Private Across the Sand

[Jairdain]

Sine Jairdain was not expecting to find another person that could use the Force, she wasn't trying to find that with him. Sensing his focus on her, she lifted an eyebrow.

"If you're wondering if I can use the Force. Yes. I feel you can as well when you probe at me like that."

Raising a hand as if to reassure him, she lowered it before speaking again.

"You don't have to worry about me trying to hurt you. I am no Sith. That makes me wonder if you are?"

She was a confident woman and assumed she would have felt the darkness within Dallas if that were the case. Not having that feeling though, she still asked. Even she could be fooled if she wasn't on guard for something.

Seeming to be making small conversation, she went with the flow.

"There are many different ways to cook it. Stews, steaks, jerky...you name it and it can be done. I prefer the stew and steak. Anything leftover from dinner, I'll use in a stew tomorrow. Hope you don't mind leftovers."

In her hands, the meat would take on a different taste and texture. It would still be quite fulfilling and that would be enough for her. Would it work for him?

Nodding when he said he wasn't the best gardener, she understood. This was something that had taken her a great amount of time to master. Perhaps she could teach him and in time he would be a master of gardener too,

"No, problem Dallas. I'm glad you won't kill the plants. They are hardy and have to be to grow here."

As he looked around earlier, he might have noticed there wasn't a holovid set or even any pictures on the walls. A few nick-knacks but not even very many of those.

"Thank you for agreeing to help and stay with me. What do you do in your spare time?"

William Bradley

 

[William Bradley]

​

Dallas gave a soft nod as she noticed his probing out with the force as he let out a cough looking away before looking back at Jairdain his face showing his apologies for having been probing her with the force.​

"No, no m'am I'm sorry I wasn't trying to be intrusive I was just wondering. I am no sith, I just have some training in the force that's all." ​

Dallas sipped at his water as he looked away, his thoughts drifting to many years past as he watched his master die in front of his eyes cut down trying to save someone he cared for deeply. He shook his head. The feeling of distress being thrown from the man before he managed to calm himself down focusing on the present, trying to leave the past that haunted him.​

"Well it is very lovely, and I don't mind leftovers at all, as long as it is half as great as the meal you have cooked us here then I will be more than happy to have it."​

Telling that she had spent many years cooking he wasn't that worried with the meal he would be having the next night that came from what they didn't finish with their current course. It was actually an interesting thought of how she would make it with the meat they were eating now.​

"I'm sorry I forgot to answer your question, me and my crew usually just do whatever work that comes to us. We do deliveries between system whether it's cargo or people. We also do labor, whatever will pay a good buck whilst were on planet. I don't do much on my free time, there usually is more than enough for me to do to not have much free time."​

This was very true coming from Dallas, he hadn't had much time with trying to keep an ancient ship together in space without many spares was keeping him busy, let alone with the scarcity of jobs that would pay enough to allow for him to keep her going. It was becoming worse and worse to leave a planet to try and get jobs at the enxt but the crew endured their endless journey through the stars.​

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[Jairdain]

Unable to see the expression on his face, she certainly felt the apology through the Force. Attempting to smooth over the probe, she waved a hand in an almost distracted manner. Nodding her head when he said wasn't trying to be intrusive, it was a good thing too. Any further probing would have likely set off her mental defenses and blinded him. Keeping this to herself, hopefully, he would pick up on the fact she wasn't mad at him.

"What are you wondering?"

Sensing he was remembering something, Jairdain easily picked up on his distress. Not knowing what was causing it, she attempted to send him some sort of calming through the Force. Noticing he either gained control of his emotions himself or her natural ability worked, he calmed down.

Smiling a little when he complimented her cooking, Dallas said he had no issue with leftovers. Taking another bite of her food, she leaned back in her chair as she chewed. Listening to his belated answer, she understood better what they did. Many years ago, she had stuff like they did. When she was a teenager and before she had ever joined the Jedi.

"Your work is similar to some things I did many years ago. Maybe when I work here is done or I want to leave...if you have room for a Jedi on your crew that is, I can join you. It would be nice to be able to travel freely like that again. Going where the credits are and just where life takes one."

In her own way, she was going back to those days in her own mind. While still staying in the present and focusing on the man across the table from her.

"Right now, you could say I'm on leave from my duties with the Jedi."

Choosing not to go into any detail yet, Jairdain would leave it up to him if he asked why.

William Bradley

 

[William Bradley]

​

He understood the need for privacy, especially when it came to people who could force their way inside with the force and the such, it was his way to reassure that he wasn't trying to do anything of the such, and he hoped that she could understand the same. His moment of distress coming to an end he felt her wave of calm pass over him, his eyes looking towards her in thanks as he took a minute to compose himself. Dallas didn't want to be shown as weak in front of his new employer if he could help it, but the past tended to be ruthless to him and could bring back some pretty distasteful memories when it wanted to.​

Her food truly hit the spot, he hadn't had a good meal in a long while and this made him feel warm and good in the stomache. Their conversation brought back memories of starting his crew and then becoming what they are now as he let out a long sigh as he remembered all the wild rides they had gotten into over the years giving him a warm smile.​

"I mean if you want to m'am. We don't really have another room... but we could always figure out some arrangement if you wanted to come with us. I'll just warn you don't use too much of the force if you do come, the boys don't really know besides Lay."​

Dallas mentioned Lay, this was his first mate, and his guidance. He was an older fella that had been with him when they dusted off the old ship and began the whole blasted adventure they had gotten into in the years past.​

"It doesn't bother me if your Jedi or not.... and I understand the want to travel and to be in the stars, but I honestly don't know how much longer the crew and I will be doing this.. I- I don't want you to join just for it to end not to long after leaving you somewhere if we all go our separate ways."​

Saying this wasn't easy for him, he had flown the ship for a long time, but she was ancient when he started flying her, and it just got worse with trying to keep the upkeep on her every time they came to another planet.​

Jairdain

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[Jairdain]

Feeling the thanks from him, Dallas didn't have to say the words. The Force did not lie but a person using it could. She didn't sense or feel any of that from him and she finally relaxed. Leaning forward again slightly, she picked up her glass and took a drink before taking another bite of food.

"Please just call me Jairdain. I wouldn't want to impose or anything. If you don't have room, I understand. A ship can only have so many bunks."

While he did say accommodations could be made, she wouldn't expect that from him or his crew. Then he mentioned the kicker. She would not be able to use the Force openly or very much if she did. Only one of his crew was aware of his own ability to use it. Pointing at her eyes, she shook her head a little.

"I use the Force to see, Dallas. There's no way around that. However, it's a very subtle thing so hopefully, your men wouldn't notice. Of course, if they asked me to read something, I would be lost. Because, well, I can't see."

Fine details were pretty much unknown to the woman but she got along in her life just fine without them. Listening to him speak that he and his crew might not be going on together much longer brought an eyebrow up in surprise.

"What makes you say that?"

Poking at her food again, she got her next bite and chewed on that while waiting for him to answer.

William Bradley

 

[William Bradley]

​

Dallas' eyes looked down softly, as he gritted his teeth the surge of anger, remorse, and sadness flew through him like it was a swift breeze, calming down as he took a deep breath and shook his head. That crew was all he had, and if he lost the ship then they would have to go, he couldn't, he wouldn't expect them to stay if there was nothing there to keep them alive.​

"The ship is so old that I can barely find parts for her anymore. If I do find parts they are priced up so far that even bantha dung is better than having to pay that. Or if I can't find the parts I'm looking for I have to manage to create a part that there aren't many production manuals on anymore and hope, no pray that it doesn't blow up when we try to use it."​

Dallas was getting a little upset at this point, as he thought about the ship that he had spent years working on and forcing to run, flight after flight, jump after to jump from planet to planet he forced the Midnight Sparkle to fly so that the crew could make a living using her as transport and cargo running. She was old, having been put out of commission thousands of years before he was old, it was a miracle that he even owned one that worked as well as she had.​

"With the state of the galaxy it's hard to find the type of work that we need to keep alive, to provide for the parts and the food that we need. Each one of us has sacrafised a lot for her and for the rest of the crew. I can't expect them to stay like this much longer if we can't find more steady work for all of us."​

His head hung low, he was defeated and tired. He might have been a force user, he might have been a jedi at one time. The man before Jairdain was a husk of what he used to be. Strong and confident, became a man who just wanted to be happy and to keep his family together. Another long sigh came from his lips before he looked back up at her and cleared his through as he continued on with his meal.​

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[Jairdain]

So much for her natural calming effect on those around her. Jairdain clearly felt the emotions rise with her guest but he was able to calm himself down pretty quickly. He explained some of the issues he was having and she wanted to comfort him. Perhaps he would be able to pick this up through the Force. She went to no effort to hide what she was feeling.

"What kind of ship do you have? If I did join you, I have connections and could help with the expenses."

Sending what she could to him, she laid a hand on the table to maybe act as something of a conduit. Expelling a sense of care, he should be able to pick up on it easily. There were no false pretenses with her and Dallas might be able to tell this.

"Would it mean anything if I told you, I understand? Many years ago, I worked on a ship that did all sorts of jobs. So very similar to how you operate, from what I can gather, at least."

Giving him a bit of a hopeful smile, she finished her steak and if he was done with his, would take their plates to the kitchen to wash them.

"I'm sorry I don't have much here in the way of entertainment."

Shrugging slightly, she took care of the leftovers and put them away.

"Is there anything you want to do before bed?"

Wiping her hands off, she rejoined him and invited him to sit on the couch in the living room.

William Bradley

 

[William Bradley]

​

Letting out a long sigh he felt her trying to comfort him, even physically putting a hand out for him. He placed his hand on hers softly, his rough skin against hers softly as he gave a soft knowing nod. He really did appreciate her kind gestures. It meant a lott that she was willing to comfort a man she barely knew. He did have this strange feeling as if they had known each other, or at least known someone who reminded them of one another. Dallas shook the idea out of his head though.​

"I have an old Charger, It was a ship that the Galactic Republic had back during the Clone Wars-Era and before. It's an ancient beast, and they stopped making her after the war. The only reason we have it is that it's the only thing we could find. We found it in a junk heap on some planet or another, and we managed to scrape it together enough to make it fly."​

Listening to her words about how she could try and help he gave a slight nod, appreciating the gesture, but he knew that the ship didn't have much left in her, and it was going to be hard to keep her afloat even if they had managed to get the ship to keep running. The crew as a whole was having a hard time, and he just had to go and deal with that. He had always looked out for them, but he felt pretty hopeless. His eyes followed her as he finished his meal, and she took it to the kitchen to wash.​

"It's fine m'am I understand not planning on having quests to have to provide any entertainment for. I have nothing in mind unless you did?"​

Dallas went to come and sit down with her in the living room clearing his throat a little as he looked at her as they sat together.​

Jairdain

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[Jairdain]

As Jairdain cleaned up after dinner, she listened to what he had to say about his ship. Wiping off her hands, she leaned against the wall until he finished. When he did, she drew out some papers and handed them to him to look through. On them, it stated quite a bit about her.

The positions she held in the past, what her wages had been, and her role for Commenor. Once he finished, she would replace the papers to the location they had come from.

"I have the funds to keep you flying, Dallas. If that is your wish. Perhaps, I could be something of a patron for you? Parts can be fabricated as you need them."

Taking a seat on the couch, she shook her head when he asked if she had planned on anything. Motioning around at her home, she shrugged her shoulders.

"It can be rather boring here. You're interesting though."

Leaning back, she kept the comforting feeling heading in his direction and focused on him through the Force.

"I'm an empathic person. I sense there are times when you feel lost, alone, and helpless. Am I right? You are probably heading into one of those situations. What took you away from the path?"

Hopefully, he would know what she meant but if he didn't, she would be happy to clarify.

William Bradley

 

[William Bradley]

​

Raising a bow slightly as she gave him the stack of papers, he looked over them. His eyes scanning the pages he read at what she had done and had been over the many years, a brow would be raised slightly as he read through them, and he gave a couple of curious glances up at the woman as he sat there furrowing a brow slightly before he gave the papers back to the woman.​

"M'am I couldn't take the money from you, that's not how me and the boys work. I do appreciate your kindness, I truly do, but I don't feel right with accepting money that is not ours and that we have not earned. We are all hardworking men, who just travel the stars looking for work, most of us not having any sort of family, we're all that each other have."​

Feeling the waves of comfort sent his way he gave a slight nod toward the woman. Listening to her, he nodded softly as he just took a soft sigh as he thought for a moment, his head down slightly as he sat there with her his mind thinking, his brow furrowed tightly in thoght.​

"With the death of my master, there was nowhere else for me to go. I left the path and took all I had learned with me. I would practice what I had learned in private for most of the years after he passed, but after a while there was just no use in me practicing.. I still keep the memories and some items from my days in the past, but other than that.... well there was no reason for me to keep going."​

Jairdain

 

[Jairdain]

"I'm not offering you this entirely freely, Dallas. I would expect some form of payback. Even if it took you years to accomplish it. A little bit of a loan, just to get your ship into top condition. Any other repairs after would be on you. Of course, I would always be there as a support if you needed it."

As he had read through the papers, she would observe him through the Force. Taking stock of his emotions, Jairdain knew what was contained on them.

"I do understand and will pressure you no further. It is always an option though, so don't forget."

She was quiet while Dallas answered her question. Blinking her eyes a few times, she turned to seem to look at him. He might be able to pick up on her own pain. Maybe his own was reflected within her.

"Allow me to show you something. Give me your hand, please."

Holding his wrist with one hand, if he allowed her to, her free hand hovered above his open palm. In flashes on his hand would be a quick vision of her life. From the age of fifteen when her world was destroyed to the loss of several close friends and her husband. Before she finished, tears were coming from her eyes and when it was done, she wiped them away.

"Life is pain and sometimes I wonder how do I ever carry on. It's never too late to return to the path. I have also strayed away from it. My husband helped bring me back. Now he's gone and I am here. Alone. Trying to find my place once again in the Galaxy."

Pulling her hand away, she kept the one on his wrist until she realized it was still there.

"I'm sorry. I rambled on a bit much."

William Bradley

 

[William Bradley]

​

The flashed of her life entered his brain, he let them come in, and he took a deep breath, her hand holding onto his wrist, moment after moment coming into his brain, he could feel, sense the fact that she was crying, and if it had been him he probably would be to. This did not look like a life for the faint of heart. With her whole world coming down, to losing people all around her, he had not wished a fate like this for anyone. Even through all her pain and turbulence in her life she had manged to make something out of it, showing her strength.​

"I- I do not know what to say. I am sorry for all the hardships and pain that you have felt throughout the years. I wish I could do something to ease the pain, but I feel as if you have reconciled with the loss that you have felt long ago. It probably does not make it much easier, but you are definitely much stronger than I am."​

Watching her he did not mind that her hand was on his wrist he just looked at her softly as he allowed her, not minding that she was taking comfort in him as he sat there letting a soft sigh out. He closed his eyes as he thought about the offer that she was giving them. He was not sure if he could take it, that was just not how they operated, and he did not wish for her to be out of money.​

"It is fine M'am honestly, you don't need to apologize for your ramblings. I know you are trying to be kind and I appreciate it, but I don't think we could pay off this loan even if we wanted to. It just costs a little too much to operate and make a living full time as we are doing this operation now. With the way the galaxy is, it is not easy for us."​

Jairdain​

 

[Jairdain]

What one person went through, there was always another that had it worse. She thought her life had been tough at times, but even she knew somebody else was having a harder time. Giving Dallas a bitter smile at his words, she nodded.

"You are strong as well, Dallas. There are people that rely on you and you hold them up. I think you and your crew do that for each other. I don't have anything like that. Though at one time, I might have. If I wasn't able to use the Force, I could still be on that freighter moving through the Galaxy."

Taking small comfort in each other, they sat almost holding hands but not quite. Understanding what he meant, she just nodded again.

"Of course. Tell me about your crew. If you want."

Since she didn't really have much by way of entertainment, the conversation would have to do.

William Bradley

 

[William Bradley]

​

Sitting with Jairdain he began to bounce his leg a little bit as he took a deep breath and just thought for a moment, feeling her presence flowing outward through the force as he sat there with her. Clearing his mind from the emotions that were plaguing him.​

"Well they all got their own stories to tell I reckon. Mine isn't the greatest in the galaxy, but it sure ain't the worst. We dun know too much about Rawr, no one on this damned crew even speaks Shyriiwook, so we try our best with figuring out what he needs. The Weequay and the Rodian spend most of their days doing what needs to be done, the kid just wanted to get out into the stars. Last, but certainly not least is Lay, who is the pilot and my second who helps me run the group of ruffians."​

He leaned back in his seat as he took a long sigh, before reaching into his coat pocket and taking out a cigarette and lit it, smoking it a little, his eyes glancing over at the woman for some sort of permission or a stern scolding.​

Jairdain

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[Jairdain]

Even though Dallas was able to clear his mind of his surface emotions, the Master was able to sense his deeper ones. Not trying to probe, she chose not to. If he wanted to talk about what was truly bothering him, it would be up to him.

Leaning her head back as she listened to him speak about his crew, she smiled. Remembering the crew she had been on board with many years ago, he might be able to pick up on some of her thoughts and memories. Right now, she was not focused on keeping him out of her mind and it provided him an opportunity to pry if he wanted to.

When he finished talking and took out a cigarette, it was a moment or two longer before Jairdain came back to the present. Sniffing the air, she stood up and got him an ashtray to use.

"It's something I used to do so have a few old things laying around."

Granted hers had been stronger than a normal cigarette, she didn't tell him that. Just part of her life she wanted to get past and maybe even forget.

"Where do you think you're headed after here?"

William Bradley

 

[William Bradley]

​

Dallas let out a soft sigh, his eyes almost showing a hint of sadness as he looked down at the floor taking a long drag from the cigarette in his mouth, holding it in his lungs before breathing it out, dabbing the end of it out on the art tray as he looked at Jairdain.​

​

"What about you? Any family? Significant other? Close friends? I got most of my life on my sleeve, what about you, with all your intrigue?"​

​

His eyes looked at her as he raised a brow slightly, taking the cigarette out of his mouth as he asked her, his eyes watching her reactions as he asked her this question, to most people it would be an easy story, but for her, he felt like it would be a lot less simple.​

​

"I honestly, have no idea where we'll be going after here, possibly to one of the ports, not sure where. It'll figure itself out, that I'm sure of."​

​

Jairdain​

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[Jairdain]

She was unable to see the expression in his eyes but she did pick up on the feeling within him. That neutral facade he wore was fading and Jairdain could tell he was filled some sorrow. Why she didn't know entirely but that was fine. When he asked his questions, she was quiet for a moment. Something similar to how she had been when they were in the cantina. Her face had a small and bitter smile.

"I have three children. No partner. Friends? Perhaps at one time."

Not wanting to dwell too much on her own pain, she fell silent again. This only lasted a moment or two and she spoke again before Dallas started answering her question.

"I'm not trying to keep anything hidden from you. My husband was recently killed in battle. I came here to try and get away from my grief. Right now, I am on leave from my duties with the Silver Jedi and I'm not sure if I want to return. Maybe I will someday but it won't be soon. It's the reason I asked if you had an extra bunk open."

Letting out a sigh, she held a hand out in askance for a cigarette.

"May I have one too?"

Nodding as he told her he really had no idea where they might be heading. Looking thoughtful, she waited for him to finish.

"There are many governments always looking for help. You could approach any of them. I'm sure you'll find work easily."

William Bradley

 

[William Bradley]

​

Looking at the woman who sat beside him he let out a soft sigh as he just looked down, he knew that she was reading his sorrow, it wasn't hard to tell, but he couldn't care less anymore. His thought drifted to different possibilities as she responded his eyes glancing up at her.​

​

"My condolences ma'am, I didn't know... I tend to find that running from your problems doesn't help anything... I may not be the most perfect example of that though."​

​

Looking down as she motioned for a cigarette, he looked at her hand before letting out a reluctant sigh, he didn't recommend smoking, but he wasn't about to be a hypocrite whilst he was a guest in her home.​

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"I figure we will find something in due time, I am just not sure for now. I'm heading into Confederate space here in the coming weeks for some work, hopefully, that will be more fruitful than it has been here."​

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Taking a sigh he thought of his route that the crew and he would be taking to get to CIS space, he wasn't sure how easy it was going to be, but it was mostly unclaimed space in those reaches, he just had to be careful about pirates or other such issues along the way.​

​

"So all you need me for is to help these people rebuild and do some manual labor? Or were there other things that you needed from me?"​

​

Jairdain​

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[Jairdain]

Listening to him give her his condolences, she took a heavy drag on the cigarette she had taken from him. Letting her breath out, the smoke filled the air in front of her before fading away. He was right and it was a lesson she should have learned a long time ago. It wasn't though and here she was again. At least, this time, she had taken a different route than she had the last time.

"You're right, Dallas. I'm just not sure what I should do. Running brought me here and it brought us to meeting, so it's not all bad."

When he said he would be heading to the Confederacy soon, she nodded. Her youngest daughter had moved there and stayed with a woman that was almost an older daughter to Jairdain.

"They're good people. Work should be easy to come by."

Taking another drag, she flicked the ashes off into the ashtray between them. Nodding her head when he asked about the type of work she needed, she was quiet for a moment.

"That's pretty much it. While it might not be much or very glamorous, it is needed and I will appreciate the help."

William Bradley