Its Nice To See Your Smile! (Sebarek)

[Yoko Veros]

Brentaal IV

Sitting in the Conservatory of their home in the mountains of Brentaal IV, the sound of uncoordinated music on a piano echoed through its halls. The source was a little girl named Yoko Veros, a four year old who was at the age where she was becoming ever more curious about the world around her and how things worked. Two years ago, Yoko's life had been quite different. She lived with her biological parents, government senators who had gotten into things Yoko was still too young to understand. Despite the best efforts of Imperial Intel, both her parents died, leaving Yoko an orphan. She was too young to form solid memories of them back then, and nowadays were near enough forgotten by the child. For the past couple of years, Yoko had been taken in and adopted by Sebarek Veros, one of the Imperial Intel officers that had tried to save her family's life. As she grew up in his care, Yoko only saw Sebarek as her father now. Her biological Parents' families couldn't care less about the little girl, and she didn't care for them either. She didn't know them at all, and as far as she was concerned, if they didn't want to know her, she didn't want to know about them. It didn't matter to Yoko that Sebarek was of a different colour to her. She knew and understood that she had been adopted, but it didn't matter to her. What mattered was Sebarek loved her, and she loved him back.

Perched on the stool with her feet tucked under her body, Yoko's tiny hand reached out to the book above the piano keys and turned to one of the simple children's songs. Finding the song 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' Yoko settled herself down and started to read the letters under the notes. Luckily for her, Papa Seb had stuck letters on the piano too so little Yoko could copy the music more easily on the piano. She wasn't perfect at it, but she was learning, slowly but surely. One day... I will be a musician, and an artist...and maybe a singer too! she thought to herself as she played her song briefly. Suddenly feeling bored of the piano, Yoko jumped off the piano and moved toward the lounge, where a large holoprojection screen on the wall activated, ready for the little girl to watch whatever she wanted

"Good Morning Yoko." the holoprojector said. "I have a new film I think you would enjoy."

The little girl canted her head slightly. She was still getting used to all the bells and whistles this house had, though she seemed to like this one from time to time. "Whatcha got?" she asked, feeling a little silly that she was in the room all by herself talking to a piece of tech.

The holoprojector activated a screen, which showed an animated trailer. The trailer looked old, but almost immediately, Yoko seemed captivated by it. "This is the trailer for a movie called 'Care Bears II'. Would you like me to put the movie on for you to watch?"

Yoko smiled and nodded. "Okay. Maybe Papa would like to watch it too?" she queried before going to search for Sebarek. Once she found him, Yoko tugged on his pant leg for attention. "Papa... Would you like to sit and watch a movie with me for a while?" she asked once she had his full attention.

[Sebarek Veros]

When Sebarek had got the opportunity to be stationed on Brentaal IV for most of his work, in between off world missions, he had known very little about the planet but had fallen in love with it within months. It reminded him of the region where he had grown up on Lorrd and as soon as he had been able to, he had purchased a house. Little did he know that months later he would go through medical leave and adopt a little girl, whose parents he hadn't been able to save during a rescue mission. At least, Yoko had survived without any serious injury. The moment he had known her remaining relatives had no interest in looking after her, he had put an adoption request at once. Thanks to his good service - albeit recent at that time - in Imperial Intelligence, his superior's support and his good financial resources, the request had been granted and he had been Yoko's father for a little over two years.

He had always loved children but hadn't thought that he would have any until the day he got married. Life had decided otherwise and he had never regretted it. Watching Yoko bloom into a creative, intelligent and happy child was a daily reward for his life with her and the work he did for the Empire.

Since he had a couple of days off before being shipped off world to Corellia, he had planned to sleep in, but had failed as always. Working out, he had then showered and got casually dressed with black jeans and a blue t-shirt. He had heard Yoko play the piano - which he had been taught as all kids in his family when little - while he was having caf in the kitchen. He had good hearing and as an agent was used to be on alert about every little detail. That proved handy with parenting.

When Yoko called out for him, he was about to answer when he guessed she was looking for him and nearing the kitchen. "Hey, sweetie," he grinned to her and crouched to give her a hug. "Sure thing. What are we watching? Do you want something to drink and eat? I just made breakfast." He could easily put everything on a tray so they ate in front of the holo-screen. He normally tried to have meals at the table, but he was okay not doing it every once in a while.

[Yoko Veros]

Yoko smiled as Papa gave her a hug. She hated the fact that he had to go to places she wasn't allowed to go. Sometimes she wished she were older so she could follow. She often feared for his safety, wondering if he'd ever come home once he'd gone. Yoko had lost her parents young, at an age where she didn't understand, but now she was beginning to understand and the thought of Papa never coming home from a mission scared her. She would've rather had him stay near, have a job where she knew he could come home everyday, walk her to and from kindergarten and school. She did have her Grandma, Grandpa and Aunties on Lorrd, in fact, Auntie Sakara was coming over to stay while Papa went on his mission, but it didn't always quell Yoko's anxiety.

When he asked if the girl wanted some breakfast, Yoko nodded eagerly. His breakfasts were the best! "Yes please!" she responded before telling Papa about the movie. "The holo picked it out. It looks old but interesting. It called the movie 'Care Bears two' and has a lovely song at the end. Would you watch it with me?"

[Sebarek Veros]

Leaving for missions was hard for Sebarek since he had adopted Yoko, but he knew that finding balance between a job he was really good at and his daughter was important. He sometimes felt bad because as a single dad, she didn't have another parent to watch over her while he was gone. At least, someone from his family always made sure to visit, unless she could go visit them on Lorrd. The Dalenak-Viniera clan loved little Yoko, so either his parents or one of his sisters always got time to take care of the little girl. It helped him to know that.

"Take the napkins and the basket of fruits, young lady," Sebarek said with a grin. "I'll bring the rest in a minute."

Putting the food together and placing everything on a tray, he listened to what she explained about what the holo picked for her. He couldn't help chuckling. "It's not recent. Your aunties watched it when they were your age!"

[Yoko Veros]

Yoko nodded as she reached out with her tiny hands to take the napkins and basket of fruit from Papa, taking them into the lounge as she listened to Papa tell her just how old the movie was. The girl looked up wide eyed at him, for she couldn't imagine him or her aunties being children, not when they were so tall and adult now. "How long ago was that?" Yoko asked, the tone wasn't sarcastic, but was inquisitive. "I can't imagine you as a child...what were you like?"

[Sebarek Veros]

Sebarek was amused by Yoko's questions and he didn't answer until he had placed the tray with all the food, plates and utensils on the living room low table. "Well, it'd be about thirty years for me and twenty five for your aunts, since we were about your age." He knew it equaled "a really long time" by kid's standards, but since his daughter had asked, he answered.

"The five of us were little devils according to my parents." He laughed, shaking his head. "I was one of the quieter at times though. I loved observing people, and I was a good prankster as well..."

Arranging breakfast for them to start eating, he smiled. "I was a big fan of teddy bears and stuffed animals, even more than my sisters." He gestured towards the screen. "All of us still have a stuffed animal for one of the carebears characters." They all had some tokens from their childhood left even now they were adults. The family estate on Lorrd had quite a few "treasures" on various shelves and in boxes.

[Yoko Veros]

Yoko held onto every word as Papa described some of his childhood to her while they settled down in the lounge for breakfast. Noting the two were in the room, the holoprojector lowered the screen and loaded up the movie. Taking a piece from the breakfast plate, Yoko scrambled up onto the sofa and snuggled into Papa's side while she munched on her piece. As Papa spoke about living with his sisters, Yoko sighed sadly. She had no brothers or sisters of her own so didn't know what it was like to be a sister to anyone. She always wanted to be a sister, but fate had yet to grace her as such.

"Papa...could I be a big sister to somebody someday?" she asked as she looked up to him with her dark eyes. "I know I can't have a brother or sister that looks like me but maybe one day...we could help another child be happy too?"

[Sebarek Veros]

Sebarek was sipping on more caf when Yoko snuggled to his side. He wrapped his arm around her and then was surprised at her question. He hadn't expected this one to happen. Yoko had seen him interact with his family several times and everyone considered the little girl as part of the clan. He had actually been worried that if he was to have another kid, whether biological or adopted in the next years, she might not take easily to such things.

"I'd like that a lot, sweetie. I don't know when this is going to happen, but we'll definitely have to make sure you're a big sister at some point. If you could choose, would you rather have a sister, a brother or both?"

It didn't hurt to ask.

[Yoko Veros]

Yoko settled herself into Papa's arms and looked up at him when he asked her if she wanted a little brother or sister. The girl never really thought about whether she wanted one or the other until now, yet with a smile, the little girl said the most adorable thing to him. "I don't mind Papa. I'll love them all the same."

She looked back at the movie briefly before posing a question to him. "Would you like a son or another daughter?"

[Sebarek Veros]

Sebarek smiled fondly at Yoko's answer. After all, if he was to make the conscious choice to seek out another child to adopt, he was fine going for a boy or girl, if Yoko had a preference. When she didn't, he was good with that too.

"I am fine with either, sweetie. I didn't expect to have you, and here you are. So I want to make sure that if our family grows with a sibling for you, that you are happy."