We May Have All Come on Different Ships, But We're in the Same Boat Now (ZAY)

[Gar]

Ni draped one arm around Zay's back and brought her close, holding her as if this could somehow soak up all the negative emotions that she sensed in the clone. "I can imagine..." she answered hoarsely, "I felt the way he..." but she stopped herself, she didn't want to think about that.

The Zeltron took a deep breath. "You're not alone anymore, Miss Zay. You have a lot of friends now to protect you and help keep you alive," she explained, trying to steer the conversation towards more positive subjects, "Do you know how I met Gaddy Daddy? It was about a year ago, I was working at this hoity-toity dancing joint. One of the patrons tried to get fresh and physical with one of my colleagues--" Ni smiled brightly as she remembered, "Gaddy stood up for her! But everyone always underestimates him because, as you have seen, he is just so short and cute! The guy tried to pick a fight..." she beamed down at Zay and giggled, "It only took one second for that bastard to hit the floor! That is when the bouncers took notice. But I explained to them what had happened, and the sleazy patron was dragged out." She sighed, "That's my first and one of my most favorite memories of Gaddy. He is wise and caring and the most loyal person I know. When I'm with him I only feel afraid if he is in danger."

Ni idly rubbed Zay's shoulder as she carried on, her other hand counting down, "Then there is Little Flower--the one with the blindfold--" her smile softened and her tone became warm, "But other people call her Ashla. She is so sweet! She is probably the best sister you could hope for, if you decide to join this crazy family...And Boss Man!" she giggled mischievously, "The oldest Starchaser brother. He is the strong, silent type. Reliable in battle and even better in bed! His younger brother, Martyr Boy, can get pretty emotional at times but his heart is in the right place. He is fiercely faithful and caring..." Ni's expression suddenly brightened as she added, "Then, of course, we have Bugsie!" she paused a moment, her cheerful expression dimming slightly, "When I was...The night that--" she sighed, "He doesn't know how strong or brave he really is. He may act like a scaredy cat at times, but you can always count on him, Miss Zay. You're especially lucky to have a brother like him. As I said, if it wasn't for him looking into your situation, who knows what might have happened to you. I'd never have known about you!"

The Zeltron leaned back and gave Zay a brief, gentle squeeze of a hug. "Shy One--the one that gave you clothes--can be a bit of a puzzle sometimes, but she means well. And her fiance', Mr. Whiskey, is a quick thinker. Sometimes too quick," she giggles again, "but what he lacks in fighting power he makes up for in skill."

Ni pulled away and turned to face Zay, looking into her eyes intently, hopefully. "These are all the people that you can have by your side...I still believe that things can get better..." she leaned forward and softly kissed the clone on the forehead. "I'm sorry for being impatient and worrying you. Can you forgive me? May we start over and have breakfast together?" she pleaded.

[Akirapryde]

Zay listened as Ni, her face only gazing upon Ni once in a while. But what was most fascinating was the mention of Sister. This not only had a strong emotional reaction, but something else. As Ni spoke, about Ashla she saw in her minds eyes an image. That image again. That same red head with a soft smile. But as quickly as the image hit, it faded and was gone. Still, those soft and reassuring eyes lingered like a ghost in the back of Ni's mind.

Zay slowly stood as she nodded, "I will do my best to be what you want me to be," she said softly as she motioned to the table. "But for now, your food has gotten cold. Shall I heat it for you?"

[Gar]

"I want you to be what you want to be," insisted Ni, standing up with Zay, "And this breakfast was meant for you, but we can compromise. It can be for the both of us."

The Zeltron pulled the chair near where the breakfast was set and gestured for Zay to sit, smiling up at her reassuringly. Then she took up the plate, heated it, and divided the meal, sliding one half onto an extra plate. She brought it back to the table to set the plate with the larger half in front of Zay. "Your breakfast, Miss Zay," Ni said warmly, "You did an amazing job." She sat down with her smaller portion in the chair next to her friend and took a bite.

[Akirapryde]

"I do not wish to be disobedient," Zay said softly, "but I have no idea how to be anything other than what I am." She was worried her statement would upset Ni. "But for you I will try to be anything you want me to be," she said slowly taking her seat.

Not wanting to upset her again, Zay chose to do what she thought was expected of her. It was so very strange to be seated next to Ni at the table like this. So much could go wrong. Her anxiety slowly climbed as she thought of all the things she could mess up.

She decided to not focus on the possible mistakes, "if being what I am is so bad in your eyes. Can I ask, why bring me here?" It was something that she simply couldn't understand. "I mean, I understand you want me to be free but why me? There are so many others that would have been so much easier to free."

[Gar]

"Well, to start with, what do you believe you are?" Asked Ni, genuinely curious. "You keep saying 'what I am' but Im not sure what you mean. What do you think you are? Who do you think you are?" The questions were sensitively and earnestly spoken.

[Akirapryde]

At first Zay's anxiety grew as she wanted to answer truthfully. But then she remembered what she was told, no wrong answers. Her confidence grew as did the smile on her face. She utter with pride, "I am yours." And a slight bow with her head and eyes.

[Gar]

Ni felt that cold bucket of ice water wash over her again. She took a sizeable bite of breakfast to give herself time to think as she chewed and swallowed. "You were Liberated, Miss Zay," she replied gently, "How could you be mine if you are free? Due to the bill I helped pass, reclaiming a freed clone isn't even legal anymore. And besides," she smiled apologetically, "They didn't free you because I wanted to own you. The most I'd ever want you to be is my friend."

[Akirapryde]

'This is it,' Zay thought as she corrected her posture and folded her hands on her lap. "This, um, conversation," she said not completely sure of that statement, "has taught me alot. It taught me that it will be a long while until I am able to live like you do." She couldn't help but frown as she added, "if I will ever be ready."

She paused a moment carefully selecting her words, "I am not of these laws you speak of. But the days of the Republic are numbered. So I don't know if these laws will be around to protect me."

Her frown slowly disappeared as she turned her tune more normal. "What I do know is worth. All my life I was beaten and told I have no real value. Never once did anyone really see more in me than just a thing. A smart thing that fucks on command and can fix things."

She tilted her head as she continued, "in your eyes, I see you value you me." She said then gently raised her hand. "I know what I am about to say will not sit well with you. But please know this is what I desire. And I choose this for myself. I choose to serve you. Nor because you own me. But because you have saved me from a nightmare I had long accepted. O know my road ahead will be hard and I will want at times to return to that nightmare." She frowned once more, "because I have doubts and I am more terrified of this freedom than I am of the nightmare."

She dropped her frown and tried to smile, "please accept me. Because I don't know any other way to live right now."

[Gar]

The Zeltron stared at her plate, her fork suspended over the food ever since Zay mentioned returning to the nightmare. She couldn't look at Zay as she processed what was said, afraid that Zay might see a reaction that would put her into another state of distress. A flood of thoughts and emotions filled her mind. After a long moment of silence Ni finally set down her fork and turned to the clone, calmly folding her hands in her lap and inhaling slowly.

"You don't owe me anything, Zay. I don't want you to feel that you are indebted to me for doing what any decent person would have done if they happened across someone that needed their help," she explained carefully, "That is the answer to your previous question: why you? Because you crossed my path. Bugsie told me that he suspected you weren't being treated well. Then, at the night of the party, I could see that you were suffering..." she closed her eyes for a moment to will the memories away, "You opened my eyes to the plight of all clones. If it was in my power to free them, I'd do it in a heartbeat, but unfortunately this Bill for clone rights was the only option. I knew that if I couldn't free you, at least I could help set up laws to protect you and any other clones that were being abused..." She looked up at Zay and smiled sadly, adding with a sigh, "Anyway, I did the chancellor a big favor, and then she did one for me. I didn't even know she had done it until that night after the ceremony, when we met for the second time..."

Ni fidgeted with the hem of her t-shirt and hung her head, Zay's request for acceptance turning over in her mind. "That being said...If having someone to serve will keep you from running back to that bastard...then..." she began with some difficulty, grimacing with the effort, "then...I guess I have no choice..." she bit her bottom lip nervously and glanced up into Zay's eyes again. "Little by little, though, I hope I can help you adjust to what it means to be free..."

[Akirapryde]

It was Zay's turn to lower her head, "I am sorry Miss. you misunderstood me. I did not mean that I would run back to him. What I meant was, that the temptation to return to that kind of life will be great." She look down, "I am not wishing to trap you in to this. And I am sorry that you felt that way."

She looked up, "just before we left, I watched you guys. You knew everything of what you were doing." She almost laughed, "I mean, you and your friends knew what you were doing weeks, months from now. I stood their terrified of the end of the day let alone tomorrow. Even now, as you tried to help me. I feel part of me screaming back. Demanding that I remember who and what I am."

With tears in her eyes she spoke with sadness and truthfulness, "I am but a worthless droid."

She fell silent for a moment, "but as I said. In your eyes, I am not." She reached her hand out to Ni allowing it to just remain there on the table between them. "IF, I have to serve for part of me to be happy, I want to serve you. Someone I know I can trust to never abuse that which I willingly give you."