|
|
|
last online Apr 19, 2013 18:45:53 GMT -5
Master
|
|
|
Nov 15, 2012 2:42:32 GMT -5
Post by Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy on Nov 15, 2012 2:42:32 GMT -5
Varulla'aba was talking into her comm unit animatedly, trying hard not to get angry over the logistical issues she was facing. Her Sith past was trying to reassert itself today, and she was fed up and impatient with the slow progress she was making in her charity efforts.
The long and short of it was that she was told that 'Midnight', her racing name, was not a big enough star to make a meaningful figurehead for anti-abuse programs. Her freshly-hired agent had suggested attending races on multiple worlds, in order to raise her profile enough that she could gain that prominence.
It was tempting to do, but Var was frightened. She was both an escaped fugitive in the Republic and a Sith deserter, and both factions wanted her to be punished, either by a lifelong imprisonment or by an ignoble and painful death, and Var knew raising her profile would risk detection.
But on the other hand, it had been months since she'd escaped prison, and now she was feeling antsy again. For so long she'd been an evil person, and she still struggled with her hatred and anger, but after Horst had come and taught her she still had a good side, she'd felt the need to prove there was something good in her heart, that a pureness had survived her time as a Sith.
The pale Twi'lek woman wanted desperately to use her wealth and her newfound popularity to campaign against domestic abuse, to prove herself in the eyes of herself, and to make her mother proud for once.
"OK, well talk to the promoters, sign me up for the one on Taris. I don't care if it's late, this is important. All right, fine. Then get me into any major Republic race. Call me back when you've actually got something."
Var ended the call and stuffed the comm back into a pouch on her belt, folding her arms and looking at her trusty mechanic Blazinda.
"I need a better agent. Do you think Incom could provide me with one?"
Blazinda nodded.
"Seems like it. They can afford it for sure. Why don't you try taking your mind off it though. There's still some fans out there, why don't you go socialize?"
The alabaster-skinned woman's green eyes flicked out to the crowd in the stands and she reluctantly nodded. Her own aversion to crowds was second to the loyalty she felt to her fans.
In a minute Var had walked over to them and started to shake hands and take pictures, avoiding a smile in favor of her signature icy look, serious and tough. That was what her agent recommended she do. The fact that she had a natural inclination to black settled it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online Apr 10, 2013 23:07:00 GMT -5
Padawan
|
|
|
Nov 15, 2012 3:31:21 GMT -5
Post by 0bserver on Nov 15, 2012 3:31:21 GMT -5
Brrr... Manaan.
Such a ... sterile city. I feel like back in the medical chambers around here. These white walls... And all that water. And the fish-folk. Hmpf... Well it is where all the kolto comes from, that would explain the sterility. Eh... guess I shouldn't complain...
It has been Nar's first trip to Manaan. Which was the reason of these... new impressions, that went through his head, when he walked across the sparkly streets, where a human face was a rare occasion to see. Once again, the winds of fate had brought him to this alien world, which... was making him a bit uncomfortable.
Now I know how aliens feel when coming to Taris...
And how. The man felt ... out of place, he could feel people glaring into his back as he passed them by, and not all the glares were kind. He was from Taris, and remembered that it was the exact way humans treated other species... When times were good. When times were bad, it was worse.
Ending up around here, on Manaan, was a lucky occasion, actually. Nar was stuck on some backwater world, without a credit to his name, when he had ran into a kind freighter captain. That man used to serve the Republic at some point too, and took pity upon the former pilot, upon listening to his story. He couldn't take him in as an employee, but instead offered a free trip to Manaan, and left a few credits to last for a few days. He said that he had seen Republic and Sith draft officers offering jobs to mercenaries to fight for them, or complete some tasks. Nar had a blaster, and that was all a beginner merc needed...
Except... that plan somewhat backfired as well. Nar couldn't be called a polyglot, his knowledge was limited to Basic, and around here... well... Let's just say the Selcath weren't too kin on speaking it. Asking for instructions failed, and a thought to look for a map of the city did not come across the man's mind. So he just went, falling from one loophole into another.
He never had to worry about money, or food, back in the fleet. They paid him, clothed him, gave him a place to sleep, fed him and told him what to do. This newfound 'freedom' was not a welcomed change. And from inexperience... weird choices and decisions were born. One of them, particularly, when he noticed a large crowd of people.
- 'Scuse me sir, would you happen to have any tasks for me to do?
- What do I look like, a bounty office?
- Err, no. My bad. Hey! Hey you! You wound't have any work you might need help with?
- Get lost.
- Fine fine, sorry. No need to be angry over there...
Nar went into the crowd, trying to bother people with his silly questions, in hopes of earning a few credits. He did not pester the Selcath, or aliens who looked like they wouldn't speak basic, but humans and human-like aliens? Yep, they were his mark. Sadly though, all he was getting so far were rebuttals. Nar moved within the crowd without much sense of direction, sight limited by the number of people around him, until suddenly...
*BUMP!*
The man felt like he had accidentally pushed someone with the shoulder. It was not his fault - he kinda tripped over someone's tentacle, so the push ended up being stronger than he expected to. Barely keeping his balance, standing on one leg awkwardly, and arms flailing, before his stance stabilized, he looked over the person he just pushed. And hopefully not pushed over!
- Ei-he-he... sorry about that. Clumsy me! - he chuckled a bit sheepishly, looking over the stranger. It seemed like a ... white twi'lek or something? Wow, never knew such existed... But eh, shows how much I know... The twi'lek's outfit seemed expensive, much better quality and finesse than Nar's old, worn flight-suit. She looked like she had money. And the man needed money at this time.
- Excuse me miss... would you mind helping a guy earn a coin? You don't look like you're from around here... Maybe carry luggage to the spaceport? Or something like that? Name's Nar by the way.
He still sounded sheepish in his request, and completely oblivious to who the stranger was. He had assumed her to be a tourist of some sort... Or a mercenary. Or both. And he sorta did not notice the glares a few bewildered fans shot at him. Or... did he?
Um... I didn't do something wrong, did I?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online Apr 19, 2013 18:45:53 GMT -5
Master
|
|
|
Nov 15, 2012 4:36:19 GMT -5
Post by Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy on Nov 15, 2012 4:36:19 GMT -5
Var was right in the middle of signing someone's pad of paper when someone slammed into her from behind and nearly knocked her over. If not for a burly man in the crowd catching her, she would have tumbled to the ground.
Naturally her first instinct was anger, and she turned around with a fiery look in her green eyes, and her mouth opened to ask him rudely what the hell was wrong with him, and then she remembered she was in the middle of a crowd of adoring fans who wouldn't take too kindly to her mouthing off a string of Huttese curses.
Play it cool, you're a public figure now...
The man, a human, promptly apologized, and Var waved dismissively, her plan to ask him if he was all right cut off by the fact he'd spoken first. He was your typical human in Var's estimation. Nothing to write home about, and more importantly...
The man was definitely clueless. Clueless to the point where the eyebrow tattooed onto Var's forehead was raised up in an expression of confusion as he failed to realize a few important things.
In the first place, she was in a racing suit, form-fitting black synthetics that hugged her tightly. In the second place, she was at a swoop track, and in the third place, she was obviously handing out autographs.
The Twi'lek wasn't sure whether to laugh or cringe, so she kept her tone carefully neutral, preserving her public image as she spoke.
"Clearly you're new and lost, Nar. This is the swoop track, and I'm called Midnight. And I'm afraid I'm very much a local now."
A couple of people in the crowd chuckled, and Var went back to signing various items, unsure whether or not the confused man was going to stay or not.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online Apr 10, 2013 23:07:00 GMT -5
Padawan
|
|
|
Nov 15, 2012 10:42:52 GMT -5
Post by 0bserver on Nov 15, 2012 10:42:52 GMT -5
The crowd's mood was quick to change.
From grunts of confusion mixed with anger, from 'the arrogance' of the off-worlder, soon changed into laughter. And not the kind one either - it was familiar to that of school-children laughing at a dunce for not knowing an answer to elementary question. Or, at least, that was how Nar felt. He was still wearing that awkward grin, and even started laughing with a few others, even if inside he didn't like it too much. Yeah, go ahead, laugh at a lost person. What could be funnier?
Compared to them the twi'lek swoop rider looked like a paragon of maturity and adequacy. Especially considering Nar had pushed her so roughly, and, in his opinion, deserved a few unkind words. But yeah, other than that, the man did realize he was looking rather silly. Way to go Nar, you just made yourself look like an idiot.
- Ah-hahah-ha... Silly me. Thanks for pointing that out. I'll just... leave you with your fans then, mrs. Midnight. Erm... have a nice day!
Saying that, the man would sheepishly push back into the crowd, disappearing behind the back of one of the taller fans, slithering his way away from the spot. But did he leave for good? No, not really. Instead he chose to wait on the sidelines, for the crowd to disperse, and making sure to have the pale twi'lek always in his sight.
There was a reason. She was probably the first person he met around here that was a local, and knew Basic, and gave a relatively decent impression, at least at first. Maybe she would be nice enough to give me a few directions? At least to the nearest bounty office? I have a blaster... maybe I can find some work there... - he thought, looking down at the holster, which was strapped to his leg. Having a gun is all a newbie mercenary needs, right? The crowd looked like it was beginning to disperse anyway...
Unfortunately, though, the fact he was staring, and the fact he had a gun attracted attention of... someone else. Two guards, that were supposed to make sure nothing funny happens during the swoop star's autograph session, one a human, and another one - an iridonian, noticed him just standing there, watching, and ... got suspicious. Nar did not seem to know he were in trouble, until those big guys stepped towards him, casting ominous shadows from their large forms.
- What are you looking at?
- Er...
- Yeah, you've been looking mighty suspicious, mate. Why don't you come with us?
- Um...
Ok... I'm in trouble now.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online Apr 19, 2013 18:45:53 GMT -5
Master
|
|
|
Nov 15, 2012 17:04:41 GMT -5
Post by Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy on Nov 15, 2012 17:04:41 GMT -5
The crowd dispersed, and Blazinda felt hungry, so the Twi'lek/Epicanthix hybrid duo agreed to a plan for lunch at a decent restaurant near the track, one Var was pretty fond of, due to an excellent array of soup and fresh-baked bread.
On the way out, Var noticed two guards hassling the confused man from earlier, and she paused by them, eyeing them with a steely gaze.
These two were punks, basically bouncers hired by the track to keep rowdy fans in line, and they were both overzealous jerks in her mind. While she doubted the confused human was perfectly fine, she really didn't think he was causing trouble. She didn't particularly sense anything from him after all, and she didn't get a problem vibe from him.
The Twi'lek decided to intervene.
"Hey, don't hassle my fans. Go bother someone else."
"Uh, Midnight. Didn't see you there. Why don't you go do some shopping while we deal with this punk?"
"Why don't you piss off and find something better to do with your time? I'll take care of Captain Clueless."
The human guard sighed.
"Fine, just take him out of here."
Var nodded and shooed the guards. They meandered off, and left the Twi'lek, the Epicanthix hybrid, and the confused human alone, which suited Var fine. With the lightsaber hidden in a pouch on her thigh she was confident she could handle herself.
The pale woman turned her attention onto the man, speaking to him.
"All right Captain Clueless, what's your angle?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online Apr 10, 2013 23:07:00 GMT -5
Padawan
|
|
|
Nov 16, 2012 0:45:34 GMT -5
Post by 0bserver on Nov 16, 2012 0:45:34 GMT -5
- Phew...
Well, that was a close call back there... Nar breathed out in relief as the two big bullies were called away and told to mind their own business somewhere else. For a few seconds the man thought this would end up badly, his hand resting on the worn handle of his blaster, the goofy smile dropping, replaced by a rather determined look of a soldier. However, as soon as trouble passed, the slightly awkward and carefree smile returned on his face, as he turned to his saviors - two women, one of who he managed to recognize. The human, however, or, at least, she looked human enough to him, wasn't familiar...
- Uh... Sorry I caused more trouble for you, miss Midnight... Misfortune seems to be following me everywhere I go. - he chuckled, trying to make it sound like a joke, but the following question the pale twi'lek asked showed that she ... probably wasn't around for small talk. And probably her companion wasn't either, though the human looked ... less stern, somehow.
- Captain Clueless? Eh-heh... that has nothing to do with my awareness of what's going on, has it not? I ... uh, am an offworlder with barely a credit in my pocket, so... I was hoping to found the bounty office or something like that. But the fish-folk are such fine guides when it comes to telling directions. Or... I think those were just gurgling noises. Would you be so kind to tell me where to go?
That said, Nar shot a somewhat worried glare over the rider's shoulder, towards the two punks that were bothering him a few moments ago. Come to think of it, he could understand why! I did look suspicious, back then, didn't I? - he realized, and as soon as he did, decided to apologize for that in advance.
- I just wished to ask a few directions, when your wonderful guards jumped me. I did not want to bother in the middle of you giving autographs to your fans, like last time, and... by the way, are you sure you don't need someone to carry parts or heavy things? Or maybe shoot people? At this point I'll agree to any price... - Nar said, exhaling somewhat defeated.
Wow, that was a mouthful, wasn't it?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online Apr 19, 2013 18:45:53 GMT -5
Master
|
|
|
Nov 16, 2012 1:24:10 GMT -5
Post by Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy on Nov 16, 2012 1:24:10 GMT -5
The man seemed a little, well, verbose. He seemed to like talking, or else he had no off-switch, was something he'd share with Blazinda then.
Any which way, he was in for a disappointment, as his goal was a little, well...
"Sorry," Var said, "But the Ahto City authorities don't want anyone running around and bumping each other off, so there's no bounty office. You'll have to find some other place to, uh, work. And frankly I-"
Blazinda shot Var a look, and the Twi'lek tried to ignore it. It persisted however, and the woman walked over to her boss and whispered into her ear cone.
"Remember how you wanted to be nice again? Well here's your golden opportunity."
The pale Twi'lek sighed and changed what she was in the process of saying.
"I think you should come join us for lunch, and then..."
Blazinda elbowed Var in the side and the Twi'lek swatted her arm, but she did change what she was saying yet again.
"And then we'll try to find you a job."
Blazinda smiled cheerily and whispered again.
"Was that so hard Var?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online Apr 10, 2013 23:07:00 GMT -5
Padawan
|
|
|
Nov 16, 2012 2:00:57 GMT -5
Post by 0bserver on Nov 16, 2012 2:00:57 GMT -5
- Awh... B...but, I was told that there are some Republic and Sith representatives hiring mercenaries here! Could it be that I've heard wrongly?
Nar's facial expression changed into almost comical frown of disappointment, followed by a sigh. Because... seriously, aside from shooting blaster and flying a ship ... and maintaining it, there was not much he could do! Well, actually, there was a variety of jobs that would happily accept a person with such skillset, but in his inexperience, Nar simply failed to consider them! But he could hardly be blamed - more than a decade of serving on a ship on some backwater moon and fighting pirates could take toll on his social skills, and the metal plate welded to the back of his head did not help things. The man looked remarkably helpless for someone his age, and... well, stature. At least, until the nice human lady decided to persuade her more 'official-sounding' friend to help him out. And how! A really, really wide grin appeared on Nar's face as soon as the Twi'lek began rewording herself.
- Y... you will? I, uh... oh wow. Thanks! My karma must be paying off. Thank you again! Um... may I know your name, kind miss? Mine's Nar. - he said to Blazinda, making an attempt at a curt bow, and rather succeeding. Maybe the cloak helped. Seriously... how lucky can I get? Two lovely ladies offering me a lunch, and even help with a job! Is it because of my looks? - he guessed, but immediately mentally batted himself with a wooden stick for thinking that. No, they were just kind people he was lucky to meet. It was their kindness, and nothing else. Or so he thought. A meal would be nice actually... due to credit shortage, his last few were... well, modest enough to consider military rations a God-send.
- I wish there was something I could give, or do in turn... But what you see on me is all I have. Don't worry, once I earn something I'll make sure to repay my debt... - he said, pulling at the fabric of his rubbery fly-suit, it creaking tiredly at the pressure. On his chest, near the heart, there was a worn, half-vanished republic insignia. It was the suit he wore for many years, and left with it...
Kept as a memory, of sorts...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online Apr 19, 2013 18:45:53 GMT -5
Master
|
|
|
Nov 16, 2012 5:35:59 GMT -5
Post by Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy on Nov 16, 2012 5:35:59 GMT -5
Karma. Now there was a thought.
Maybe Var had some potential there, do good deeds and let good things happen to you in turn. If only it were as simple as that though. Certainly as a tiny little girl she'd never done a thing to warrant the suffering that had befallen her, and give the depths she'd descended to later on, there was far too much red in her ledger to atone for like that. For what she'd done there'd be bad karma for years.
Speaking of bad karma...
"Crap," Var said. "I forgot to grab Eleanor. I'll be right back."
While Var left, Blazinda made a playful curtsy and answered Nar's question.
"Blazinda Kast. Ex-PO3 with the Republic fleet, guess we have something in common then?" She said with a grin.
The pale woman in the black racing suit jogged back over to her particular alcove on the track and looked at her close companion and friend with apology in her eyes.
"I'm sorry Eleanor, I forgot about you for a second."
Eleanor's eyes seemed to communicate displeasure over that.
Var sighed.
"Good thing I remembered you, otherwise you might have been left behind."
Eleanor cawed, as Eleanor was a large, black raven resting on a perch and studying Var with dark eyes, glistening beads that sparkled against her glossy feathers.
Pale lips kissed the bird's beak and Var scooted aside her right headtail and guided the raven onto her right shoulder, returning to Blazinda and the other man. His name had been Dar? Nar?
Eleanor made a gurgling sound on their way over, and Var replied as if it was an actual question.
"I know it's a restaurant, but they have outside seating too, and it's a beautiful day."
The gurgle turned into a cackle that Var took as a seal of approval. Eleanor was good like that, easy to transfer emotions onto now that Var knew the bird well enough. Besides, she rarely talked back, and that was a nice change from some people.
The Twi'lek waved to the other two and led on, familiar with the short path into the City, culminating in an arrival at a cafe just a few minutes later, moving to a table on a wide veranda, with a panoramic view of the sea.
The ocean was something she'd grown to love, giving Manaan a very timeless feel, and a sense of peace. For her it was simply soothing, and pleasantly nothing like Tatooine and the bad memories of her childhood.
Var sat staring off at the horizon, unsure what to say while Blazinda interrogated Nar about what he'd done in the Fleet, eager to babble about 'veteran stuff' with him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online Apr 10, 2013 23:07:00 GMT -5
Padawan
|
|
|
Nov 16, 2012 11:51:16 GMT -5
Post by 0bserver on Nov 16, 2012 11:51:16 GMT -5
- Eleanor?
Nar's question remained somewhat unanswered, as the female Twi'lek went away, leaving the guy wondering who could Eleanor be. Sounded fancy, like some sort of Tarisian noble, or something like that. He remembered, back on Taris, rich people loved giving fancy names to their children. Having simple names like Nar, Rolan, Kon, or others didn't fit their social standing. Nar actually felt a bit of worry, when coming to think of it. I sure hope this guy won't see a lady helping out a wretch like me as something ... awkward. Eh-eh...
That worry, however, was immediately forgotten, as the Twi'lek's much friendlier acquaintance introduced herself, bringing a wide grin on Nar's face. Another ex-republican! Yeah, karma was definitely paying off, to be running into compassionate souls so often within a single day. He should've guessed it too... The way she stands and holds her back... Yeah, definitely something 'militant' in there...
- Ah-hah... ex-lieutenant Kotah, at your service. I used to be a wingman. - he greeted her again with an old-fashioned military salute, standing at attention and putting a hand to his temple. - Would've never guessed such a pretty lady to have been blasting people in space. - he lied a bit about the guessing part, in order to make a compliment.
As they arrived at the Cafe, which was not that far off, the twi'lek rejoined them, with something big, black, and ... alive, with her. Nar's eyes widened a bit in amazement, as he watched the enigmatic creature soar over them, cawing like that, jaw dropping a bit even. Nar grew up in a planet-sized city, so, out of wild-life he only got to see rats, a few things at the zoo, and even a rakghoul! But the latter dead, dragged somewhere by people in white coats. But something as simple as a bird...
- That's Eleanor? What species is he? He, right? - he asked curiously, looking at the bird, and felt the bird glaring at him. And whenever the bird made a move, like tilting the head, he mimicked, tilting his, looking a bit weird, but the silly grin never leaving his face. Is it even safe to look creatures into eyes?
Buuut, with the arrival of the bird, and Midnight, as the Twi'lek called herself, they had almost forgotten about the fact they were here to eat! Or, at least, Nar was. He was kinda hungry. Sneakily, he took the menu, looking over it for a little bit. Fish, fish, fish, more fish, salad. Fish, salad, salad, fish.
- Isn't it weird that fish-folk like to eat their own kin, in a way of speaking? - he joked, in the end, deciding to go for the cheapest dish possible. A bit of a man's pride here - it wasn't nice that a woman would be paying for him, so he decided to try reducing the price for his food as much as possible. And, as the trio waited for the waiter to come over, Nar's attention came back to Blazinda, who, so far, he liked the most.
- So, um... Blazinda, where were you stationed during your service? Maybe we crossed each others' paths before? - he asked. There was little chance they actually did, but hey! The Galaxy's a small place.
For something that has an area of billions upon billions of squared parsecs, that is.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online Apr 19, 2013 18:45:53 GMT -5
Master
|
|
|
Nov 16, 2012 20:18:31 GMT -5
Post by Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy on Nov 16, 2012 20:18:31 GMT -5
Var explained as they all sat that Eleanor was a she, and a raven, a large glossy bird native to, among other places, Dathomir, though her own had come from Molovar and was a native daughter of the desert, much like Var herself.
Nar joked, and she didn't laugh. It really wasn't odd that the Selkath ate fish, seeing as this was a waterworld and not all species were vegetarians. It made as much sense for them to eat meat as humans, and it was only a narrow frame of mind that would clump Selkath and nonsentient fish together.
The Twi'lek woman was indeed not amused, and it was readily apparent Blazinda was enjoying this far more than Var.
The curvy half-Epicanthix woman's bright eyes were glistening and her cheerful smile was broad as she answered questions and doled them out herself.
"I was on an escort carrier called the Delan Corin, we were mostly patrolling the Outer Rim. Never saw any real action, I was out by the time the war rolled around. 'Sides, I was just a starfighter mechanic."
"It's true," Var interjected. "That's where she got her skills, adapted it pretty well to deal with swoops."
Blazinda nodded.
"Yup, and Var's swoop is basically a ramjet you can ride at high speeds, so the principles aren't so hard-"
Before the mechanic could digress, Var interrupted again, trying to deal with the food matter.
"I always get the rycrit stew here, it's excellent, reminds me of Ryloth. You should try it, one of the cooks is a Twi'lek, uses her old family recipe."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online Apr 10, 2013 23:07:00 GMT -5
Padawan
|
|
|
Nov 17, 2012 2:08:06 GMT -5
Post by 0bserver on Nov 17, 2012 2:08:06 GMT -5
- Uhm...
Nar heard the proposition about trying out native Ryloth soup thing, and his eyes immediately dug into the menu, looking for it. He felt awkward again - the soup cost more than the fish he wanted to order, but... rejecting the offer could be considered impolite and ungrateful of him, right? I'll just... go with the flow then.
- Alright, I'm sure they make very tasty soups on Ryloth. Never been there though...
Actually... Nar has never been to most places a space-farer considers 'classic'. Sure, there were Taris, where he was born, Caridia and his MilAc years, and that hospital on Arkania... But that was just about it. Manaan would be added to the list afterwards... But, ah! To carry on with the story!
- I see, that makes sense. I know a thing or two about mechanics as well... We always had those understaffed, and I was often called to help out. I was stationed upon the republic carrier "Valiant", patrolling around one of the moons of Bogden. Nasty place...
Nar's story was interrupted, when a waiter, who happened to be another twi'lek, approached. Her color was green though, unlike the 'rare' pale Var had. Not that it mattered, Nar never really knew there were 'rare' and 'common' colors. She asked what would the costumers want to order, and the man replied, a bit sheepishly, pointing at the mentioned soup, and asked for some bread and a glass of water, before the girl would move to the others to make their order. After that, he would continue with his tale:
- Y'see, criminals and the like were trying to establish control over the territory, to gain an illegal trade route. Pirates, smugglers, slavedrivers and the like. Our ship was the only thing to clog that stinking hole, the Republic, apparently, couldn't afford to give more. So... we were trying to stop them, the best we could. But it's a futile stand, to be honest. Until the Fleet would send enough manpower to clear out their hideouts on the moons - thugs will keep coming. Oh well... - he sighed, a little bit of silence held, him thinking about what else to say, when, again, the black bird attracted his attention. Sneakily, thinking that her owner would not notice, Nar dug in one of his pockets, finding a small, forlorn cracker at the bottom of it, bringing it towards the raven with two fingers.
- Pssst, here you go...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online Apr 19, 2013 18:45:53 GMT -5
Master
|
|
|
Nov 17, 2012 3:00:06 GMT -5
Post by Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy on Nov 17, 2012 3:00:06 GMT -5
Var ordered the rycrit stew, some munch-fungus, and an order of breadsticks. Blazinda ordered deep-fried fish and deep-fried root vegetables, and Var stared at her with green eyes, amazed that the woman could eat like this and still stay slim.
It seemed from the way Nar and Blazinda were talking that Var was going to be the odd man, or woman, out of the conversation. After all, she'd never served in the military, and the 112th Expeditionary Sniper Corps probably wasn't a real thing she could feign membership in.
Instead the pale woman stared lazily off into the endless blue horizon, feeling the bird on her right shoulder, her stomach vaguely rumbling in a desire for food.
She was hoping that her new sponsorship would carry her places, and she also had another hope.
Var had the goal of reclaiming her life and her own name, despite the dangers of the Sith. In her last letter, her mother had promised to try to secure a pardon for Var, on the condition that she reclaim her Republic citizenship and keep up her good works.
Admittedly she would have to worry about Sith assassins, but that was already a worry she felt nagging her. It would at least give her some peace to die with her name redeemed, instead of under an alias in hiding.
Blazinda was babbling off an answer when Var noticed that Nar was feeding her pet raven a cracker, and she resisted the urge to slap it away and make sure it was safe to eat. The Twi'lek had a protective streak when it came to Eleanor.
The bird herself tentatively pecked at the cracker, swallowing it down swiftly and letting out one of the curious metallic sounds Var had grown fond of.
"She seems to like you," Var said, still staring off at the sea.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online Apr 10, 2013 23:07:00 GMT -5
Padawan
|
|
|
Nov 17, 2012 5:25:26 GMT -5
Post by 0bserver on Nov 17, 2012 5:25:26 GMT -5
Waiting for the meals to be served was much more tolerable, when there was someone to talk to. And Nar seemed to be deep within conversation with a former 'colleague', so to speak, remembering days of service. Nar liked talking about those, remembering his wing he used to serve in, memories relived in front of his eyes.
- Yeah... I served over there for a bit less than a decade. Probably would've stayed for longer, but... eh-heh... - the man chuckled, and poked at the back of his head with a nail, a quiet, metallic 'pftank' heard each time around, from the plate welded to the back of his head.
- Got a bit unlucky back there... So now I'm considered 'not fit' to fly a fighter. Not true, of course, I bet I can show a thing or dozen to all the fellows fresh from the academy, but eh, what can I do? - Nar chuckled again a bit at his own misfortune. Bad things happen, don't they?
Finally, the soup was brought about, along with the foods others ordered. Nar looked at his bowl with hungry eyes - been a while since he had a decent meal that did not taste like sour cardboard. It smelled wonderful, at least for him, and he swallowed, reaching to pull the bowl closer.
- I can't thank you enough for this... I've been trying to offer my skills as a pilot to freighter owners, but none of them would take me without a pilot's license... - he added, taking a sip of soup from his spoon, and the chattermouth silenced for a little while.
I'm not talking too much, am I? - a thought went through the man's head as he ate. Eyes moving from Blazinda to Midnight, to Blazinda again... This was a bit strange... The Twi'lek barely talked since their arrival, only letting out a word that the black bird may like him. Taking a piece of bread from what was brought, he pressed it into a ball in his hands, and, after dipping it in soup, passed to the curious bird once more.
- Birds are nice. Especially yours, it has an intelligent look in its eyes... Um, you're from Ryloth, Midnight? What's that planet like?
He honestly did not know much. His narrow view was limited to what little he learned at school... And that was quite a while ago, the 'needless' information pushed away by more present matters. He just waited for an answer, making an eye contact as he did so. Father told him that looking in the eyes means you're being honest. Eyes were the mirror of the soul...
And hers is... I don't know...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online Apr 19, 2013 18:45:53 GMT -5
Master
|
|
|
Nov 17, 2012 6:39:11 GMT -5
Post by Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy on Nov 17, 2012 6:39:11 GMT -5
Blazinda smiled impishly and pulled out her comm device, excusing herself from the table after snaffling a piece of fried potato, going about a little errand no one was quite sure what was.
Var herself had gotten used to not questioning the mechanic when she wandered off to do something, because it usually turned out well. And the Twi'lek woman still had a Sith's tolerance for results without ethics, though she was trying to break herself of it.
And then the topic of Var's past came up, and she remembered her two stories. The first was the truth, that she'd been on Ryloth for her first few years until she'd wound up an illegal slave before running away, stowing onto a ship and ending up a 'legal' slave on Tatooine. Then she'd finally been taken in by the Jedi before her fall to the Dark Side.
The rehearsed story was similar.
"I was only on Ryloth for my first five years. I remember some things, and not some others. The planet is tidally locked, so one side is always in the night and the other the day. We call them the Night Lands and the Bright Lands. I was in a town a little closer to the night side. The light was always dim. My father died in a mining accident, and my mother wound up sold to the Hutts. With no one to take me in I wound up a slave too."
Var dipped a breadstick into her stew and chewed on the food, savoring the exotic spices that felt homey to her.
"I escaped to Tatooine, where I was a slave again for a few years, but I was freed and grew up there. I came to Manaan looking for a better life. Then I started swoop racing, and the rest is history. Or so they tell me."
This time Var dipped the munch fungus into the stew and ate the earthy Twi'lek staple, offering up a small piece to Eleanor, who always enjoyed going out to eat for just this reason. And with Nar feeding her as well, she was definitely pleased.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online Apr 10, 2013 23:07:00 GMT -5
Padawan
|
|
|
Nov 17, 2012 7:38:11 GMT -5
Post by 0bserver on Nov 17, 2012 7:38:11 GMT -5
And here I thought I had hard times...
Nar did not utter a word, and all jokes died on his tongue, when Blazinda left, and the twi'lek finally was able to tell her story. It ... was not a happy one. Not by a long shot. A story that was able to bring a frown even on such a positive person such as Nar.
Dead parents, and being enslaved. Twice. It... kinda forced the man to think. He remembered things. Back during his service, they have boarded several freighters, which were secretly transporting slaves. Surely, for those slaves, soldiers in simple republic uniforms were heroes who saved em from a cruel fate. But... Not all slaves were lucky to be rescued...
Nar stopped feeding the raven. He was looking down into his bowl of soup half-eaten, the steamy reddish liquid now looking much less appetizing than before. He took a sip from his spoon, and coughed - the soup just refused to go any further. He sighed, and shook his head.
- And here I thought that a planet, where such tasty soups are cooked, is a happy place. Silly me. - he said, not quite wishing for an eye contact again. But then... a question came about, as he watched the liquid reflect the light in his spoon. Where was the Republic then?
- At least it's all in the past now. You're a successful lady with an army of adoring fans, right? - he forced a chuckle in an attempt to lighten up the mood. Another piece of bread, dipped in soup, was passed to the raven, while Nar was racking his brains for an answer to question, which ... was something he was supposed to know from school. Memory was sluggish to him, after than bump on the head.
- Uhh... is Ryloth a republic world? If 'Valiant' were there, hanging in orbit... - Nar sighed, looking a bit distant for a second. - ... The baddies would have had to think twice before leaving the surface.
He could still hear the frenetic shouts of his former squadron commander through speakers. That man did not bargain with criminals, poised to destroy them at all costs.
Nar could see why.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online Apr 19, 2013 18:45:53 GMT -5
Master
|
|
|
Nov 18, 2012 18:40:23 GMT -5
Post by Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy on Nov 18, 2012 18:40:23 GMT -5
"Yeah," Var confirmed, "Ryloth is a Republic world."
There was more at work though. Twi'lek culture itself was a problem. It stressed being non-confrontational and weathering the storm rather than resisting it. Her people didn't fight every wave, they simply submitted to it with the knowledge that it would pass.
That led to a tolerance of illegal slavery.
Of course she didn't exactly feel like explaining all that to Captain Clueless, especially since he was under the idea that one Republic ship in orbit could stop a billion credit industry of enslaving mostly young girls and women. That just wasn't rational.
"They're smugglers like any other. They don't care about authority, they're not afraid of it. They'll never just give up, and with the Republic fighting a war right now, they don't have the resources to stop Twi'leks from being enslaved."
Yeah, same old Republic. Powerless to help in moments of crisis.
It was no wonder the Sith Empire had formed out of secessionist states, because there was real disillusionment. It was just too bad the Sith Order had formed and stolen away the reigns. That was already hurting a lot of people in the galaxy, and promised to hurt a lot more.
Var wasn't a fool though. She knew that eventually the Sith Empire would be defeated and the Republic restored, as it always was in times of peril. There was something comforting in that.
"Republic's too busy to worry about a few Twi'leks. Maybe when the war's over."
The pale woman stared down at her half-full bowl of soup, and swirled her spoon around in it, but promptly looked up as Blazinda returned, much swifter than she'd anticipated.
"All right," The bubbly mechanic said with a grin, "Called a friend I have, and he's got a blank Manaan Pilot's License just waiting for you to fill it in. You'll be flying off this place in no time."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online Apr 10, 2013 23:07:00 GMT -5
Padawan
|
|
|
Nov 19, 2012 3:05:28 GMT -5
Post by 0bserver on Nov 19, 2012 3:05:28 GMT -5
Nar only let out a sigh.
He felt a bit guilty. Partially for asking a question that lead to such a mood downer. He looked over at his bowl, then at the twi'lek's. She doesn't seem to be eager to finish as well... The man shook his head, and for a while, seemed content with just dipping the balls of bread into soup, and passing them to the greedy raven.
Thoughts were not very happy. And they kept revolving around the Republic. Sure, it may have left Nar without a shred of assistance, after his years of loyal service, but... He was still sympathizing. Hard to reject a cause you were fighting for for nearly a decade. Still, the man felt that it wasn't right...
- I don't see why Republic prioritizes fighting outside foes over inside ones. I think the latter is just as bad, if not worse... Uh... sorry I lead the discussion here anyway. Erm... this planet is nice, at least... Clean sea, fresh air... I've never seen such clean waters before... - Nar made another attempt at stirring the conversation towards a happier direction. After all, Manaan had one of the strictest law enforcement policies ever, especially here in Ahto. Whatever dangers there were in the galaxy, over here one would be forever safe from them. And, at that awkward note, Blazinda returned. Nar waved friendlily towards her.
- Oh hey miss Blaz! Where've you been? Your food was gonna get cold...
And with that, Nar forced himself to return to the stew, and pretend nothing sad happened while she was gone, slurping a few spoons with demonstrative quickness, but then, all of a sudden, the mechanic girl said something that almost made him squirt his soup through his nose. That didn't happen, but...
*BLAM!*
The sound of chair falling over with a person was heard across the cafeteria, the waiter and a few patrons turning their heads, in a bit of amazement, to see what happened. Nar's head soon appeared from under the table, wide eyes blinking a few times. On his face was painted an expression of sheer disbelief.
- Say... what again?!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online Apr 19, 2013 18:45:53 GMT -5
Master
|
|
|
Nov 19, 2012 5:58:13 GMT -5
Post by Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy on Nov 19, 2012 5:58:13 GMT -5
"Ha, yeah," Var chuckled bitterly. That was a great idea, ignore the Sith Empire that invaded you.
Of course, Var wasn't exactly the one to talk to about the Sith, as her own experience made her a little jaded. Odds were the Empire hadn't started out evil, bad, or scary, but then the Sith Order had formed and taken over the whole damn thing, and that was something she'd already been over. And over, and over.
Blazinda returned, with that look on her face that Var associated with something that was going to prove to be expensive. Her mechanic had a knack for doing that, and insisting it was promoting the cause of Var's philanthropy.
Admittedly Var wasn't about to be an old crone who preached capitalism and shut down orphanages in cheap holonet dramas, but she still wasn't too keen on this whole idea of blowing money on every hard-luck case who drifted by the track.
And then she announced she had a pilot's license all arranged, and Var cringed. Now she was getting mixed up in something illegal out of charity reasons because her damn mechanic was going around being nice.
Nar fell over in his chair and Var debated joining him. Instead she shared a knowing glance with Eleanor and stared at Blazinda with a scornful look.
"Oh shush, don't look at me like that. Besides, it's only a few hundred credits. You'll barely miss it."
Nar emerged and asked for clarification, so Var provided it.
"Blazinda found you a way to get a license under the table, because she knows sleazier people than I do, and now I'm going to go pay for it," Var said smoothly.
"Because I am so very, very nice," The Twi'lek concluded drily.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last online Apr 10, 2013 23:07:00 GMT -5
Padawan
|
|
|
Nov 19, 2012 7:13:50 GMT -5
Post by 0bserver on Nov 19, 2012 7:13:50 GMT -5
Well now, if this wasn't the happiest day in Nar's life...
Or luckiest for that matter. The man's face as sporting a bit of a dumbfound smile, as he was explained what was going on. They got a pilot's license? Just for him? Or... to be exact, Blazinda did. The twi'lek did not feel, or sound, as well-intentioned and generous, as the human woman were. Yeah, you're completely thrilled, aren't you? - Nar thought but dared not speak, however, Var's words did have an effect on him. Carefully, he stood up, and made a thankful bow to both of them.
- Thank you both for your kindness. It won't be a handout, though. As soon as my first payment arrives, I will return all the money I owe back. Word of an officer. - he sounded completely serious, the goofball expression disappearing from his face, and stature of a military man showing.
- Where do I need to go to get the license? - Nar asked, obviously eager to get it over with, before the kind ladies would change their minds, since he was seeing obvious signs of confrontation between the Twi'lek, and the human. Should he be told, and given the money, the man would once again, bid both farewell, and go, wherever he would be told to go...
The forgotten bread and stew would be all that would remain, but the raven wouldn't mind it, would it? More food for the bird to feed...
|
|
|
|