#lana beniko

time to deal with some pesky cathar in our latest chapter in the dSWTOR planet series. Taris has always had a soft spot for me since #KOTOR.

Vestra stifled a yawn behind her palm as she strode onto the ship’s bridge, a warm cup of caf clutched in her hand like a lifeline to get her through the morning. As she settled into the captain’s chair, Andronikos glanced back from the navigator’s console, a wry smirk crooking his mouth at the long-suffering expression on her face.

“Someone’s not taking the honeymoon hangover well.”

“Shut up,” she rumbled. “Have the coordinates come in?”

“No. Lana’s gone down to the war room for a look. She’ll be back soon.”

She grunted, leaning back in her seat as Khem Val entered the bridge as well, ever the shadow to his lord. Instead of taking his place at the weapons console, however, he lingered by the captain’s chair, beady eyes fixed on Vestra.

“Yes, Khem?”

“You are married now, little Sith.”

“So I am,” she uttered, taking a long sip from her cup.

“When will you have children?”

She’d barely turned her head aside when a mouthful of caf burst through her lips in a spectacular spray.

“Hey, hey!” Andronikos swiveled around, indignant. “Not on my ship!”

Vestra stared blankly at his face, shock having wiped her mind clean, before catching up to the last few seconds.

“My ship, Niko,” Vestra growled, tapping the controls on her armrest to open a comm channel. “Arrate, caf spillage on the bridge.”

“On my way, master.”

Vestra closed the channel, then glanced at Khem Val - who still stared at her steadily, unmoved by her involuntary outburst. 

“The wedding was just two weeks ago, Khem.”

“You do not have much time left,” Khem continued.

“Well, that’s ominous. Do you know something I don’t?”

“Humans do not have long lifespans. You are nearly forty.”

“Thanks for the reminder,” she said drily. 

“It is important to ensure the survival of your legacy. You live because Lord Kallig’s family endured-”

“Khem, I appreciate the sentiment, but I honestly do not care about continuing Kallig’s legacy.”

“So you have proven time and again,” Khem replied, a mild rebuke hidden beneath accurate observation. “But I do not speak of Kallig’s legacy. I speak of yours.”

Vestra stared back at him, drinking down another mouthful of caf to replace the one she’d lost. “I’ll think about it,” she said, more to put the matter to rest than anything. But Khem accepted her answer with a nod, and moved to the weapons console.

She watched quietly as Khem cycled through a weapon systems check. Children had never existed in her realm of consideration. Hell, even the family she had now - her crew, Lana, friends from the Alliance - had grown around her before she’d even thought about it. And now she had to think about extending it-?

“Andronikos, I have the coordinates.”

Vestra nearly jumped when Lana’s voice broke the silence of the bridge. She glimpsed the datapad Lana tossed over to Andronikos, before she was distracted by 2V-R8, who had somehow entered the bridge and started mopping up her mess without her noticing.

As she stared at the droid, a hand cupped her jaw, drawing her close for a kiss on top of her head.

“Good morning. I thought you were never going to wake up.” Lana smiled in tease, then looked at the spatters of brown on the floor, expression turning incredulous. “Did you have an accident?”

“You don’t know the half of it,” Andronikos replied before Vestra could, and she had to refrain from throwing her half-filled cup at his bald head.

Lana cocked a brow. “What’s that mean?”

“It means he’s a mouthy bastard, that’s what,” Vestra hissed pointedly in his direction.

“Alright, play it your way.” With an eye on Lana’s datapad, Andronikos punched their next mission’s coordinates into the console. “But, for the record, I think you should consider it.”

“Consider what?” Lana asked, clearly growing impatient.

“Nothing. Really.” Vestra caught her hand, thumb stroking Lana’s knuckles. “Could you get a protein bar from the galley? I forgot about breakfast.”

Lana recognised the diversion, but thankfully played along. “Of course you did.”

Vestra watched her go, thoughts drifting. Would Lana want kids? Would they even be good parents? The life they led wasn’t exactly conducive for children. They’d have to make adjustments…

Catching that train of thought, Vestra shook off such concerns. It was a mere suggestion, yet her mind had taken to the rails and sped along at top speed. Damn Khem, and damn Niko.

Vestra’s gaze turned to Andronikos, who was tweaking the flight path automatically plotted by the navicomputer. She eyed Lana’s datapad, which lay by the console he worked on. Taking hold of the device through the Force, she flung it into his face.

“Ow!”