Chapter Text
“This is actually rather cozy. I can see why you spend so much time here.”
Piett watched as his guest floated about, taking in their surroundings. He supposed Jerjerrod was technically a guest and not an intruder. He had asked to come in before entering, having interpreted Piett’s noncommittal groan as an affirmative answer.
“How did you happen upon this place again?” Jerjerrod asked. “I don’t believe it existed last I ventured here. It used to be nothing but clouds.”
“I told you,” Piett said tiredly. “I was wandering about as a weeping ghost, as one does. I stopped at this point, and as I was dwelling on my present predicaments, the clouds parted around me and gave way to this dimension. Needa claims it is a manifestation of my repressed misery, but I think that’s just him reading too much into it.”
He heaved a breathless sigh, in and out through his lifeless lungs.
“I see. Fascinating.” Jerjerrod sat down across from him and leaned in. “So, are you going to tell me what’s the matter.”
“Nothing’s the matter,” Piett said as he took another spoonful of chocolate ice cream from the tub in his lap.
“You’ve eaten two cartons of chocolate ice cream,” Jerjerrod pointed out.
“It was a ‘Congratulations, you’re dead!’ gift from Needa.” Piett waved off the remark. “I wasn’t about to waste it.”
“And you’ve been listening to despondent love songs.”
“Farewell to Love and Hello to Eternal Loneliness is an Axxilan classic.”
Piett scraped the bottom of the carton before reaching for a new one. Now that he no longer had such pesky things as physical health to worry about, any concerns about his blood sugar had gone out the airlock.
“Are you and Veers having intimate difficulties?”
Piett met the question with a pained expression.
“I take it you’re referring to the fact that my humiliating death has irrevocably ruined my romantic prospects such that even though we are now reunited in death, General Veers doesn’t want anything to do with me,” Piett said. “Or are you referring to the fact that I have simultaneously lost my dignity as admiral and the affection of the man of my dreams?”
“Oh, Firmus.” Jerjerrod was aghast. “I can’t believe he’d say such a thing to you. You poor soul…”
“He didn’t say that to me,” Piett admitted. “We actually have barely spoken since his arrival in the afterlife, but I can infer things.”
“So, Veers never said he didn’t want to be with you?” Jerjerrod asked, baffled. “Then, why would you assume such a thing?”
“Because,” Piett paused to articulate his meaning. “Because I can infer things. It’s fine really. I’ve got it all planned out already. I’m perfectly fine in my pocket dimension, isolated and alone.”
“That’s rather redundant.” Jerjerrod frowned. “The two terms are nearly synonymous. If one is isolated, it is implied that one is also alone.”
Piett ignored the linguistic remark and curled up with his ice cream.
“Really, Firmus,” Jerjerrod said. “You should go talk to Veers and settle this. You shouldn’t let a man like that slip away based solely on hypotheticals. You two make such a lovely pair. I’ve already got your wedding planned out in great detail, and it would be a travesty to let that go to waste.”
“Use it for your next wedding with Motti,” said Piett. “Don’t you two get married every six months or something absurd like that?”
“Not every six months,” Jerjerrod corrected him. “We’ve only renewed our vows seven times. But we do have a plan for something romantic coming up. Perhaps we could make it a joint venture, a ‘double date’ as the younglings say. You ought to invite Veers. It would be the perfect way to rekindle the flame in the afterlife.”
“There is no flame to rekindle,” Piett moaned.
“Now, don’t be like that. If only you’d…”
Piett held up a finger, cutting Jerjerrod off mid-sentence. There was someone outside his pocket dimension, someone who smelled of baked goods and tauntauns.
“Needa,” Piett grumbled. “I told him to leave me be.”
With a huff of annoyance, he poked his head out of the pocket dimension to address the captain waiting outside.
“What is it, Needa?” Piett asked. “I was in the middle of something.”
“Firmus and I were having a heart-to-heart!” Jerjerrod chimed in.
“Of course, I do apologize for bothering you,” Needa said. “But I think you’ll find the reason is worth this slight intrusion. I’ve finally found you an afterlife acquaintance!”
“I don’t want an acquaintance,” Piett protested. “Don’t you remember? I’m committed to an eternity of solitude as a lone ghost.”
“Won’t you at least meet him?” Needa pleaded. “I worked very hard to find just the right match for you.”
Piett knew a lost cause when he saw one. Truth be told, he didn’t like to refuse Needa. The man was foolish at times, but his intentions were earnest.
“Fine,” Piett said. “I’ll meet him. But I’m still a lone ghost.”
