A Ku-razy Un-Common Ride (Silfe)

[Bradshaw Ku]

The night had not gone as any of them planned. If it weren’t for the reason for that unplanned change, [member="Kirie Ito"]’s collapse, Bradshaw would’ve considered the night a resounding success. For they had, only hours before, been at an opulently ostentatious charity ball put on by the First Order. It had been splendid, rich, and brimming with some of the galaxy’s most powerful leaders, politicians, force users, and generals…. and Bradshaw had wanted to get out of there the moment he crossed the threshold.

Unlike many of the meetings and diplomatic gatherings that required his presence, or to put it more correctly, at which [member="Lady Kay"] required his presence, the ball had not been one of those such gatherings. So why did a former smuggler and combat pilot with manners only a little more sophisticated than a Hutt, and the attention span for small-talk of a four-year-old in a pet store, bother to clean himself up, put on a suit, and attend such a thing?

The answer was [member="Silfe Sosuri"], the CSA’s newish Minister of Foreign Affairs. He knew she would attend, maybe even be expected to attend, the ball and although the thought of schmoozing with crusty galactic generals and leaders was more repulsive to him than crawling inside a tauntaun, it was too good an excuse for a second date with the young woman who’d captured the attention of the playboy prince.

They said goodbye to Kirie and his new advisor [member="Jairdain"], and watched as Jairdain helped the other young woman into their awaiting ride on the landing pad of the Royal Palace in Chasin City. But, Bradshaw wasn’t yet ready to call it a night with Silfe. The sun was just dipping below the horizon, painting a brilliant purple, red, and orange hue onto the smattering of fluffly clouds overhead, and reflecting off the glass and steel of the city. Time was relative, of course, when you’ve been traveling off planet, but it still felt too early to just send Silfe home.

Then an idea occurred to him with a smile and a glint in his eye.

“Tea date, then a stuffy ball. I think it’s time we have some real fun and adventure.” He said as he took her hand and without waiting, would lead her half hurriedly with boyish excitement across the landing pad toward one of the smaller hangars trying to leave the security detail behind. When they came to a compact, blanket covered object inside, he would rip the covering off to reveal the specially built speeder-bike underneath.

He mounted the bike, a little further back on the seat than normal, leaving a space in front of him where he expected Silfe to go.

“C’mon, I’ll show you the canyons outside the city.” He said confidently and patted the seat.

He slipped his jacket off to have ready to wrap around Silfe. It was a nice night out, but the wind at 125 or more miles an hour could make things a bit nippier, to say the least. He wanted her to sit in front of him so that he could half hang onto her while he steered and to keep an eye on her. If she were relegated to trying to hang on in the back, there was no telling what could happen, she could slip and fall without warning.

“My mother had it built for a coronation present, about time I used it. Don’t worry, I’m a professional. It’ll be a blast!”

 

[Silfe Sosuri]

No, the night had definitely not gone according to plan. Had it gone according to plan, she would still be introducing herself or being introduced to some of the Galaxy's finest and most upstanding citizens. She would have accompanied Lady Kay and represented her planet and her new home of Commenor. Had pretty much anything else interrupted that evening, she would have remained anyway. Her Duty was to her job, but it had been the collapse of Lady Kay's assistant and it was quite important to get her home.

This left Silfe with an unfulfilling night as far as professionally she was concerned, but it did leave her with a practically empty night ahead with [member="Bradshaw Ku"], who had been her very handsome date for the evening. She watched Jairdain leave with Kirie. Hopefully the deaf woman would get come much needed rest.

Brad brought her attention back to him as he spoke. She answered his infectious grin with one of her own and when he took her hand, she gladly ran with him with a squeal and a giggle. The night went from a professional engagement to a fun and free-spirited date. Thankful for her red flats under her gown, she ran with him, wondering what he had in mind.

When he uncovered the speeder bike, she gasped. His hopping on and patting the seat conveyed exactly the kind of idea that he had in mind. She debated only for a moment before looking at her gown and it's slightly poofy skirt. It took a few moments, but she gathered up the necessary areas of fabric to enable her to straddle the bike. No way was she going to miss this due to her wardrobe.

Silfe laughed softly and put her arms in his jacket. It was definitely going to be a little cold. The young woman wiggled on the seat to make sure she was up against him then turned her hread to look at him with her dark eyes. Softly she said, "Okay playboy. Let's go for a ride."

 

[Bradshaw Ku]

Bradshaw’s characteristic grin, always suggestive of at least a little mischief, grew exponentially as [member="Silfe Sosuri"] took only a moment of consideration before excitedly joining him on the speeder. After helping her into his jacket, she turned to him and with a soft voice encouraged their wild adventure to begin.

For a few quietly panicked moments, he hoped there was actually any gas in the tank and that nothing else would prevent their planned wild ride from taking off. Or else, his exciting romantic idea was going to take a hilarious flop for the worse. He could already hear the fun [member="Darlyn Excron"] would have with that.

But then, the bike roared to life and vibrated with pent-up power beneath the couple in answer to Silfe’s statement and assuaging Brad’s own moment of anxiety.

“You know, you call me playboy an awful lot. I’m starting to think you like it…-” he whispered in her ear with a cocky-grin before quickly wrapping his right arm around her stomach to hold her in place, while simultaneously letting loose on the throttle with his left hand, spinning the bike a tight hundred-eighty degrees to face the exit. “As you wish Minister,” he added and then ripped the bike into near arm dislocating acceleration. Aid from the force being the only thing keeping both him, and by association, Silfe from being thrown off the back.

In almost a blink of an eye, the couple were speeding through the backstreets of Chasin City at a brisk 125 miles an hour. The sun just now setting below the canyons ahead of them.

 

[Silfe Sosuri]

The plan sounded so good and she had even been witty for a moment, but the bike roared to life underneath her and suddenly Silfe grew worried. She had never been on a speeder before, but she had seen them running around often enough to know they were dangerous on multiple levels. His words distracted her momentarily from her fears. She simply smiled and said, "I call them like I see them. Whether I like it or not, remains to be seen." Silfe liked the way [member="Bradshaw Ku"] said her title. It warmed her more than his coat did.

His arm around her warmed her as well and helped her to feel a little safer, but it all fell away as they jumped forward at impossible speeds. Silfe squealed briefly before her heart caught in her throat. The wind whipped her hair and dress. No doubt by the end of the ride, her elegant updo from the evening would be gone. Hair pins galore will be found the next day in the streets of Chasin City. Her dress thankfully stayed down, pinned beneath her as it was. Her grip on his arm tightened considerably and she closed her eyes tight, unsure if she had the courage to open them.

 

[Bradshaw Ku]

The squeal from [member="Silfe Sosuri"] as they jumped forward into neck breaking speeds wasn’t unexpected of course, but as they sped through the mostly empty backstreets of Chasin City and then out into the suburbs bordering on the Eldritch Mountains, her grip on his arm caught his attention. That, and the anxiety he sensed from her through the force.

The bike dipped to the right as he angled around an acute corner, his knee only inches from the pavement, before rising again on a straightaway that didn’t last long at this clip.

Driving or piloting, even at these speeds, was almost second nature for him, so most of his focus was payed to holding onto his date.

Of course, now it occurred to him that speeding through winding streets at twice or three times the limit might be more than just exciting for her. That it could be frightening. Sometimes he was too self-centred to remember that other people hadn’t grown up smuggling and piloting starfighters. That risking your life for thrills and excitement wasn’t normal.

He squeezed her more tightly. Holding her close to him for reassurance. The speeder’s roar of power slowly relaxed as he gently let up on the throttle until they were coasting at a more reasonable, though still not pedestrian, 60mph. They rose along with the road as it traced the outlines of the mountain range. Their left side opening out to the capital city below, the setting sun just now dipping below the peeks on their right. It was a good thing [member="Lady Kay"] and [member="Veiere Arenais"] were still off world, and not cuddling up in the private family estate located here in the mountains.

Decreasing their speed further, down to just some 30mph, he let go of his hold on her midsection with his right arm, though still keeping them in place through the force, and took hold of her own right hand guiding it to the handlebar.

“Ever driven a speeder before? Now’s your chance.” He calmly offered. “Go on, I won’t let us crash.”

 

[Silfe Sosuri]

They raced through the city but its beauty was lost on her as she was so terrified of the ride itself. Her grip on his arm was like iron and as they rounded a corner, she held her breath until she was almost purple from the effort. Silfe was definitely NOT used to this kind of speed in any manner, much less on a speeder where she was openly exposed to everything from the road below to a multitude of obstacles such as houses and even people. Over time she was able to open her eyes, but they watered from the speed and only relaxed a little as he thankfully lowered the speed to 60 miles per hour. It wasn't enough to make her entirely comfortable, but it was better than going twice that. Her heart pounded in her chest and not being an adrenaline junkie, it was not the most pleasant feeling.

The closeness of [member="Bradshaw Ku"], his heat against her back, and the loveliness of the mountain view did much to appease her anxieties as they continued on. She almost wasn't terrified out of her mind anymore. She was even breathing somewhat regularly. Now that she was past the majority of her fears and he had realized he was not riding with an expert pilot, she was able to enjoy the view and the ride considerably more. One might even call it romantic, which was definitely the point to all of this.

As he decreased his speed, she relaxed even further... that is until he moved his hand from her waist. Silfe, growing confused and anxious once more, turned her head to look at Bradshaw. That was when she realized he had moved her hand to the handlebar of the speeder and was offering to let her drive. Having never driven such a contraption before, she wasn't sure his mind was sound in suggesting it but she hesitated only a moment before she took a hold of the handlebars and turned her attention to the road which they were still on and still going forward. "I am not sure what to do!" she exclaimed with worry thick in her voice. "I don't think this was your most intelligent idea."

 

[Bradshaw Ku]

[member="Silfe Sosuri"]’s shocked look as she turned to him after feeling his hand move from her waist caused his eyebrow to raise slightly in amusement and a bend to crease his lips. Not because he liked torturing her. That wasn’t the aim at all, no matter how effective he may be at it. But because it was still slightly amusing and surprising that someone should be so worked-up over a little ride through the countryside – as he thought of it.

No, any amount of unpleasantness: anxiety, stress, even fear of becoming roadkill, was a kind of unfortunate by-product, a side-effect built up over years of living on his own, thinking of only himself, searching the galaxy for the next conquest, the next exciting new adventure.

Even with that shocked look, the unease his date was clearly feeling and her exclamation -- her hesitation was only momentary. Much like the start to this half romantic, half death defying endeavour, she allowed herself to go along for the ride, as it were, even going against her fears for the chance to glimpse what might come next.

He really loved that about her.

His hand squeezed hers in reassurance.

“Not my most intelligent idea? If I had a credit for every time I heard that, I’d be as rich as royalty or something… Well would'ya look at that! The universe does have a sense of humour after all.”

With his hand over hers on the throttle he gently coaxed their combined grip into decreasing the speed down to an even more manageable fifteen miles an hour. It was good timing too, as they were just rounding the last right turn which would lead into the driveway of the family estate resting peacefully at the top of the Eldritch Mountains.

“Nothing to it really. Here--”, he positioned both her hands on the handlebars, his own hands, arms, and body wrapped around her like a glove – every steady muscle further assurance that everything was more under control than it first appeared.

“I’ll help you keep the right speed, just concentrate on steering. I’ll even help you with that too.”

Unsurprisingly, his little driving instruction was quickly devolving into an excuse to cuddle up to her. Their earlier exhilarating race through the streets now turning into a close, quiet ride up the last bit of mountain with the sun setting below the horizon and the moon just now starting to glow visibly in the sky.

 

[Silfe Sosuri]

Silfe was at heart actually quite a courageous woman despite her more delicate exterior and sensibilities. Perhaps she was finally going to start coming out of her shell and becoming the woman she was meant to be. It was a slow process but there was already changes in her that were distinctly different than what had been seen in her when she first arrived on Commenor. She was still nervous but she was getting better with each passing day and each trial of her courage. With him wrapped around her, she seemed more confident than she had when he had first proposed this idea.

She smiled and blushed, feeling his body against hers in almost every way in order to keep her safe and assist her in driving this contraption. Had she the ability, she would have been more cognizant of the beauty of the mountain, but all her concentration was on the speeder and steering. She trusted [member="Bradshaw Ku"] to make sure they didn't crash, but there was no guarantee in life and she didn't want to disappoint him by crashing and ruining their date... the date that was actually going so well. The slow speed and her concentration did her justice. Soon they were moving without too much fuss or need of correction. It was a lovely quiet ride together in the moonlight.

She was in awe of his ability to reassure her enough to let her mind relax to do the thing... whatever it may be. "This is amazing." She said with a laugh.

 

[Bradshaw Ku]

“Isn’t it!”

Bradshaw exclaimed genuinely to [member="Silfe Sosuri"]’s own pronouncement. Even though they were traveling at a mild run, the former smuggler loved piloting so much that despite their slow pace, his date’s excitement was infectious.

But did it really have to do with his own love of piloting? Or was it really to do with his company. No amount of love for piloting could make a fifteen mile an hour journey on a speeder bike exciting.

However, most know that special company can make even the most mundane activities, like a cup of tea, feel so much more alive and exhilarating than they otherwise would.

Most, that is, but him. It was wholly unfamiliar.

So many women across the galaxy, so many façades erected for previous dates. One moment he was the galaxy’s greatest combat pilot, the survivor of many glorious battles, the next, maybe a mysterious unground smuggler with secrets to hide in all the right places.

The stories he told were usually based at least a little in reality, better for keeping them straight, but were otherwise embellished to make himself more interesting and profound in a way he thought he never could be in reality. But after years of telling stories and putting on emotional costumes, the mask hardened into a restricting helmet, the costume morphing into cold, stiff armor.

What was once soft, pliable, a tale spun for a good time for one night, became protection. In a galaxy of chaos, in a life without family, stories could protect against genuine connection and painful loss. So much so, that even now with family and friends. A place to belong. A life with purpose waiting to be seized. He had a hard time believing it was all more than just a story.

The heavy armor was not so easily cast aside.

He helped Silfe keep a slow speed and guided them into the driveway. Fortunately, she didn’t need much assistance. A little course correction here, speed adjustment there. Otherwise, she was proving to be a very quick learner.

“You’re really good at this. You sure you’ve never done this before?” he flattered. Though, it was flattery resting on truth.

“If you think this is fun, you have to let me take you for a ride in my Starfighter. That's where the real fun starts."

After pulling into the driveway, he would help her shut the machine off before dismounting. Offering out his hands to help her, he then looked to the beautiful estate before them. At once rustic and charming, but also new and modern. The family estate had been designed and built in secret by [member="Veiere Arenais"] and it had been a surprise for [member="Lady Kay"]. A sanctuary for them to get away from their constant duties and obligations.

Bradshaw, not yet paying much mind to his own duties and obligations, felt little need to visit the house. If he wanted to get away, a frequent compulsion, he preferred to wander the galaxy pretending not to be a prince -- and telling those stories.

Wrapping an arm around her waist, almost as if he were still keeping her from falling, he walked with her toward the entrance.

“I thought maybe we could sit on the second-floor balcony with a drink, looking up at the stars. Maybe this time something a little stronger than tea.” He chuckled and turned his eyes to her.

“Sound good, Minister?”

 

[Silfe Sosuri]

Flying through the air had turned out to be much more fun than she thought it would be. After the initial terror, she was able to really enjoy the feeling of cool wind on her face and the beautiful scenery. "I swear, I have never done this before." She replied with a breathless laugh. "Maybe I should put this on my list of things to learn next." She shrugged and almost turned a little too far with her hand. Quickly she righted it, and went back to concentrating on their trip.

Pulling into the driveway, she made a quick look around to figure out where they were. She knew of the place only because that was where Lady Kay was going to be retiring once the babies were born. This way she and Veiere could spend some time without the pressures of their kingdom bogging down their every move during those first precious months together as a family. For a moment, she felt like she was intruding on their private hideaway.

"Are you sure this is okay? I do not wish to intrude on your parents haven." Worry sat heavily in her voice and she almost needed prodding to keep going.

 

[Bradshaw Ku]

Bradshaw gave a good-natured chuckle to accompany his date’s while she nearly turned too much. Fortunately, she easily righted herself and the machine only moments after.

“You really should put this on your list. You might be a natural! It’be a shame if you never found out.” He encouraged just before they pulled into the driveway.

After dismounting the speeder and describing to her what he had in mind for the rest of their night, he saw a change in her expression. The force, though he was not very well trained, whispered words of anxiety and unease as those emotions rippled out from [member="Silfe Sosuri"]. For whatever reason, he always did find her easier to feel through the force than most.

His heart began to sink with the thought that, maybe, for whatever reason, she’d changed her mind about continuing the night with him. Only for a second, however, because she voiced her concerns soon after.

“No, it’s fine! Really!” He said confidently. It wasn’t just for show. He really was — well mostly —confident that his parents wouldn’t mind. As long as they didn’t trash the place or something along those lines.

Letting go of her, he started backwards walking down the stone walkway toward the front door.

“It’s a family home. I’m family. So, it’s my home too, ain’t it?” He asked rhetorically before casually slipping his hands into one pocket and then another.

“Anyway. The ol’ parents are still at the ball so, we won’t be bothering anyone.”

While still slowly walking backward and absently checking his pockets, it now dawned on him that he didn’t have the house keys — which were probably stuffed in a sock drawer in the palace suite, or maybe he left them aboard one of the couple small freighters he used to make his way around the galaxy unnoticed — either way, he of course couldn’t be bothered to remember the security code to the house either.

Not wanting to look foolish in front of his date for having brought them all the way up here just to go back down because he didn’t have keys, he quickly considered his options. And then it hit him, nobody ever locks the second-floor windows/doors, it was information that had come in handy for him many times in the past, and not to break into his own house.

Looking up toward the second-floor balcony with a mischievous grin, he looked back toward Silfe, “I told you tonight we were going to have some fun and excitement. So, if I’ve hopefully eased your concern about hanging out here tonight, I have another idea.”

He paused for effect a moment before asking, “Ever been lifted by the Force?”

 

[Silfe Sosuri]

With his ease of manner, she was quickly assuaged of her fears that they were intruding. And he had been right. His parents were still at the ball and likely to be there all night handling diplomatic discussions. Truly that was where she should be but Kiri had needed to be taken home and Lady Kay could easily fill her in on whatever was needed tomorrow. She still worried about how Lady Kay was taking the fact that Silfe had brought [member="Bradshaw Ku"] as her date... or was it the other way around? Either way, she did need to speak with the monarch at some point to clarify. Even though this was her romantic life, quite separate from her professional life, Kay had been kind and helpful and best of all, had given her a haven and home of her own. For now... for tonight, she had Brad. Tomorrow it could all change, but she didn't want it to.

Silfe walked after her intrepid date, approaching the house and noticing the odd look on his face. She wasn't certain what was doing on in his mind for his face was not that transparent, but he was thinking about something... contemplating? Puzzling out?

At last they had come close enough to the house that he looked up and then back at her. She grinned and tilted her head a bit inquiringly, wondering what could possibly be on his mind. At his question, she stood stunned. "...I... Well, no." It wasn't as though she had regular friendships with Jedi, much less those that would use their abilities to lift her.

 

[Bradshaw Ku]

“Good.” He said with his classic smuggler’s grin as he walked away from the house and toward [member="Silfe Sosuri"], who’s answer and expression was one pregnant with unasked questions as to what he had in mind.

On his way to passing her by, he grabbed hold of her shoulders for a moment and bending down a little to bring his mouth closer to her ear, said in a much more confident tone than the content of the sentence would normally warrant, "I haven’t lifted anyone with the Force either.”

Now walking away from her, he started pacing like a cat in the front yard, his gaze locked onto the second story balcony. A cat judging his distance before pouncing.

“This I haven’t done too. So, we get to experience two new things together.”

He put on a brave face. But inside, his nerves were making a butterfly sanctuary of his stomach.

You didn’t want to look like a fool, he chastised, so this is what you come up with? How’s this going to turn out any better? You fool!

Gritting his teeth against his own internal onslaught, he tried to push the doubt, not just to the back of his mind, but deeper. So far into his psyche that it became lost in all the other thoughts. It was what he had to do when he piloted in combat. A moment’s doubt and hesitation there, and you wouldn’t be around much longer to feel anything.

Like piloting, he reached out to the force the way he did when siting behind a dashboard. It was a connection to the force that felt natural. Not good. Not evil. Not hateful nor loving. Just there. Instinctive. Powerful. Flowing.

He sprinted toward the house.

“You only live ooooooooooonce!”

Right foot down, a spring uncoiling, tension released, and the force guided him...

All the way up to the smaller master bedroom balcony on the third floor. Where it was all he could do to roll inelegantly into a landing before the glass door stoped his somersault with a loud clang.

Bruised and disoriented, he sprang to his feet as quickly as he could recover.

He waved his hand as if to say, “I’m okay,” before crawling over the banister and falling to the second floor balcony.

“I meant to do that! Just thought the second floor wouldn't be impressive enough.”

His head was poking over the railing, eyes looking down at his date. At least he’d managed it at all. It could’ve gone so much worse. And he knew it.

“Alright, now it’s your turn. How do you want to do this? You wanna run and jump? Or stand still? Oh, would you look at that, the view from up here is great!” He teased.

He was beaming with pride and relief.

“Or if you’re really scared, I guess you could take the stairs too. You umm, feelin’ adventurous yet?”

 

[Silfe Sosuri]

She naturally leaned into him as his mouth drew closer to her delicate ears. What he whispered was no doubt for shock value and he certainly could not have been disappointed by her rather astonished face made as he pulled away to contemplate how he wanted to go about this feat of the Force. Her misgivings became far greater as his admission of rookie skills as far as doing this was concerned. She had heard through the gossip of the government building that he had been trained but had not completed the training. Par for the course as far as the staff was concerned. They had very little hope that the Prince would ever come to his senses about his official duties and the hard work it would take.

Watching him, she couldn't help but wonder if this was all going to end in disaster, or if he would actually manage to pull it off. At least this action of him jumping up (with assistance of the Force) to a higher balcony was just putting himself at risk. She imagined [member="Bradshaw Ku"] did that every day so such a thing as this would be something he could handle. Still, she was nervous for him and watched with trepidation as he prepared to make the leap. As he soared up higher than expected and with more force than she expected, she gasped and her hand flew to her mouth to cover the look of both surprise and concern. Silfe winced as she heard him hit the glass door. At least it didn't sound as though he broke it.

As he looked down, he would see her anxiety and then relief flood her features as she realized he was alright. Her hand moved from her mouth to her heart as she let out her breath. She obviously didn't believe for a second that he meant to fly that high and sardonic look she gave him might have told him so.

"Well that is a relief!" She shouted up at him. "Try to be more careful with me?" She was feigning a bravery she did not feel, but she wanted to feel it. Fake it til you make it!