[D3, LM, Garden Park] Just checking up

[Korvin Hikarrin]

Korvin didn't frequent Garden Park -- this was already his busiest week of visits to the park in years -- but he was a good enough son, and a stubborn enough person in his own right, to feel like the newly planted... shrubs? Flowers? Weird fruit cluster things? Whatever they were, Korvin had an extra bottle of water to help make sure they were settling in to grow strong.

As Korvin knelt by the new plants to check on them, the shady patch of ground where he'd talked with Lassa caught his eye. He smiled at the memory.

[Zimrzala Skalirz]

Zim had seen the park the day before, noticing it with a broad smile, but ended up not having time to actually get a better look at it. This morning, after coming back from the Swamp, she decided to go for a stroll.

The place was a bit rundown - although in comparison to the Lower City the word seemed a weird one to use - but it still looked to her like a beacon, as a little reminder of nature in the middle of the grey of the urban sprawl.

Walking through the place, with her head exposed for a change, her tendrils moving about as if probing for the smells of the flowers and other plants, she saw the Pantoran kneeling by the plants. That brought another wide smile to her face, and she stopped close, but stil in the pathway cutting through the garden so as not to disturb what he was doing.

[Korvin Hikarrin]

The Pantoran man is slightly startled when he senses someone has joined him, but turning slightly to look up at the Mikkian woman, he relaxes and smiles.

"Good morning," he says noncommittally. "Ah, enjoying Garden Park today?"

[Zimrzala Skalirz]

The Pantoran man is slightly startled when he senses someone has joined him, but turning slightly to look up at the Mikkian woman, he relaxes and smiles.

"Good morning," he says noncommittally. "Ah, enjoying Garden Park today?"

"I am", she answers, taking a deep breath and another look around. "I've walked through it a few times since I arrived, but this is the first time I've actually entered. It's a really nice place you've got here"

She looks at the plants he's tending to. "Are these ornamentals? Or... native plants from around the city?"

[Korvin Hikarrin]

Korvin shakes his head at the idea that Garden Park is a nice place these days, but he tries to muster up a smile in appreciation of the kind words.

"Ah, Garden Park was a nice place when it had proper gardeners and groundskeepers," he says honestly. "Now it's... I don't know what, exactly. My mom and some others from the Old Garden Neighborhood Society insist on keeping up at least some of it's glory." He finishes watering the patch of newly planted... whatever-they-ares.

"I don't remember what she called these," he says, standing up. "Said they needed planting on a hot dry day, so I made sure it happened." He gives Zim a half-smile. "Oh, uh, sorry. I'm Korvin. Korvin Hikarrin."

[Zimrzala Skalirz]

Korvin shakes his head at the idea that Garden Park is a nice place these days, but he tries to muster up a smile in appreciation of the kind words.

"Ah, Garden Park was a nice place when it had proper gardeners and groundskeepers," he says honestly. "Now it's... I don't know what, exactly. My mom and some others from the Old Garden Neighborhood Society insist on keeping up at least some of it's glory." He finishes watering the patch of newly planted... whatever-they-ares.

"I don't remember what she called these," he says, standing up. "Said they needed planting on a hot dry day, so I made sure it happened." He gives Zim a half-smile. "Oh, uh, sorry. I'm Korvin. Korvin Hikarrin."

She smiles at the man again when he mentions he's continuing his mother's work, and nods to him when he presents himself. "Pleasure to meet you, Korvin. I'm Zimrzala Skalirz. So... I take it your family is from Bellionas, then?"

She looks at the plants he's been tending again. "Well, knowing what they are is not as relevant as knowing how to keep them growing, that much is true", she says with a soft chuckle. She then looks around at the garden. "Well... to an off-worlder at least, the garden is a welcome change from the grey streets outside it. I wonder if more people wouldn't help keep it if they came visit it from time to time? There... doesn't seem to be too many who do come to it, though..."

[Korvin Hikarrin]

Korvin's eyes get wide at Zim's name, but he politely doesn't say anything to interrupt.

"Yes, Miss, uh, Zim... Yeah, the Hikarrins have been on Bellionas a while. My dad runs a big company and was actually in politics for a while," he says in the tone every teenager uses to respectfully discuss things which hold very little interest.

"And the park... Well, the Imperials don't care much for people gathering for big events... even for small ones, sometimes," he shrugs. "Some people have bad memories around the park, or just don't like being reminded that it's not what it used to be. But, you know..." He looks around thoughtfully. "It's still not a bad park. Just, uh, needs a little more effort from a few more people, right?"

[Zimrzala Skalirz]

Korvin's eyes get wide at Zim's name, but he politely doesn't say anything to interrupt.

"Yes, Miss, uh, Zim... Yeah, the Hikarrins have been on Bellionas a while. My dad runs a big company and was actually in politics for a while," he says in the tone every teenager uses to respectfully discuss things which hold very little interest.

"And the park... Well, the Imperials don't care much for people gathering for big events... even for small ones, sometimes," he shrugs. "Some people have bad memories around the park, or just don't like being reminded that it's not what it used to be. But, you know..." He looks around thoughtfully. "It's still not a bad park. Just, uh, needs a little more effort from a few more people, right?"

She chuckles again at his difficulty with her name, but doesn't comment on it.

"Eh... well, I guess not", she then says on the Imperials. "And... I think I can see why it could... be a trigger of sorts. But... did anything in particular happen here at the park?"

She seems thoughtful for a moment. "A little more effort and a few more people can go a long way in many things, yeah?", she finally says. "More hope, more chances, more balance. Maybe with a nudge?..." she adds, drifting off at the end as she seems thoughtful again.

[Korvin Hikarrin]

"Eh... well, I guess not", she then says on the Imperials. "And... I think I can see why it could... be a trigger of sorts. But... did anything in particular happen here at the park?"

She seems thoughtful for a moment. "A little more effort and a few more people can go a long way in many things, yeah?", she finally says. "More hope, more chances, more balance. Maybe with a nudge?..." she adds, drifting off at the end as she seems thoughtful again.

"Zannis Faye," Korvin said in a cold voice. "Imperials arrested him near here. I was never clear if it was in the park or just close by. He was big on speeches in this park... Probably helped get my dad elected with some of them. But he was still questioning the occupation after the Jedi fell and my father had retired -- I think they had quite a fight about it." Korvin looks down for a minute, then absently takes a drink of what's left in the water bottle.

[Zimrzala Skalirz]

"Zannis Faye," Korvin said in a cold voice. "Imperials arrested him near here. I was never clear if it was in the park or just close by. He was big on speeches in this park... Probably helped get my dad elected with some of them. But he was still questioning the occupation after the Jedi fell and my father had retired -- I think they had quite a fight about it." Korvin looks down for a minute, then absently takes a drink of what's left in the water bottle.

Her smile fades as she nods to him again, respect showing in her eyes. She doesn't ask him what happened to the man - she feared she knew the answer, and if it was what she feared remembering it wouldn't help. "He sounds like an inspiring man", she said simply, trying to bring a smile back to her face. "So... he and your father argued about it, you said?", she asks, leaving the question in the air in case he wants to comment more on it, but clearly giving him the option of just changing the topic.

[Korvin Hikarrin]

Korvin gives a grimace, but he responds without much sadness in his voice.

"During the Republic occupation, my father was a champion for independence. Believed in the Separatists. He was the youngest ever member of the Capitol City Council, always a voice against what the Republic was doing. But he retired from politics after the Empire was declared."

"Fannis didn't see that anything was different. He talked about the Imperial occupation the same as the Republic occupation and thought my dad should too." The young man shrugs.

"I don't know all of why my dad left politics. He doesn't like to talk about it. But I can still remember people coming to the house to talk about it, and often there was yelling, and those people didn't usually visit again. Fannis yelled a lot. I think my dad did too. He seemed sad but not surprised when we heard Fannis was taken."

[Zimrzala Skalirz]

Korvin gives a grimace, but he responds without much sadness in his voice.

"During the Republic occupation, my father was a champion for independence. Believed in the Separatists. He was the youngest ever member of the Capitol City Council, always a voice against what the Republic was doing. But he retired from politics after the Empire was declared."

"Fannis didn't see that anything was different. He talked about the Imperial occupation the same as the Republic occupation and thought my dad should too." The young man shrugs.

"I don't know all of why my dad left politics. He doesn't like to talk about it. But I can still remember people coming to the house to talk about it, and often there was yelling, and those people didn't usually visit again. Fannis yelled a lot. I think my dad did too. He seemed sad but not surprised when we heard Fannis was taken."

She hears the young man attentively, her face still calm but her lips pursing here and there. "I see... Bellionas wasn't part of the Republic, right?" She keeps thinking for some time. "Were you surprised when he was taken? Or when your father retired from these activities?"

[Korvin Hikarrin]

"I was only six when my dad retired from public life, so those are dim memories. The weird meetings, the yelling, and then after a while almost no visitors at all... I remember the overall thing, but usually not details. With Fannis, I remember it was a lot of yelling."

Korvin breathes deeply. It's just a touch unsteady.

"But I'm not sure anyone could be surprised that the Empire came for Fannis. He was too loud, too much out there. He probably preached independence just as hard under the Empire as before, and the Empire... There's a lot less room for angry preaching on street corners now." Korvin shakes his head grimly.

"I'm sorry. Monopolizing your time. What are, uh, you doing in the city," the young man asks, falling back on some of his mother's etiquette rules.

[Zimrzala Skalirz]

"I was only six when my dad retired from public life, so those are dim memories. The weird meetings, the yelling, and then after a while almost no visitors at all... I remember the overall thing, but usually not details. With Fannis, I remember it was a lot of yelling."

Korvin breathes deeply. It's just a touch unsteady.

"But I'm not sure anyone could be surprised that the Empire came for Fannis. He was too loud, too much out there. He probably preached independence just as hard under the Empire as before, and the Empire... There's a lot less room for angry preaching on street corners now." Korvin shakes his head grimly.

"I'm sorry. Monopolizing your time. What are, uh, you doing in the city," the young man asks, falling back on some of his mother's etiquette rules.

She nods, looking at the youngster kindly - maybe like an older sister would. It almost felt as if she were trying to project a sense of peace at him.
"No need to be sorry, Korvin. Wasn't the most pleasant of times, I imagine. And... yeah, I think I understand what you mean. There is this sense of... forced silence around, at times."

That was very much an understatement, but the message should be clear...

"I... well, more generally, you could say I've been on a journey. Trying to find my path. But here, specifically - some friends told me to look for friends here. I did find some."

She seems to note something and lowers her voice a bit. "I... think I saw you at the old press?"

[Korvin Hikarrin]

Korvin nods seriously. "Yes, forced silence," he mutters as she goes on.

He glances around without too much concern at mention of the press, just being absolutely certain no one is in ear shot.

"Yeah. I'm not sure where it leads, but if people want to try, the least I can do is help a little, right? I mean... It feels a little bit like something big is coming to Bellionas. And I want to be there to see what it is." He gives a wry smile, like he's not sure about any of this, but there was no hesitation as he spoke.

[Zimrzala Skalirz]

Korvin nods seriously. "Yes, forced silence," he mutters as she goes on.

He glances around without too much concern at mention of the press, just being absolutely certain no one is in ear shot.

"Yeah. I'm not sure where it leads, but if people want to try, the least I can do is help a little, right? I mean... It feels a little bit like something big is coming to Bellionas. And I want to be there to see what it is." He gives a wry smile, like he's not sure about any of this, but there was no hesitation as he spoke.

She nods. "I see you haven't given up on hope then, eh?", she says with a subdued, but kid smile. "Despite what happened to Fannis... And countless others, no doubt."

She looks around again.

"What do you think? You feel hope can be brought back? Or... should be brought back? Do you... Feel your father might be more receptive to hope now? And to... This, instead of..." a subdued laugh "'angry preaching'?"

[Korvin Hikarrin]

Korvin's eyes go a little wide at Zim's questions, as he looks at her thoughtfully.

"Uhhh... I think those are some big questions. I mean, my dad... We don't talk a lot about these things. It's taken me a while to get what I know so far. I'm not sure he... wants to even think about it. I've heard him say a number of times that it's no longer his time, or things like that."

Korvin runs a hand over his face and into his hair. He looks up over the organic "walls" of the park, into the sky, and the Imperial Spire catches his eye from one side. He frowns, lowers his hand and then looks back to Zim.

"Somebody told me once that even when there's nothing else, there's still hope. Things can't stay the same forever, so why not have hope? There's at least a chance that you'll be around to see the better times." Korvin's tone sucks some of the optimism out of his words, the notable implication that many people might not be around to see better days. But his expression seems... balanced?