Testing, testing... [jake]

[Mara]

(((Sorry for the wait, Jake… But anyway, I hope this works for you…)))


[…from No Drinks, Please]

Ean hadn’t had much luck so far on finding a pilot to hire so he could finally get off of Corellia. He had held about a dozen interviews over the past couple weeks with various beings who had answered his ad, but he hadn’t been impressed with any of them. The majority had come across as semi-crazed fans of him and his career, more interested in just talking to him or getting his autograph than actually working for him. How they had figured out that the notice had been put out by him was something he couldn’t understand, since he had posted it anonymously. In any case, he had turned them all down with harsh words, preferring not to be associated with his past or continue in the spotlight.

There had been one being, an Epicanthix, who had held some potential. But that deal had fallen through as well. The Corellian had been satisfied with the fact that the gangly man hadn’t had a clue as to who he was or what he did. He had had the required credentials and shown decent skills when they had taken Ean’s ship out for a test run. However, the pilot had come off as extremely nervous, stuttering so much that it was a struggle for him to get out a coherent sentence. So in the end, the former bounty hunter had declined to offer the being a job. Just too much unpredictability for his taste.

So the search had continued, and he was getting frustrated more and more by the day. His ad went unanswered; perhaps word had traveled through the city from those he had spoken to, and they were warning their friends and fellow pilots away. Or perhaps there just weren’t any jobless pilots in and around Tyrena who met his specific needs. Whatever the reasons, Ean had been forced to expand his ad postings to the entire planet of Corellia, hoping to get someone to bite. He had been grounded there way too long and needed to get his life back on the move, even through his future was still cloudy.

Though he wasn’t sure yet what he was going to do with his life now—go back to the bounty business, pick something else up, or perhaps just retire completely—Ean was sure he’d figure it out along the way as he took care of some long-awaited errands. He had plenty of credits stored away to be able to continue his self-appointed sabbatical from the business for how ever longer was needed. All he knew was that it’d be best for all parties concerned for him to leave Corellia. The big man’s emotions, especially his temper and patience, were running shorter every day, causing him to get involved in unnecessary brawls. A change of scene would do him good.

But since he couldn’t fly his ship on his own, hiring a pilot was necessary first step to whatever his life held in store for him next. Prospects still were running thin even after he opened notice to the entire planet. Today, though, he had an appointment with a possible pilot. Sick of all the protocol and back and forth, he had decided to hold this meeting right outside of his ship. Ean wanted to get right to the point today. Plus, he had more or less further exiled himself to the Hope after his last big street brawl, only debarking when he no other choice. As far as he was concerned, it was win-win, especially if this being turned out to be the one for the job.

He stood with his arms folded across his chest, waiting for the pilot to show up. Heleen’s Hope, the matte black Dynamic, rested a couple meters behind him in a landing bay on the east side of the Tyrena spaceport. Ean was attired in his usual: brown trousers with his holster buckled over, light-colored shirt, worn black nerf leather jacket, scuffed boots. As he waited, he idly he reached up and scratched his bristly cheek, still unused to the beard that he had started growing a few days prior, hoping it would aid in keeping away unwanted attention.

[Dr. Jake]

Jaren really appreciated Corellian liquor, their wild clubs, and even their independent women. He did not, however, like the crowds. Sure, Jaren loved people. He liked talking, especially with Tyrena n urban beauties. However, a thousand rude pedestrians colliding with his shoulder was more than enough to piss him off.

To add insult to injury, there was an annoying buzzing in his head; a side effect to the previous night's festivities. At the thought, Jaren had to smile. He met one of his own kind, another Lethan Twi'lek, and they hit it off. They ended up going back to her ship and...well they went back to her ship.

He had a few drinks as well, contributing to his morning discomfort. But now he had to be professional, even if it was just this once. The down-and-out smuggler did not like to be serious, and rarely wore a scowl on his face.

With a bit of irritation, Jaren retrieved his small datapad from his breast pocket, swatting away a stray lekku as he did so. Powering the device on, he carefully read the directions. Some bounty hunter, Ean Stennar, needed a pilot and was doing "interviews" in the eastern docking bay of the Tyrena spaceport. He wasn't fond of such a long-term job, but he needed the cash. Besides, a little adventure never killed anybody.

It took him a good half-hour, but Jaren eventually arrived at the spaceport, which he found to be adequate, if a bit nice. This made the Twi'lek guess his prospective employer was quite afluent. This made him a little more optimistic about the job, as richer employers meant higher wages.

Several minutes later, he arrived at the correct landing pad. The man waiting there was a few inches taller than him. As far as Jaren could tell, he was Human, but he wasn't sure. All near-humans looked the same to him. The man, Stennar he guessed, was also well muscled and had a sturdy look to him.

The two men were dressed in much the same fashion, Jaren with his utilitarian gray trousers, white shirt, and black pilot's jacket. It was unzipped, the white shirt and his scarlet neck visible. Both men were armed, an increasingly common sight, with a holstered blaster pistol.

Casually approaching the Human, Jaren spoke in an equally casual tone.

"Mister Stennar? Hi, I'm Jare'Nabala. Word around town is that you're lookin' for a pilot."

The black freighter behind the man then caught Jaren's attention. She sure was a beauty, despite being an older model. The Lethan wondered if he would be asked to fly it.

[Mara]

(((Apologies for not getting to this sooner…
Also… Ean’s not dismissing Jaren, just feeling him out. So no worries. ;p)))


The Corellian glanced down at his chorno for perhaps the tenth time in the past couple of minutes, a grimacing sigh escaping his mouth. His appointment with the potential new hire wasn’t running late, not yet, but Ean was getting anxious to get this interview over with. Patience for the big man had been strained over the last week or two. Tensions among himself and anyone he ran into were pushed to the limit of politeness. Plus, he had always valued punctuality over casual arrivals; he had been brought up along with three older brothers in a poor household. If one wasn’t on time, one ended up with scraps instead of prime cuts.

He looked up, again scanning the immediate area around him, and again, it was almost deserted. There were a couple mechanics working a few ships over, another pair of beings arguing even farther down. Ean considered going back inside his ship and checking on the stew he had simmering away inside the galley but dismissed the idea. The food would keep for a while longer. It wouldn’t do to hurry things, in cooking or in life. Along with being punctual, he was a proponent of careful planning, not rushing into something. One of the things that had made him successful in his various careers, from bodyguard to bounty hunter.

Ean forced himself to calm down, counting slowly to himself to control his unwarranted emotions. During his next glance around his surroundings, something caught his eye. A reddish Twi’lek was walking through the bay, seemingly headed for him and his ship. He raised his eyebrows, curious. The Corellian had dealt with a few of the headtailed beings over the years; he had always found them to be a bit crazy in one way or another. If this was the pilot who was coming to interview for the job, he hoped this Twi’lek would be an exception to his past experience.

Indeed, the Twi’lek came right up to him. Ean suppressed another sigh, relieved that he could finally get down to the business of checking the being out for the possibility of hiring him. However, the pilot broke the silence first, and the Corellian had to use all his self-control to avoid rolling his eyes and shaking his head at what he thought was a stupid statement coming from the reddish being. Of course he was looking for a pilot. That’s why he had put out an ad and why, assumably, this being had answered it and made this appointment to meet with Ean. And he was supposed to be the less intelligent one.

But he couldn’t keep himself from snorting in response to the Twi’lek before regaining a sense of seriousness for this business meeting. “That’s why you’re here, isn’t it?” Clearing his throat, he answered, unfolding his arms and setting his hands on his hips, the fingers of his right a few inches from his holster. “Now… before we get down to details, I just have a few questions, Mr, uh, Bala. I posted my ad anonymously. How did you know to call me by name just now? Do you know who I am? Recognize me?” Ean narrowed his brown eyes. “If you’re here hoping to gain on my reputation, I suggest you walk away now.”

[Dr. Jake]

Bala? Jaren chuckled slightly. Humans never could get Twi'lek names right.

"Jaren Abala actually, but call me Jaren if ya don't mind."

Internally, the pilot was a bit off set by what the man said next. The last thing he expected was rudeness, much less anger. Honestly, he had never heard of the man, and the only way he knew his name was by asking the receptionist in the spaceport's lobby. He did so out of curiosity.

"Well Mister Stennar, it's child's play to find spaceport docking records. I wanted to have a little background before I applied for this position, that's all. To tell you the truth, I've never heard of you."

His voice was friendly as always, refusing to mirror the short tone of his interviewer.

"So how 'bout this piloting business?"

[Mara]

(((Sorry about the wait...
I was going to put in a link to his ship's app, but I can't get to that right now with the Tech area in shambles... But I'll include it when I can.)))


Ean pointedly ignored the Twi'lek's--Jaren, apparently--correction of his address of him. The Corellian couldn't care less what the pilot's name was for the time being. That would come later, if the red-skinned being passed his tests and was hired for the job. He didn't waste his time trying to commit names to his memory unless he was positively sure the exercise would be worthwhile. For the moment, he was more concerned with how this seemingly laid-back Twi'lek knew his name. Worry that this guy wasn't merely a pilot looking for work was forefront in his mind.

The being with red headtails looked a bit startled at his prying questions, but he recovered himself quite quickly. His easygoing manner returned as he explained himself, how he had come across the information about the former bounty hunter. Ean had to admire the Twi'lek for that, at least. Whether or not he was willing to take what he said as truth, the Corellian could respect someone who didn't let unexpected things rattle him. That could be a point in the Twi'lek's favor, as Ean had no definite plans yet for his future, except for one long-delayed errand to an old friend.

For the moment, though, he was willing to take the Twi'lek's word. It was a believable enough explanation for how he come across the ad placer's real name. In fact, Ean probably would have done something similar if put in the being's position, so he was okay with conceding the point. He was comfortable with proceeding with this pilot candidate now. On the far chance that the Twi'lek was actually a really good actor and deceiving the Corellian, he felt it best to let things play out, wait for this Jaren to trip up. Ean was well-trained to defend himself and wouldn't let his guard down.

With a nod at the red-skinned being, Ean showed him he had gotten the information he wanted. Time to turn to the matter at hand. He moved his fingers from his blaster at his side and brought up his arms to fold across his large chest. The Corellian also adjusted his position to a more relaxed stance. Ean got right to it, never much one for pleasantries and foreplay. "Right. As my pilot, you'd basically be my employee. Whenever I need to go somewhere, you'd fly me. While I conduct business, you'd be on your own, but you'd have to be available at a moment's notice. You'd be paid very well for your services." Gesturing behind him with a nod, he added, "And this my ship, the one you'd be flying. Any questions?"

[Dr. Jake]

[Sorry for the wait]

Stennar relaxed his posture. That was a good sign. His job description was rather uniform, nothing he hadn't done a thousand times before. It was a comfortable format for him, really. Jaren was a free soul and hated being bound by many obligations. Pilotting was the perfect balance. The few obligations it came with were either decent or entertaining, and rarely sour.

The ship was more difficult to get a feel for. It was an older model, a Dynamic class. The Twi'lek had never flew one of them before, but he did pilot a XS stock light freighter. The models had many similarities, so he didn't see much of a problem here.

"Yeah, just a few. How's the hyperdrive on this puppy? And what sort of navcomputer is on board? Also, where will I be sleeping?"

Jaren thought for a second. His barrage of questions were probably not going to put his prospective boss into the best of moods. What was worse, he had even more coming. Instead, the pilot offered an alternative.

"How about we just take a look inside?"


Not being the picky sort, Jaren wasn't particularly concerned with the finer details, he just wanted to be sure that he could fly the ship and be comfortable while doing so. He didn't like being out of his comfort zone.

Oh, and there'd have to be liquor.

[Mara]

((((No worries… I’m a bit late getting to this myself…
Also, I had to kind of get creatively vague via the ship’s specs, since I still can’t access the app for it, and I don’t exactly have that stuff memorized, lol. Though, the interior should be easy enough, since it is a Dynamic…)))


The Corellian nodded, his face neutral. “Of course.” He had been expecting such questions and was well prepared for them. In his brief tenure of interviewer of prospective pilots, Ean had grown used to answering about the Hope’s specs. The ship jockeys had seemed more concerned about those than about their pay or anything else connected with the job. At first he had thought it odd, but after thinking about it, had decided it made perfect sense. When he had been contracted for various things in the past, the procedure and parameters were always more important than his compensation and other details. If a pilot didn’t ask about his ship’s engines and the like, that’s when he had gotten concerned.

In response, Ean unfolded his arms and reached into his jacket, pulling out a datapad and a stylus. Not a very technical-minded being himself, he had done some meticulous research on all the details of his ship. All the upgrades he had done back on Tatooine (it seemed like years prior but had only been several months at the most) and all the stock fittings that yet remained were all recorded. He tapped on the device with the implement—much easier than using his large fingers; he had a brief pang at the memory of who had given it to him—looking for his file on the Hope’s stats. Though he had slowly memorized the list, he didn’t want to mix any of the numbers and names up, looking stupid in front of the red being.

He was in the middle of this when the Twi’lek mentioned just taking a more hands-on approach. The Corellian glanced up from his datapad and to the head-tailed pilot, stylus in hand poised over the screen, and back to the device. Ean had planned for this moment, ready to show the pilot all the information on the Hope. Eventually he would have taken the being inside for a more first-hand look after they had gotten a few more preliminaries out of the way. Staring down at the datapad, he swallowed a sigh and shrugged. “All right.” His gazed lifted back to Jaren, and he nodded to the deployed ramp before shoving the ‘pad back into his jacket. “Follow me.”

Ean turned his back and headed up into his ship, forcing himself not to stomp and keeping his gait steady and relaxed. The first room was the common area, the lounge. Instead of going off towards the cockpit, he took a different route, figuring to show that to the Twi’lek last. He was bound to have the most interest in that area and perhaps the most questions. They came to the living areas, and he quickly pointed out the galley—from which a tantalizing and flavorful aroma was wafting—and the cabins, one of which would be for the pilot Jaren's use. Brief stops at the medbay and cargo holds, an indication of where the engine and mechanical compartments lay, and Ean took him back through his ship, ending up outside the cockpit.

“Questions?” he asked shortly, turning his brown-eyed gaze to the red-skinned Jaren. Though he had gradually calmed throughout the tour of his precious ship, aided by the promise of delectable stew later, there was still an underlying peeve that he had had to change his plans. Not to get him wrong, Ean could be flexible when need be. In fact, it was one of the things that had made him successful in his past careers. But in this case, he had set an agenda for himself to keep himself in control of the situation: show the Twi’lek pilot the flat specs and gather some more intel on him, then take him inside when he was ready to make an offer and watch his reactions.