The Wolf Pack

Chapter 76

Aleth Mih. That was Wolffe's target for the night. He had memorized the Twi'lek's face hours ago and now, as he made his way to the lower levels of Coruscant, in civilian clothes with a hood covering his face, he was starting to get nervous. What if this one was also a dead end? What if the rumors he had heard about the place were false? Wolffe shook his head to get rid of the thoughts and continued on and into the tattoo parlor.

The receptionist was the Twi'lek man he was after, and a tiny little weight was lifted off his shoulders. There was still hope.

"Sorry, we are closed for the time being, our main artist is-" Aleth stopped himself when Wolffe pulled his hood down, "What do you want here, trooper. This level is too far from the surface for the likes of you."

Wolffe did not smile, he wasn't sure his intel was true, he was simply running on hope.

"You are Aleth Mih"

The receptionist nodded.

"You are my brother's partner," Wolffe said simply.

The Twi'lek's face went pale, but he did try to deny his claim.

"As far as I'm concerned, my partner is a tattoo artist, not a soldier, so I doubt very much you have the right person."

Wolffe took a seat on one of the couches at the waiting room and casually laid back.

"It's not him I'm after. I was told he is on assignment with my partner. I need to find her."

Aleth's face transformed into relief, then understanding, then pity.

"So... You're the infamous Wolffe. I didn't know you had made it official. And the Commander tells Art everything." He said casually before going to the cupboard behind the counter and pulling a bottle and two cups, "Can't imagine it would be easy, with how erratic her emotions can be."

Wolffe bristled at that.

"It is not official, it cannot be. And you watch what you say about Kriari, you may be Art's partner but you are not-"

"Her friend?"Aleth interrupted, "And how would you know if I wasn't? You only found out about this place recently, otherwise I would have seen you here much sooner."

Wolffe had nothing to say to that, so Aleth started pouring them both a drink. He sighed before handing one to Wolffe.

"Listen, I am not about to tell you everything I know, because I would be damning more than this tattoo parlor and Art's hard work," he took a sip and looked ahead into the distance, "I don't know where they are now, but last I heard from them, they were in Ryloth. They found one of Soap's friends and they were orbiting some Republic system nearby until they figured out their next move."

Wolffe took a drink, it was the first solid piece of intel he'd had in a while, and the relief was unbearable. She was alive. Some stupid, self defeating part of him told him she was dead, had been dead the entire time. It was only recently that he'd had any time to actually try and figure it out by himself. His father had not been lying when he'd told him that he didn't know where Kriari was, but it had been him, in an effort to pacify Wolffe who had pointed him in Aleth's direction.

"Thank the Maker" he couldn't help but sigh.

"They sure know how to keep us on our toes, don't they? When I first was told Art was down after the incident in Ord Anlata, I thought my heart would come out of my mouth with worry," he shared. He knew Wolffe needed someone who understood, Force knew none of the men in his ranks did. "If Art learnt anything from Kriari it is her self sacrificing stupidity. That savior complex will kill them both one day. But I guess that's why we love them. Or at least, I think it is for you."

Wolffe took another drink and stayed resolutely silent, mostly because he did not want to break down in front of the other man.

Aleth sighed.

"Listen, I know what happened, Art was in a rage when he got the comm. I can't imagine what you must have felt and I will not try to put myself in your shoes or pretend I do," the men did not look at each other. They were strangers, bound by those they loved most, but they would most likely never be friends. "Just know, believe if you are still capable of it, that Kriari is safe, and she will be back when she is ready."

"They did not tell me for three months," Wolffe's grip on his cup tightened, "I was left wondering for ninety rotations, whether the love of my life was dead or alive... Every time she's deployed with someone else, with another Battalion that isn't hers, she gets hurt."

Aleth smirked.

"You can't blame Kriari's self-sacrificing tendencies on the people around her. She knows what she is doing, but she's reckless. The only thing that keeps her from doing that when she's with the 104th is the fact that you are in it."

Wolffe could not help but smile at that, then rubbed his face tiredly, trying to suppress his tears. He was tired. Aleth Ignored it if he saw, and didn't say anything. Wolffe was thankful for that.

"I know you are tired. Maker, I'm tired and I'm not a soldier, but we do what we can to keep them here with us and not inside their heads. Force knows it's a place even darker than the galaxy itself. I'm sure you have your own business to take care of, but I don't think it would help any if I told you to care for yourself before caring for her. Something tells me you are just as much a self sacrificing idiot as those two." He took another swig and poured them both another cup full.

Wolffe chuckled humorlessly, knowing the Twi'lek was right. He sniffed, trying to cover up the fact that he was about to break down with a short cough he would later attribute to the low air quality of the lower levels.

"It would be good advice if I actually had the time to take it, and didn't have an entire battalion under my command," he answered, skulling the drink before setting down the cup in the little table before him.

"The nights are still your own, and so is the inside of your mind" Said Aleth simply, "If you'd like my advice take it, or leave it, it is of no consequence to me. But if I were you, I would not go after her. She had her own path back to health to forge, and the best you can do is make sure everything is ready when she does comes back. And that includes you."

Wolffe put his elbows on his knees and turned to look at his brother's partner.

"I see you are the brains out of the two of you. Art's lucky"

"I'd say the same, but I know way more about you than I should, and a lot of your choices have been questionable at best," Aleth teased, "But I also know how happy you make her. You are one lucky bastard, there is very little Kriari would not do for you, and you should take that as a threat, not a compliment."

"Oh believe me, I'm too aware of that."