Star Wars: A Thing Of Beauty

Don't Say Goodbye

A couple of days after Tanner died, Jinang finally managed to catch a ride from Rutanda to Intuci, where Poppy ended up going to be with her aunt and uncle. She didn't just go straight to her new home, however; Poppy was moved around through the planet's foster system for a few days until she was taken to the Kurp estate. Where she will be  very privileged for the rest of her life.
It was a long trip for Jinang, trying to track down Poppy, and it was even longer knowing that he's never going to see Poppy again once he leaves. He thought he'd be happy with Tanner and help raise her like his own... But that cannot be, now. He doesn't have it in him to do that alone, not with all of his mental issues he's facing. And he just couldn't provide for her properly. It wouldn't be fair to Poppy...
Intuci is a cold planet that orbits Pantora as it's moon. Unfortunately, Jinang won't be allowed to just go see Poppy, so he's going to sneak into the house she's in at night and hope she'll be happy to see him.
Her new home wasn't difficult to find, and when he found it, Jinang realized that Poppy will be living a good life, at least, as she is living in a huge mansion in a gigantic estate that has two other mansions inside of it. Before infiltrating, Jinang scouted the general area and snuck around through the shadows outside of the estate for a little less than a week. There is very nice security, which is going to make breaking in difficult. Armed guards wearing red combat armor patrol around, but they definitely aren't expecting anything and they move in a pattern. Sneaking by the guards is the easy part though: In the shadows there are tiny probe droids hovering about, and even smaller ones crawling around like bugs. The little droids pose no physical threat, but Jinang is certain that if they spot him or if they're damaged, it will trigger an alarm. And besides all of that there are simple surveillance cameras all over. Jinang doesn't know much about this family, the Kurps, but they are either very paranoid or they have big targets on their backs. He knows that the Kurps are bankers who often delve into Politics, and they have a union with a Mandalorian family, but beyond that, he doesn't know much else about them. But despite how tedious sneaking through these security measures is going to be, it's reassuring to know that Poppy will live a very privileged life and they spare no expense on security. He'll have no hangups about where she's landed.

Jinang scaled a tall a 50 foot wall around a small, man-made plateau, and jumped into some bushes right off of a pathway in the estate. He needs to move quickly without staying in one place for long because the roaming bug droids will inevitably find him. From the bushes, Jinang quickly makes his way to a tree that is close to the mansion he knows Poppy is in and climbs into it - this was not a simple task because he had to go fast so as to avoid an oncoming bug droid but he had to remain on one side of the tree as it was right in the line of sight of a surveillance camera. He needed to move really fast and also efficiently to remain quiet, but he pulled it off just fine. Once he was inside of the tree, hidden by the leaves, Jinang went up higher than the camera was looking and waited for a guard to walk by. For the next move, Jinang activates his Isogu spine and leaps out of the tree, perceiving the world as though time was slowed down so he can have absolute focus. He lands on the wall, grabbing onto an exterior drain pipe for the gutters, and did so with complete silence. With the Isogu still active, Jinang scales the mansion wall as quickly as possible while focusing keenly on staying quiet, and eventually he made it to the top of the three story building. There were only a few things to hide behind from hovering probe droids on the roof making it difficult. But they patrol in a pattern which he quickly started to exploit. Jinang is starting to really wonder why such security is actually necessary... Once he's all done here, he's going to have Vega Dekker dig up information on the Kurps and make sure Poppy wasn't just dropped into the arms of some mafia or other unseemly organization. If that were the case... He would come right back and save the girl. There is a small part of him that wishes that were the case, that whatever he's capable of would be preferable to this luxury...
From the roof, Jinang found a way inside through an air exhaust vent. He covered his mouth and nose with the scarf Tanner gave him and slid down the vent, pushing against the walls with his hands and feet. At the bottom, he entered a dark kitchen and made his way to a door, crouching as he moved very carefully. Kitchens in the houses of very wealthy people have multiple entrances that ultimately lead straight to a room where the people may dine or have drinks. These are servants' routes in mansions that are more direct and keep the help out of the way of guests and whatnot. With this in mind, Jinang uses one to get into a tearoom that should in theory lead him closer to a bed chamber. The mansion isn't nearly as hard to move through as it was outside. There's fewer cameras and no droids. But security guards still roam. As he slinked around in the shadows, Jinang got extremely lucky - he caught the man of the house, Torand Kurp - Tanner Shae's brother-in-law. Torand is an unimposing, totally average-looking Pantoran with pink hair and simple, grey pajamas. He got up at this hour to go to the bathroom, and Jinang followed him very carefully until he was led to the wing of the mansion where the bedrooms are. However, there is a problem: The wing he needs to enter has a guard perpetually stationed by the doors. He thought for a few seconds, but only a few seconds before he saw an air vent beyond the line of sight and climbed into it. However, it was too tight to turn around and shut the vent behind him so someone will see that and investigate it at some point. But it's times like these that Jinang is thankful for his size, because in Koga's body, he would not have fit in that vent, period. So he made it to the correct wing of the mansion, which is the most private area yet, as only one guard is patrolling through the central hallway. Jinang had to climb up and hold himself onto decorative, exposed beams on the ceiling to hide from him, but once he moved on by, Jinang started checking rooms until he found the right one.
He found Poppy fast asleep in her own bedroom and shut the door behind him. The girl has a desk for school work, plenty of clothes, warm-weather boots, more expensive toys than Tanner could afford and in larger quantities. He even noticed another girl who is probably Poppy's cousin in another room. Someone for Poppy to grow up with. This girl should have a very good life... Jinang slowly walks over to Poppy's bed, and before waking her, he made himself ready to cover her mouth just in case he startled her and she screamed. Finally, Jinang gently nudges the girl's shoulder.
"P-Poppy?"

She woke up slowly like he'd hoped, not scared or alarmed.
"Jin... Jinang...?" She says, still half asleep. "Is... Is that you, Jinang...?"

"It is..." Jinang says quietly. Hearing her voice was enough to make him want to cry... "I came because I owed you a proper goodbye, Poppy..."

Poppy shoots up straight in her bed, throwing her arms around Jinang for a tight hug. Jinang hugs her right back, squeezing Poppy, wishing so badly this wasn't the end...
"I'm so happy you're okay...!" Poppy whispered loudly. "And I'm glad you came by - I don't want to stay here..."

Jinang grabs Poppy's little shoulders and pulls her away from him, and he sits on the edge of the bed.
"Poppy..." He says, wiping his eyes, sniffling. "Poppy you can't come with me... I'm so sorry..."

"But... But why?" She asked, making a frown that breaks Jinang's heart.

"Because it wouldn't be fair for you..." He answered. "I can't take care of you... And this place... Poppy you won the lottery here..."

"But I can still see you, right?" Poppy says, holding back tears.

"I don't think so..." Jinang answered, sighing deeply. "It would be better for you if I didn't come around... I got mixed up with the Harrowers and these people - your family knows I'm dangerous..."

"But... But I love you..." Poppy says sorrowfully.

With that, Jinang just broke down, crying quietly, covering his eyes. Poppy hugs him again and starts crying too.
"I'm so, so sorry, Poppy..." He says, standing up, grabbing her little hands. "I... I love you too... And that's why I have to say goodbye..."

"No..." Poppy answered, squeezing Jinang's hands. "Its not fair..."

"Poppy I-"

"No, Jinang..." She interrupted. Hope in her tone. "Maybe not for a while... But when I grow up... I'm gonna find you... So you better not say goodbye and you better not die..."

Jinang smiles, and wipes the tears from Poppy's cheeks.
"Alright." He says. "No goodbyes. ... I'll see you someday."

"See you someday." Poppy repeated.

Jinang has Poppy lay back down and he tucks her in one last time.
"When we meet again..." Jinang says, able to smile. "I'll have all sorts of stories to tell you... Just like I did on Rutanda..."

"I love you, Jinang..." Poppy says as Jinang wipes her tears away again.

"I love you too..."

Jinang kisses her forehead, and no matter how much it hurt, he backed away and he left Poppy's room, climbing out of a window. He was able to control his emotions enough to get out of the estate unnoticed, but once he got well away, he broke down in a forest. Falling to his hands and knees. He just wonders why now. Why this is happening to him. Why did Riyarra die. Why did Tanner die. Why did he die... Why Shara and Kal didn't come to save him. He wishes that Shara or Kal would show up here to save him from this misery, but he knows that will never happen and he can never go back... He's lost everything, including himself. He's lost his way home. Not knowing who he is again. Who is going to be. Who he wants to be. Who he wanted to be was gone in the blink of an eye. He looks at his shivering hands, unable to recognize them again, and he makes tight fists... He doesn't know who he is or what to even do right now. Where he should go... All hopes of every knowing who he is seems to just be lost.