Warnings: None
Status: Complete
Clandestine meetings were nothing new to Kurama. He’d become an artist in their arrangement, concealment, and execution over the long centuries. Thieves might be respected members of society in the Makai, but that hardly prevented them from being maimed or killed as a consequence of their work. Kurama had fast gained a reputation as the finest and most ruthless thief to be found in the three worlds, thanks in part to his ability to keep a secret. He could have arranged a meeting with either side of the conflict in this galaxy. A thousand years ago, he might have chosen the First Order, had they offered him the greater riches. He was no longer that person. There was no question in his mind that the Resistance had a worthy if, at times, idealistic aim. His unique talents would be best put to use with them. However, Kurama rarely entered situations blindly. He needed a better feel for the Resistance and its leaders before he offered any concrete promises. That was the intention behind this meeting: a negotiation, of sorts. A chance for the parties involved to gain a feel for each other, and for the shape that their alliance might take. Although she’d only been gone for a couple of weeks, a lot had changed while Leia was away. The First Order had wasted no time in trying to promote themselves among the refugees and she knew that no doubt many of them had fallen for it. However there were many more who had either not decided which side they wished to be on or who were not choosing sides at all. Leia had trusted Poe to talk to those who were interested in the resistance during her absence and she’d met with some of them. His instincts had been good, she’d never doubted that, and she’d agreed to work with many of them. This one hadn’t been on the list though although clearly he’d spoken to Poe or he wouldn’t be here. Perhaps he hadn’t decided yet and so had not committed, which Leia could certainly understand. This was not his world, none of the refugees worlds really, so getting involved in it’s fights wasn’t for everyone. She was happy to talk to this person though and hopefully he would agree to help them. The Resistance needed all the help it could get. She looked up when she senses his presence and walked over to open the door. “Hello,” she said simply. “Kurama, is it? Welcome, I’m General Organa.” Kurama inclined his head in respectful greeting. “Thank you for taking the time to meet with me.” If he was surprised by her seeming to know he was there without having seen him, he didn’t show it. His presence in the Force, to anyone who could sense it, had the feel of a quiet forest, cool and deep, and full of secrets. Kurama himself was not Force-sensitive, but he had his own unique gifts. He wasn’t human, something he didn’t bother to hide in this reality. Still, he kept the full extent of his abilities concealed. Best to have a few surprises left. “I appreciate that you are taking a risk by allowing this meeting. I hope that I can make it worth your while,” he went on. “I fear that I may have placed you at a disadvantage. I’ve heard a great deal about you, even spoken to your counterpart, but you know very little about me.” There was no mistaking this Leia Organa for the other, he reflected privately. Experience had a way of shaping each individual as uniquely as potter shaped handspun clay. General Organa’s life had led her to places Leia Organa-Solo might never walk. “Then you definitely have an advantage over me” she said. “I haven’t spoken to her yet. It’s bound to be a rather strange experience when it happens..” Their lives had taken very different paths after the Empire but they still had one thing in common. They both loved Han Solo and Leia envied her counterpart in a way because Han was still with her while in her life, he was gone forever. “Thank you for coming, I know that when you are in a strange place, it’s hard sometimes to get involved. I have a great deal of respect for those who have chosen to help our cause.” Kurama smiled faintly. “I’ve done nothing yet to earn your respect, but I do appreciate the sentiment.” His views on being worthy of respect had changed over the years, thanks mostly to Shiori. It had once been enough to be the most feared thief the three worlds had ever known. Now, after living a human life, with a human mother, Kurama measured his worth in other ways. That was why he was here now, rather than sitting back and watching both sides destroy each other as he waited for his opportunity to take advantage. He might still have gone against the First Order in his former life, but not out of any altruistic intent. Ironically, it was the Resistance, and their ideals of freedom, which created an environment more conducive to Kurama’s primary profession. “You’re here. That’s enough,” she said. “Even just testing the waters takes a great deal of courage. There are people watching all the time. I get very tired of looking over my shoulder but I suppose it shouldn’t bother me. I’ve been involved in government since I was a teenager and helped lead a rebellion. You think I’d be used to it by now.” Leia didn’t mind sharing her history because she felt if anyone actually made it to a face to face meeting with her, they already knew something about her. “That you’ve made it through government with ideals intact is an accomplishment,” he remarked, “and a rare thing, in my experience.” Kurama had seen enough regimes rise and fall to know that even those with the best of intentions became worn down by the the constant grind of the establishment against progress. There was always someone in a position of power who could not imagine change, and always someone whose imagined solution to all of the wrongs of the world was little more than a gun held to a hostage’s head. “I imagine you have questions for me. Please ask anything you like.” “You’re correct. I do have some questions,” Leia had been trying to collect what information she could on the people who had come through the Rift but it wasn’t always easy. Some of them were not eager to tell anyone who they were or where they had come from and she could certainly understand that. “Tell me about your world. Where do you come from, what’s it like there? That’s the easiest place to start.” Kurama bowed his head and smiled, a genuine but sad expression. “The most logical place to start, but, perhaps, not the easiest. May I?” He gestured to one of the chairs in the room. “My world is complex. The questions you have asked are not answered simply or quickly.” Leia had completely forgotten to offer him a chair. “My apologies. I should have suggested that you sit sooner. I’ve been...well I’ve been away for a bit, I’m still getting myself back together.” That was quite the understatement. She wondered if she’d ever be fully back together after all that had happened. The pain never went away although some days it was better than others. “Please sit and then you can tell me.” “It’s all right,” Kurama assured Leia. There was something in the way she excused her distraction that spoke of more than a busy schedule. He wondered what had happened that it still lingered with her. Nevertheless, they hardly knew each other. It wasn’t time, yet, for Kurama to push for more from the general. He waited for Leia to be seated before he took a chair for himself. Where to begin, he wondered. Kurama enjoyed his secrets, but if he were to truly deserve the trust of this woman, many of those secrets would have to be shared. “I was born in a world quite unlike this one,” he began. “To most here, the idea of several dimensions existing alongside each other was largely theoretical, until the rift became known. That is not the case in my reality. Three realms coexist alongside each other, each separated by a boundary dimension, if you will. Most people in the human realm have no idea, beyond fairytales and religious faith, that there is anything outside of their reality. It is perhaps better that way. The Makai, which is the realm of the supernatural, is not a kind place. The average human being could never survive there. Reikai is a land that exists after death. Most humans aren’t prepared to know what truly faces them when their lives have ended.” Leia listened, finding his words fascinating. “There are people here that believe there are many universes that exist alongside each other. In fact I know that there is another version of myself here. Her life and mine were on the same path until a certain point and then things became very different. I met one of her children and it was interesting seeing myself through his eyes. He said we were very much alike yet he could tell we weren’t the same. We had similar experiences up to a certain point and then….that was it.” She had yet to meet her counterpart but she had decided that she wanted to. It might be helpful to see what she was like and how they differed although she knew she was not yet ready to face Han’s counterpart. It would hurt too much. “Which realm are you from?” She asked. “Are you from the supernatural or the natural? I’m assuming that if you were from the realm of the dead, you wouldn’t be here.” “You might be surprised,” he responded, an amused smile curling his lips. “I am known in all three realms, though I make my home in only two of them.” He had, at one point or another, been wanted for crimes in all three. That bit, he left out. “Most would say that I belong in the Makai. I would argue that I belong where I am needed, and, right now, that is in the human realm. But it’s a misnomer to call that realm the natural one. In the Shinto tradition, everything has a spirit. The natural world is born from the supernatural, and vice versa. It can be difficult to tell if a river spirit arises because the river exists, or if the river exists because of the spirit. Many of the ancient ones won’t offer you a clear answer. I suspect that some can’t.” “Here we have the Force,” she said. “It’s what holds the universe together. Some consider it a religion, others don’t. It has elements that could be considered supernatural, there are those who have harnessed that aspect of it and not always for good. I hope I have the chance to introduce you to my brother, the two of you could have a very interesting conversation.” Leia knew that Luke would be interested in hearing this philosophy and no doubt he could explain the nature of the Force much better than she could ever hope to. “I’ve heard a great deal about the Force since I arrived here,” Kurama noted. “There are some similarities between the Jedi philosophies and some of the beliefs practiced in my own universe. I would certainly enjoy the opportunity to compare notes.” He crossed his legs and leaned back in the chair, growing comfortable with the conversation. “Truthfully, I hope that you won’t have to deal with many from my world. It could go badly for the Resistance if some of them find their way here. They would likely align themselves with the First Order, or attempt to turn the situation to their personal advantage. Some might be strong enough to cause you a great deal of trouble.” “There is a lot that we don’t know about the First Order,” Leia said. “We know the name of its leader or at least who we assume is the leader but there is so much we haven’t been able to discover. The Resistance is not nearly as big as I wish it was, the Republic doesn’t entirely support us, they seem to think that the First Order isn’t as big a threat as it is. Then again many of those in power weren’t alive during the Rebellion or were very young. They can’t see what the rest of us see.” It had been over thirty years since the Rebellion ended and much about those days had been forgotten. Some people didn’t even believe that it had happened at all. “Although after Starkiller Base destroyed the Hosnian system, more people do seem eager to support us but the First Order is putting some masterful propaganda out there. I’m sure you ve seen it or heard it It’s difficult to miss.” “I’ve seen enough to know that history is repeating itself.” Kurama’s brows drew together in concern. “Not so long ago, an evil grew in the human world thanks to the words of one man. He twisted an entire nation to serve his beliefs, and to sanction the murder of hundreds of thousands of innocents. That number may seem small on a galactic scale, but the Ningenkai was torn asunder by a war that could have wiped out the human species. They simply didn’t realize it at the time. Your First Order is another in a long line of regimes that promise stability, but only in return for the suppression of freedom, and without regard for the cost in lives.” “History is repeating itself here much more than you know,” Leia said, shaking her head. “We were ruled by an Empire for a very long time, I was part of the group that led the Rebellion against it. In the end we defeated them but people forget so easily and when things didn’t immediately become perfect, they started looking for another answer.” she sighed. “And eventually the First Order gave them that answer. Now it’s starting all over again except in many ways the First Order is worse. At least with the Empire, we knew who we were fighting and now? It could be anyone.” “So it would seem.” Kurama smiled, but the expression was grim, his eyes sad. “I made it a point to review your history when I arrived here. One doesn’t survive as long as I have by ignoring the past, even a past that one wasn’t present to witness.” He leaned forward, his arms braced against his knees. “That is why I chose to trust you. I’ve no desire to hide, and, if I do nothing, I could find myself spending a long life in a galaxy filled only with enemies. It would suit me far better to use my skills to support the First Order’s enemies.” Leia nodded. “I am the same way. I can’t hide either, I never could and if I found myself in a strange place that was in the middle of conflict, I would find a way to get involved so thank you.” She liked this young man, he would be an asset for the Resistance. “I’ll be leaving Naboo soon in hopes of finding a better permanent base for our efforts but I will be in touch via encrypted network as to what the plans are. I don’t have to tell you to be discreet.” There were more than likely First Order spies amongst them although as yet, Leia had no clues but just as they had some people on the inside, it made sense that the First Order had some here as well. “In the meantime?” Kurama inquired. “I admit, it’s rare that I meet someone who trusts so quickly, particularly under these circumstances.” “I normally don’t,” she admitted. “But the person that checks people out for me is someone I trust implicitly. I had to have someone like that since I was having some personal issues at the time. I also am Force sensitive so I can pick up on things. I’m not as skilled as some but I sense no harm from you.” “That’s not something I’m accustomed to hearing.” He wore a wry smile, and reached up to tuck a long lock of red hair behind his ear. The motion was an old habit, one he had found difficult to dispel in this human body in the days when his hair had been shorn close to his ears in a style more culturally acceptable for human boys of his apparent age. “But I thank you for your trust. I hope to do justice to your show of faith. If you have something you need of me while you are transitioning to your new headquarters, you have only to ask.” “I will be sure and do that. It’s a big undertaking, hopefully all will go smoothly,” Leia wished there was a way to do it over a longer period of time but the sooner they got off Naboo the better. The First Order was starting to have too big of a presence here, they needed to be gone. “Hopefully,” Kurama agreed. He rose from his chair. “I believe I’ve used up enough of your time. It was a pleasure to meet you, General Organa. I look forward to being in touch in the future.” |