Just another Aruetii (for Tal)

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

<<Can’t believe him sometimes, smuggler man thinks he’s funny>>

She’d slipped into Mando’a without meaning to, as she chuckled and shook her head, quirking a tiny, almost bashful, smile. He padded closer to her and her eyes never broke from his. They narrowed slightly as she listened to his words. Yes, indeed, she and Cuir had gotten the chance to save their little smuggler friend from a few thugs who’d managed to get into the Ghost Star while chasing the freed twi’lek slave girl. It hadn’t really been much of a fight to be honest. They were thugs, and relatively bad ones at that, so it hadn’t been a challenge for the trained and armored mando team to come in and kick arse on the landing pad and then the close quarters of the ship.

Her surprise came, however, when he all but stated that he understood mando’a. Now that was a bit of a revelation. It shouldn’t have been, to be honest, and now that she thought back on the incidents between Daryn and the mechanics, then later with Mal. It was true that mandos talked as well. The town nearest the base was buzzing with rumors, and the city, though more quiet, wasn’t much more secretive. The holonet, she’d barely had any time to even think of watching it so she didn’t know what the Republic was or wasn’t saying. Lastly he tapped the markings on her helm and she looked between them and him. Her small smile had been growing, but now it was almost a full grin. She hadn’t given Daryn enough credit it seemed. He DID know more than he let on, but why in the galaxy did he know so much about the mando’ade?

All truth Daryn. You’ve impressed me…but why do you know so much about our culture? How much DO you know about it, and why?

Auburn head tilted again, seeing him from a new angle…and not just physically. Only then did she realize that he was closer to her, obviously within reach of her since he’d touched her helmet. She shifted slightly on her feet, moving the helmet around slightly.

I didn’t think you were one to look too in depth into something you weren’t interested in…but then again, I suppose I don’t really know what you ARE interested in, do I?

[Vex]

"No, I know I'm funny."

Flashing that grin at her, he crossed his arms. Yes, he was showing that he knew far more than he let on. He trusted her with it, however. It was one of the "Ace in the Holes" he preferred to keep to himself. The more someone underestimated you, the easier it was to surprise them. At the rest of her words, he seemed a bit sheepish, his chin tilting down as he studied the deck, running a hand through that damp hair, making it even more tousled. He looked up at her from under his brows.

"I...know how I appear, Italia. Loudmouthed, cocky, brash, idiot smuggler. Some of that is true and...well...some is affectation. I know about the Mando'ade because I wanted to. Languages are easy. Other than Basic, I speak Basic, Bothan, Durese and Rodese. I know enough Dosh and Huttese, along with Mando'a now, to know what's going on, even if I don't speak it well yet."

He let out a sigh, his expression self-deprecating as though he was about to reveal something embarrassing and unpleasant about himself. "As I child, I was considered a prodigy. Language...computers, academics. It was...easy. I can read something and remember it word for word. If I felt like it, I could plot hyperspace calculations in my head, on the fly. I can walk you step-by-step through the proper way to greet Corellian nobility or recite Coruscanti poetry in perfect cadence."

"If I'm interested in something, it's too easy to learn it to do it. There's little challenge. It's why I learned to slice and pilot. Its a challenge. There's a pattern though, even in that. Understand the pattern and you can break the system. Even with people...species...if you understand the culture, the way they came to be, their history, their art...you know the person. Personality quirks aside, a culture isn't much different from a computer system. You can predict how they are going to react, for the most part, as long as you understand where they came from."

Daryn was a bit of a braggart, at times....but despite all of what he was telling her, this was not one of those times. If anything, he almost sounded ashamed talking about this, as though it was something truly distasteful to speak of.

"I...had an experience that made me interested in the Mandalorian people...so, after we finished on Saleucami, I looked it up. Learned. Half the reason I was working around this sector was so that I'd have a chance to take some of that datapad learning and supplement it with first hand experience." If it wasn't for the fact that he was damp and naked save for a towel, he'd look like a little kid that was afraid he was about to be in trouble.

He finally shook his head though, looking her in the eye as he reached out and brushed the pad of his thumb against the spot on her throat that he'd marked earlier. "And yeah, Lia...you do know what I'm interested in."

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

Shaking her head, Italia could only smile at his reply to what she’d said in mando’a. She was impressed…more than she cared to admit, she was impressed. Clever green eyes studied him as he appeared almost…sheepish? Her eyes narrowed in her curiosity as she focused on him intently while he ran a hand through that damp hair of is. It looked good all tousled about like that, and she caught herself wanting to run her own hand through it. Lia closed her eyes and mentally shook her head at the thought. Really, that wouldn’t do any good to think that way. Sure she was impressed, sure she was even a bit smitten with him, but she wasn’t entirely certain of just how deep these emotions of hers ran for him. Getting all entangled in a relationship she wasn’t sure about just wasn’t fair to him.

Her mind tuned back in when he started speaking again, and she chuckled at his first statement. Yes, he certainly was the loudmouth idiot smuggler…he’d proven that more than a few times. The woman remained silent, however, her face becoming more serious as he continued on and she grasped what he was starting to say. Italia herself had never been overly intelligent, she certainly wasn’t Unintelligent, but she had always been average in everything. She’d always needed to work just a bit harder to keep up…her muscle memory tending to be better than her normal memory. Training had been easy for the girl to learn, weapons and fighting styles, tracking, stealth, that had all been relatively easy…but when it came down to book learning…if she couldn’t experience it first hand she had to really work to remember it. Her brothers had had more luck, all three of them. This wasn’t to say that Lia didn’t have her version of intelligence, she did, a lot of it, but all of that had taken years to learn and most of it either the hard way, focusing only on that one thing, or by doing performing it so many times…submersing herself in it so much…that she was FORCED to learn or not survive. If nothing else, however, the young woman was tenacious. She set herself a goal and come hell or high water, she’d reach that goal…she didn’t like backing down from a challenge, that was one thing she and Daryn had in common.

As the man continued, however, she felt more and more inadequate. Another nasty little flaw in her that she tried to hide, especially now. Lia saw how he was acting, noticed his body language. For some reason, she couldn’t grasp why, he wasn’t proud to be so intelligent. She would have traded with him in an instant if she could have. Being good at fighting and sneaking about only got one so far, and even that was in certain lines of work. He could be anything, do anything…his options were limitless, hers….well, hers weren’t. As he started talking about culture and understanding people she almost felt used. Was that all he’d wanted to prove to himself? That he could get to her by using her culture to react the way he thought she would want him to? Lia sighed slightly, rolling her shoulders out and causing the heavy armor to slide around as she shifted her weight to ease some of the tension she’d built up in her muscles. No…if Daryn had wanted to use my culture to act how he thought I would have wanted, he wouldn’t still be a complete pain my tail end, she thought, toying with her helmet slightly with the fingers of one gloved hand.

Green eyes took in the floor as he mentioned “an experience” that had made him “interested in the Mandalorian people”…and mentioned Saleucami. She huffed a slight chuckle.

Funny…you seemed very uninterested in it back then, always making smart remarks. What was it…something along the lines of “mandalorian mating rituals” and “knife fights for foreplay”? Or perhaps you curious about if c….if all of us were like myself or Cuir? I can tell you easily, it’s typically a ‘no’ to both.

No, that hadn’t been what she’d intended to say. She remembered Daryn asking, however rhetorically, if courtship WASN’T part of the mando’ade culture. She’d dismissed the comment as play at the time, but now she wasn’t so sure if he’d been asking in jest or in truth. There was a saying in the mando culture, however…

Haat o’r an nuhune….hmm, indeed.

She’d spoken mainly to herself, but no doubt he would be able, by now, to translate it: “many a true word spoken in jest”…that seemed to be the case, and she wondered, now, just what of that joke and been truth. Her gaze flickered up from the floor to meet his as he brushed the pad of his thumb against the black material that clung to her skin. It covered the mark there, but it was simply coincidence…and perhaps a bit of luck…that it did, the high collar of that padded under armor hiding as much of her skin from view as possible and giving her a sleek, predatory, look while in it and the armor. She blushed lightly at his final comment, and mildly wondered when it had become a habit of hers to blush around the smuggler. He heart fluttered behind her ribs slightly and she shifted slightly to try and ease some of the growing tension she felt. It didn’t work.

Is that so?

There was so much more she could have said, that she might have said had she been certain of her feelings for the man, but as it was she kept her tone neutral and lightly curious. A soft smile found it’s way to her face as she stubbornly resisted the urge to move closer to him. Before she had the chance to stop it, another question had slipped from her mind and into the open.

…and what else are you interested in, Daryn?

[Vex]

"Bah...I was plenty interested, but you had Mr. Fantastic there drooling all over your every step. I felt bad about getting into a battle of wits with him because he'd have been unarmed and I was worried he might challenge me to a 'flex-off'. It was obvious he wasn't right for you...but I wasn't really in a position to give my opinion or expect you to listen to it. Ergo...I was relegated to smart-ass comments." He grinned cheerfully, the wattage on the expression going up in giga-joules.

He trailed the hand from her throat, lightly guiding it down the smooth, expertly formed plating of that armor. It was...quite a piece of work. "Hmm...justice and reliability..." He reached up and eyed the strips on her shoulders. "Honoring the father...but you said it was 300 years old, so I'm guessing its more for honoring the family in general or maybe a specific ancestor?" He was pointedly ignoring her comment about truth, pretending he didn't know those particular words. Wouldn't do to let her know too much, too quick. What he'd just done was more revelation than he felt comfortable with to begin with. He couldn't even honestly say why he had imparted that knowledge. Better to misdirect her with admiration for the armor she wore.

Chuckling at her last question, he let his hand drop, fingers curling into the utility belt about her armored middle. He drew her closer, leaning in while he grinned at her with that playfully wolfish expression. The heat of his eyes lingered on her lips. "Right now...I'm interested in seeing what its like to kiss a heavily armed and armored beautiful warrior woman. I've almost forgotten what it's like...been so long." His expressin mellowed a bit as he spoke more honestly. "Also interested in making sure you stay alive so we can explore and see where...whatever's between us... will go. So much so that I might be willing to volunteer my services because your people need a pilot that can actually fly."

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

A sarcastic roll of her eyes was given to his, yet again, smart ass remarks. Chuckling a bit she shook her head and shrugged. There wasn't really much to refute there, he did have a point....sort of. As his hand slipped from her neck and down her armor she blinked at him silently. All she could really feel of that was the extra heat of his hand, but the action itself made her muscles bunch and bundle again. He even knew the meanings of the colors. As he commented on the crimson stripes along her shoulders and the age of the armor she decided to correct him on his thinking.

No, you were right the first time. It is for my father...he was killed just before the operation on Coruscant. The armor is over three hundred years old, nearly four hundred if I remember correctly. I received it from it's original owner as well, my great grandfather. He refused to allow me to fight on Shogun in my own armor, so his was modified to fit me.

She paused to allow the meaning of her words to sink in. Yes, odd as it may seem, Italia had a 399 year old great grandfather of a cyborg who was still alive and kicking.

He had offered it to me before Coruscant but I couldn't do my job in it, so I refused. I was helping him with a replacement chassis and decided to beat him to the punch with the armor and asked if his offer still stood...and so, here I am, a few updates and modifications later.

Though she allowed the ruse to play out, she guessed that Daryn had caught the meaning of her words in mando'a, she wouldn't press the issue however. After a moment his hand left the armor and she felt a tug on her waist from the belt as he urged her closer to him. Stepping forward, she gazed up at him, one eyebrow rising slightly at the look he was giving her, his eyes lingering around the area of her mouth. Lia chuckled a bit at his comment.

Uncomfortable, I'm sure. The armor is unyielding and it's unlikely to be comfortable when pressed against...especially for someone who's....barely clothed.

She tapped his chest lightly with a gloved finger, her own smirk coming to her face. After a moment his expression changed slightly as he spoke again. The woman snickered slightly at his concern. It was only slightly shared by herself, but that was fine with her, and he didn't need to know that was why she had reacted the way she did. For all he knew it could have been simple amusement at the innuendo behind the whole thing. That second sentence, however, caught her off guard, eyes widening slightly. Lia smiled and shook her head sadly for a moment.

I'm not sure how Mandalore would take that offer...nor Bane even. Honestly, I'm not sure either one would like the idea very much. I know for a fact that Bane wouldn't...insurmountable wall of ice and stone that he is. I'm not sure I'd like the idea of you, Itani, Bane AND Mandalore all in one place either...not to mention Mal. Things could get very sticky very fast in that situation.

A huff of breath and she shook her head. This was, indeed, one of those rare occasions where she had to say that "mandos don't take well to outsiders" would certainly be the case. Without thinking, she wrapped one hand around the back of Daryn's head and pulled it gently down until she was touching foreheads with him, her eyes closing slightly.

You're right, we could use a pilot like you, but I don't think they would allow it because you are not Mando'ade....and I can't risk asking them either, I think the tensions would be too high between you and Malak because of what happened at the medical facility, and I don't feel like having my friend rip you into pieces like an angry wookiee.

[Vex]

"I'm sorry about that, Lia...Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la." He was a little hesitant as he spoke the words. He understood them well enough, but he hadn't spoken the language much and was still a bit leery on the proper usage. If it was wrong, he hoped she would take it as he intended it to be: a consolation to her for her loss.

Of course, then he got to thinking about what she was saying...that her great grandfather had personally given her his armor. Armor that had been created by him over three hundred years ago. He blinked at that, his brows crinkling together as he tried to compute how that was working, exactly. His expression turned a bit dubious, the corner of his lip lifting u and a brow raising. Grinning, he shrugged. "Do I really want to know how you have an ancestor that's still around and kicking a couple of centuries later...one that's giving you his original armor?" Curiosity, of course, was rampant on his features and she got a taste of what he'd probably been like as a child, with a rapacious appetite for knowledge.

He understood her concern, allowing his forehead to rest against his as he listened to her quietly as sh spoke and explained it all to him. Sure, he understood it. He even had a good idea that she was going to tell him that. It was just how her people were. Understanding didn't necessarily equal agreeance or an ability to like the reasoning.

"I understand, Lia. I don't agree with it though. You could use anyone with the right skills and the willingness to use them. It's narrow-minded for a culture that expands to any sentient creature willing to follow the guidelines of being Mandalorian. As for Mal...I've got nothing against him, really. He saved your life and I owe him for that. He was just...competition...then. Like with Cuir. Can't help it, Lia..." He shrugged helplessly and grinned. The hand at her belt slipped behind her, resting against the small of her back and, armor or no, he pulled her closer, until she was against him.

Let's see if she felt the heat through the armor now...

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

Elek, vor ente’ye. It still hurts, it was only a month ago, but the pain will only make me stronger I suppose.

She gave a mild shrug. Lia had always been closer to her father than her mother…things were rarely ever strained between them like the relationship with Kiva could be. It was comforting, however, to have him say that, and in Mando’a as well. She managed a slight smile as he tried to puzzle out just what she’d said. The more baffled and curious he looked the more she smiled, snickering slightly at his confusion. His question made her laugh lightly and nod her head.

Yes you do want to know. Actually, he’s little more than a brain. I don’t know the full story about how it happened, but he was injured badly and that was all they could think to do to save him. His daughter, my ancestor, was taken by Republic forces, his wife killed and his son;s remains were never found. The only way Ark and I knew that we were related was by Itani’s ring and my necklace. It…it actually started by my seeing one of the ship replicas he was working on. My father had had one just like it, and every time I’d asked him where he got it…well, buir said that I’d never believe him if he told me. Turns out Ark gave it to him when he was ad’ika.

Lia reached beneath the tall collar of her under armor and pulled out a thin gold chain, the circular pendant imprinted with the shape of a flying Mandalorian Dove.

He told me it had been his daughter’s the initials on the back being hers. Itani got Ark’s wedding band. He, well, Ark allowed us to keep the bands.

She pulled off the black glove of her right hand and held it up. Settled on the middle finger of it was a silver band, two tiny diamonds set one on either side of a slightly larger sapphire (the stones set into the metal so they wouldn’t catch on anything), the curling etchings of wind flowing around either side of the ring. As he spoke again, his forehead resting against hers, she closed her eyes lightly and listened.

You can ask, if you like, but I cannot say for sure what their answer would be. Bane is not a tolerant person, Mandalore, however, might listen to what you have to say. He’s more open minded than I’d thought he would be, but I’m still uncertain on his take on non-mandos.

She huffed softly at his mention of his actions being about competition. What was she? A prize to be won? That raised her ire to be sure. He pulled her closer then, that cool armor pressing tightly to his warm skin. Yes, she could very well feel the heat of his body as it seeped through the armor plating. Her chest rose and fell a bit more rapidly behind the chest plate. Green eyes looked up into their near mirror color as he pressed her tightly to him. Okay, yes…the armor was getting a bit TOO hot now….

[Vex]

He grinned a bit, comfortable in the closeness they shared as she peeled back a layer of armor far thicker than beskar and allowed him to see a glimpse of her. Shewas allowing him to learn more about her...something vulnerable. It was amazing and, where it anyone else, he might consider it ludicrous. She'd never lied to him. He had a pretty decent read when it came to people, or so he thought. He found himself refreshed by the borderline bluntness of her. She rarely pulled punches and that sort of honesty was respectable.

"You are lucky, you know. Having your family so supportive...even if some of your past dealings might have delved int the shadier sides of civilization. It's not something you'd see every day."

The expression on his face shifted slightly. For a moment, the corners of his mouth wavered and dipped fractionally before his next heartbeat brought them back up. It was a fraction of a moment, easily missed by most. His hand slide up, closing lightly around her un-gloved hand and admiring the ring and its craftsmanship.

"It's beautiful...fits the bearer perfectly, I think." He moved a loose bit of that hair, curling it behind her head. Fingertips kneaded the nape above her armor as he grinned...trying to play a lighter spin on the rest of this as he caught the acceleration of her breathing and the flush of color that was subtly creeping down her cheeks. and what little exposed skin there was.

"So...what are you planning on doing with me now...all dressed up like that?"

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

She hummed slightly at his statement about her family being supportive. They were to a degree, she supposed, though it was mainly Itani that was supportive…and now Ark.

I’m not so sure about all of tha’…mum isn’ as supportive as you might think. They do try an’ understand I suppose, but she never wanted me to become a merc. She an’ dad had lots of arguments about it…and that’s just one thing that makes me say that. It’s more a fact of that she knows I’m old enough ta take care of myself an’ she cant stop me in my decisions, so she has little choice but be supportive.

Italia shrugged slightly, watching Daryn through her green eyes. She noticed his expression change, though she wasn’t entirely certain just what it meant. As soon as it came, however, the look was gone and she blinked in mild confusion. The only thing she could think was that he…didn’t have the best family in the universe, or at least not the most supportive one.

T-thank you…

Lia blushed a bit more at his round about compliment and she shifted slightly in his arms. Feeling a bit flustered at the moment, the poor woman didn’t quite know what to do with herself as she felt him push her hair out of her face. Flirting was one thing but when it came to serious compliments…or even semi-serious compliments…that didn’t have to do with her fighting, her slicing, or her ability to be like one of the guys…Lia tended to get a bit flustered. If it was a job, she could handle it. Daryn wasn’t a job, he wasn’t complimenting her on being one of the guys, and he wasn’t just flirting…he was (oddly enough) being serious. His question brought her back to herself, luckily for her, and she chuckled.

Well, seeing as you’re nearly in the nude, and I’m fully armored…I was thinking maybe I should even the playing field and take some of this off? Besides, it’s heavy as hell, and isn’t exactly climate controlled.

She shifted her helmet again and glanced around for a decent place to put it down. No where close by really, so she moved it to her other arm and shifted her weight a bit.

Been standing a while, got a place to sit, or are we gonna just stand here in the hall the rest of the day?

[Vex]

"Got some ideas on what we could do in the hallway...doesn't particularly involve much standing though." Cracking a grin, he lowered his hand and hooked his fingertips into that belt around her waist. "Don't know why you don't work a little cooling into the bodysuit. You people like to wear it so much...you should make it enjoyable to wear." He chided her, but lightly and playfully as he began dragging her along toward his bunk.

Funny how he teased her about her people and their ways, yet he was so willing and ready to give up what he knew just to get the chance to stay with her, to be with her. For all of the bluff an bluster, he generally worked in surprisingly logical (at lest to his mind) ways. He couldn't even logically explain it.

Stepping over the threshold, he drew her in. The room, surprisingly, wasn't obnoxiously loud. If anything, it was rather elegantly furnished and slightly Spartan. Most of the space was made up of discreet shelving that could be closed and sealed. Most were. Hidden behind those doors....a true glimpse of Daryn Destrell could be found...but it was hidden from view...much like him most of the time.

He turned back and faced her, letting go and gesturing to the bed and the desk chair he had in a sweeping motion. "My Ante is your Ante, darlin....any way I can help?"

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

Italia blushed a bit more and chuckled, shaking her head. Daryn sure didn’t pull any punches when it came to his desires in THAT realm. He teased her lightly about the armor she wore and all she could do was roll her eyes at him. Cooling wasn’t exactly a luxury one NEEDED on the battlefield, besides, it was impractical. There were other systems that could be equipped into the armor that might save her life and a cooling system certainly wasn’t one of them. Daryn gave a light tug at her belt, urging her along after him and she sighed dramatically. Oh woe is she, being dragged along to his bunk…A light snicker escaped her at the thought.

You do like ta tease, don’t ya? Bah…idiot smuggler, always wantin’ the cushy stuff like cool air.

He wanted to joke around, fine, she’d play along and tease him back. Her smile faded slightly as a twinge of guilt and uncertainty gnawed at the back of her mind. She knew he liked her, and knew that she…to some degree or other…like him back (more than she cared to admit, perhaps), but she also liked Solus’ad. It wasn’t fair to Daryn to play along like this and pretend that he was the only one on her mind. Sighing heavily, she resigned herself to telling him the bad (she assumed it was going to be taken badly) news when he pulled her into his room.

Thoughts of telling Daryn about her interest in both him and Sol were pushed from her mind as she blinked about, more than a bit surprised at what she saw. Of all the things she’d imagined his room might be like, this certainly hadn’t been it. For as wild and flashy as he seemed, this place was actually…tasteful, if not a bit sparingly furnished. Green eyes glanced around, not quite certain what to make of this new insight into Mr. Destrell. Auburn head tilted to the side slightly before she glanced over at Daryn and smirked to cover just much more surprised she really was. What he’d seen of it (if anything) was only the tip of the ice burg.

Well…the flashy smuggler has some taste after all.

She teased again. His words caught her off guard once again, but she simple smiled and shook her head slightly as she moved toward the chair. Pulling it out to sit in, she paused a moment.

Actually, yes…if you wouldn’ mind….could I get some water?

It was odd just how embarrassed she felt, asking for something so simple from him. She liked to do things for herself, but getting the armor off came first, and…he’d offered. Besides, there was the fact that she hadn’t a clue where he kept anything and it wasn’t exactly polite to go rummaging about through people’s things unless they gave you permission.

This thinking extended to cups.

Taking a seat, she settled her helmet down on the desk and sighed slightly. It was nice to just sit down for once in the armor. She’d kept herself standing almost every minute of the time she wore it, which had been almost constantly since the time she’d acquired it. Reclining back into the chair she relaxed just enough to let her muscles unwind before she had to move them again to get the bloody thing off. Besides, she wasn’t in a rush.