An Aur Diamond in the Rough [Kinsey]

[Rune Shamalain]

Honoghr was not a planet known for its many technological advances. Populated by a race of reptilian humanoids known as Noghri who were the cultural equvalent to an Atrisian Samurai, they preferred their methods of cohesion with their environment. Rune couldn't say he disliked this, but it did make catching a ride across the galaxy a bit more of a challenge.

His destination would take him along several major hyperlanes and trade routes and through a handful of newly minted governing clouds of influence. The way was not an easy journey, nor was it something for just any pilot. It would take someone with a bit of bravado, experience, star-smarts, and maybe a pinch of foolhardiness - just in case.

He'd searched through several outlying companies that offered private transportation on luxurious yachts and after some time of consideration ditched them entirely. It wasn't a vacation he was seeking, nor was he intending to sight-see. The need to get from point A to point B efficiently and in one piece was really the main concern. Comfort could come later.

So he asked around and that was how he ended up with the young woman departing her ship before him.

Cool blue eyes took in the woman with care, seeming to read her more than see her.

"Miss Starchaser," the chill of his gaze landed on her, unwittingly sharp for how casual it was, "you're right on time."

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Rune Shamalain"]

Kinsey felt a certain sense of accomplishment when she'd started getting calls for business. She'd been her own recruiter. Mostly started with Ember Farseer. Then Armaud Eden. At least word was getting out about her reputation - even if she'd never be one to cater to those high, luxury-class clients. Just wasn't her style.

Though. The credits would definitely be nice.

Still. Had to be cautious about new clientele. There was an enraged Sith Lord still looking for her. Still had that bounty on her head and a few criminal syndicates probably wanted a nice, cozy talk with the young Starchaser.

But what was life without rolling the dice every now and again?

Side doors to the modified u-wing hissed open. The spacer was met with muggy air and the greens and browns of a mostly natural planet. Her own set of blues met those of Rune. While his were glacial and smooth, hers held tiny pinpricks of white, like tiny starbursts shifting within the aqua depths. She cringed slightly at her last name.

It brought too much trouble.

"Just call me Kinsey." Gaze flitted around the small landing area before settling back on her client, doing a quick, silent sweep for weapons. But mostly for light sabers. Helped her know if she was dealing with force users up front. And there was always a potential of any new meeting being a trap.

She didn't think that was the case here.

Fingers hooked along the tool belt around her waist. Holster hung along one side for her sidearm. Chin dipped back toward her ship. "Care to come aboard and we'll get the details straightened out on your contract?"

Pibs. Her green-splashed pebbledrone warbled and beeped from inside the higher level cockpit.

 

[Rune Shamalain]

The man presented himself as clean cut and high class, one might even guess nobility judging by the custom-tailored fit of fine materials and the tasteful embellishments of silver embroidery on his longcoat. Hair the color of platinum moonlight draped straight and untangled down his shoulders, ending just past the lapels. His face was clean-shaven, his skin fair, his expression mild despite the suspicious glance from the young woman. He had no visible weapons on his body, but there were several layers that may have hidden a blaster or even a lightsaber.

Aside from a black leather travel bag sitting at his feet, he carried no other belongings.

"As you wish," came a quiet but clear reply to the name request, followed by a dip at the waist to take up his bag and a brief but easy smile, "after you, Miss Kinsey."

He followed her aboard with quiet movements, taking time as she lead the way to examine the ship. It was sturdy and well kept - perfectly acceptable in his book, though he did have to bend at the waist to clear some of the doorways.

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Rune Shamalain"]

[SIZE=9pt]There was certainly more to this man than his long hair and muscular frame. And his behavior was...startling. Kinsey dealt with other smugglers, rogues, swindlers, and drunks.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Not gentlemen. Polite gentlemen.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]"Welcome aboard. What's someone like you doing out here, anyway?" By his clothing, the girl judged the man could certainly have afforded a more luxurious ride. Something more than her modified U-wing that was actually quite small. A typical U-wing had heavy guns on either sides of sliding doors. The guns had long been out. The sliding door not open was welded shut with storage and shelving across the surface. There were several open seats retrofitted with crash-webbing and belts that were clearly from other salvaged jobs. A small kitchenette was installed in the back corner with sealed shelves containing mugs, rations, hydration packs, and other supplies of odds and ends. Even some interesting potted plants. A hammock was strung up just above from anchor points buried within the ship's hull-plating.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]A pebble drone beeped and booped at her from the small steps above in the raised cockpit.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]“Pibs. This is Rune.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]There was a sharp razzle.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]“No, we can’t ask him that. That’s very rude.” Cheeks warmed a bit, giving her droid a mortified look. “Feel free to put your things down anywhere and grab a seat,” she called over her shoulder. Snatching a datapad off her shelf, she keyed open an entry.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]“Where we headed and what timeline are yah looking at?”[/SIZE]

 

[Rune Shamalain]

It was about what he expected, all things considered. Despite it's DYI personality, the ship was functional and economical; a place for everything and, seemingly, everything in its place. The man chose the area beneath a nearby bench to stow his bag, taking a moment to secure it in place with supply straps before turning to find his own seat.

Both hands smoothed the length of his jacket, a sideglance of ice beneath a faintly raised brow to the woman's initial question, "I live here," was his simple reply. Though it may appear to be a planet of sprawling jungles and mountains, back behind the rise of the peaks the temple of the Mal'ary'ush sat in stunning splendor. Rune's gaze affixed on the little droid, soft lines of amusement forming on his face as he nodded a greeting, "pleasure, Pibs," his eyes moving next to follow the woman's movements through the cabin.

Direct and guarded, he did wonder what it was the droid wanted to know.

"To Ceto," his hands came to still upon the armrests of his chosen seat, "the timeline is efficient but not urgent." He understood it would not be a short journey and they would be sharing close quarters for enough time that they'd likely learn a bit about one another. The nature of his travels required him arriving in a timely fashion and also in one piece.

"Will that be an issue?"

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Rune Shamalain"]

Rune would find that there was also a small refresher off the tiny-galley. Everything was small but very efficient. The bench he stowed his bag under also folded out to a cot with cushions and clean linens beneath. Sure Kinsey was low-budget but everything she offered, she did it well. Worked with what she had. Fingers pecked along the datapad screen, setting in Ceta as their final destination. The contract would update with appropriate figures.

She handed her passenger with the cascading, white hair the updated pad.

"No issue. Should be able to get you there in a fortnight or so. We'll make a few stops along the way for fuel. Take a look at the contract and sign if you're good with the terms. However," voice trailed off.

"You'll note I deal in more than just credits Mister Shamalain. In addition to the price listed there, I ask my clients if there's any bit of knowledge they'd be willing to trade. Maybe about an artifact? Or an old spacer legend."

The explorer couldn't help it. Adventure was what truly called to her and it always would. It was in her blood.

 

[Rune Shamalain]

If his hair was cascading he certainly wasn't aware. The man took the offered datapad to read over the contract with an eye for detail. Everything seemed in order and the plotted route looked apropriate, but - he furrowed his brow as it scrolled along the map file - there were a few shortcuts he might be able to offer. Ereza had made several trips to Ceto by now, giving her ample opportunity to make the journey as short and efficient as possible. She'd provided him with two primary but unmapped routes; the Shadow Run and the Crusader's Way.

A glance was given to the woman as she explained her barter system, considering her fare and his desire to not be in space any longer than absolutely necessary. It was not an altogether comfortable mode of travel for him, and that put his distaste for it lightly.

He placed the datapad on his lap and lifted a hand to rub at his jaw in thought, "Very well," he began, baratone a level murmur, "what is your knowledge of Shadow Run and Crusader's Way?"

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Rune Shamalain"]

Star charts and maps? Plotting hyperspace coordinates in the nav-computer. Those were pieces of equipment any and every traveler needed. And of course Kinsey needed star charts and maps. But the nav-computer? Kinsey didn't necessarily need that. It was the one thing she'd just always been able to do. A preternatural ability. The one thing in the force she hadn't been taught or needed to practice. It just was.

And according to Uncle Coren, it just happened to run in Starchaser blood.

It came so natural that sometimes she forgot she was doing it - especially when she had other travelers on board who may or may not be force sensitive. Though, something Armaud Eden told her recently made the girl not worry about keeping her force signature hidden so well - though she still tried to. Kinsey, it would be really hard for someone to find you based on your signature, even someone who used the force to pick it up. It would only be if someone was already looking for you.

All that said, she didn't know much about those two lanes even though she'd made up enough of her own travel. Dangerously so. Fatal if she hadn't been a Starchaser.

Head slowly shook in the negative. "Not much. I take it a shortcut to where we're going?" Hand come up to tuck chunks of brown hair beneath one ear. Pibs whistled at her from the cockpit confirming pre-flight checks were complete.

 

[Rune Shamalain]

"Perhaps," still in thought, he did not seem entirely convinced that they were, distracted while searching the breast pockets of his jacket. The quickest route was not necessarily the shortest or most direct, that much he knew. Still, it didn't hurt to have a wide knowledge of options at hand. Options sometimes were the key to survival.

The man produced a data-drive and plugged it into the pad on his lap, silently scrolling through files and copying over those containing the data on the charted routes. Recalling the drive and returning it to his pocket, he signed the contract and passed the datapad back to [member="Kinsey Starchaser"] with an attentive glance.

"Make what you will of them. They may be of use to you and your endeavors."

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

The girl nodded and pocketed the datapad. "Looks like we've got ourselves a deal Mister Shamalain. Make yourself comfortable. Once we exit hyperspace feel free to unstrap. I've got tea and caf in the back." Angular chin nodded behind the man to the small kitchenette. She wondered briefly if he normally had servants do that sort of thing for him.

Whelp. He must've known what he was getting with her.

Offering a polite smile, the explorer with her well-worn clothes turned and made her way to the cockpit, up those few short steps. It was all really one small space so he'd be able to see her and hear her conversations and quick banter with Pibs as she took them up. The view outside the rectangular window along the side door he entered would quickly change from greenery and clouds to the blackness of space.

Kinsey set the coordinates on the nav computer, loading in the data he'd just shared. Intrinsically, she knew where to go. It wasn't long before the swirling tunnel of hyperspace filled the viewport.

 

[Rune Shamalain]

All in all their journey was off to a quiet, peaceful start.

Taken to reading on his datapad, the passenger said not a single word for several hours. He moved little, only enough to shift his position from time to time, or jot down notes in a journal. Aside from inanimate objects, if Kinsey were so inclined to fulfill delivery runs, he was likely the quietest client one could ask for.

At some point he put away the datapad and notebook, unbuckled himself from the seat and stood with a stretch of a nexu having woken from a nap. Moving back to the kitchenette, icy blues surveyed the setup before he went about his business.

In no time at all he had a pot of caff on, all with very little noise indeed. Though, likely, the scent of brew would reach [member="Kinsey Starchaser"] well before his words did.

"How do you take your caff, Miss Kinsey?"

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Rune Shamalain"]

Definitely quiet.

Very different from Ember and Armaud. It was almost unnerving and she could see herself forgetting she had a passenger at all between the typical banter she shared with her pebbledrone. But for the past few hours, she'd had her feet kicked up on the dash and her eyes closed. Images she'd rather forget faded in and out along the peripherals of her dreamscape.

The familiar scent of brewed beans broke through the beasts that prowled along the edge of darkness.

Eyes snapped open at Rune's voice. His voice was quiet - much like his presence. She rather wondered if she'd heard him correctly. Feet lowered from the dash and her neck craned to look around and down into the small cabin.

"Black."

Cream and sugar were luxuries that weren't always around so she'd gotten used to drinking caf without 'em.

"But don't worry about it. I can get it."

Looks like they only had an hour or so until their first stop. Had to re-fuel at a little-known shadowport.

 

[Rune Shamalain]

"It doesn't worry me at all," the man responded, the barest uptick of his lips hinting at a smirk. He chose a travel mug from the cupboard to fill and walked it over to the pilot, tall stature making the hand-up an easy task.

"The noghri of Honoghr don't drink caff so I never developed a taste for it myself. Tea is the drink of the people when it's not the blood of their quarries."

Something he'd received relentless teasing about in his youth as a man growing up among killers and beasts. He cared not for the opinion of others beyond his family and loved ones, which left him with very few opinions to deal with.

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Rune Shamalain"]

Whoa, whoa, whoa. It would be one thing if he was making caf for himself and he just so happened to want to offer her a cup as well. But he'd made it just. JUST for her?

"Thank you," she said but with an inflection in her tone as she swiveled in her chair and took the warmed cup. Fingerless-gloved hands wrapped carefully around the ceramic, a mystified look briefly flickering across her features as she watched his ebony face. Couldn't help the slightly suspicious glance down at the black liquid. It was easy enough to slip foreign substances into a drink.

Eyebrows rose as she put aside her suspicions and caught up to the conversation.

"You telling me you drank blood as much as tea with your dewberry scones and biscuits?"

Pibs booped about if the blood thing was true it did wonders for his skin and Kinsey shot him a look.

Gross.

 

[Rune Shamalain]

He returned to the kitchenette to collect his tea, making no hurry of the endeavor. Leaning back against the counter, a brow lofting in the direction of the comment. The corner of his lip followed, amusement filtering in as he lifted the mug and paused just before his lips.

"Nonsense, biscuits and scones are much too sweet."

No denial made of the blood, however. He took a slow drink of his tea, pale eyes honing in on the chatty droid hovering near her head.

"What did he say?"

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

Blues widened. While it did occur to the pilot to lie, she decided it wouldn't be worth it. "Pibs said if you really did drink blood, it certainly did wonders for your skin." Cup of caf strategically came up to her mouth and she took a nice, long sip. Expression hidden from view.

Cup lowered and Pibs whistled, knowing Kinsey long enough to pick up on its owner's discomfort.

Standing, she took the quick steps down to the main cabin, stretching out her legs, free hand hovering along her lower back, working out some knots. Pausing within view between Pibs and Rune, free hand came up to motion in front of her torso. "Just so we're clear. All this blood is off limits no matter the apparent dermatology benefits." Sandy streaked charcoal brow raised along her forehead as her gaze leveled from her droid's sensor to her passenger.

Shoulder leaned against the door.

"How comfortable do you feel around shadow ports?"

 

[Rune Shamalain]

Quietly smiling, the man didn't make a show of watching her as she descended from her perch up in the cockpit. Otherwise involved in the calming experience of his tea, Rune took a moment to himself while the aroma saturated his senses. It was a bit more pungent than that of the caffe, and not typically appealing to those not already accustomed to drinking things because they were good for you and not simply because they were tasty.

Honoghran tea was an acquired taste. Much like blood, apparently.

A glance as the woman laid down the boundries, amusement still lingering in his gaze, "Duly noted, Miss Kinsey."

Draining the pilot of her blood would be rather counter-intuitive to his present goals. No, he'd much rather her blood stay in her body, warm and flowing where it was want to be, as well.

"More comfortable than I do on a ship in space. I assume you speak not in the hypothetical."

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

"Could've fooled me," she spoke to his discomfort to space travel. He was good at hiding that. She recalled the Lorridian she transported for a few hours once. He'd been white-knuckled the whole time. Even self-medicated.

Nodding once, she pushed off from the door and half turned, squatting down to rummage through one of the drawers she'd installed on the sealed door on the opposite side. "Darjing Port. We'll be there in about an hour. We'll need to refuel and get some supplies. Got a few days where we'll be in the void before we can stop for supplies again - after that."

A lopsided grin briefly flashed across her mouth.

"So you'll have to make sure to get your leg-stretching in before we leave the port."

She was gathering supplies. Hand took out a power pack for her side arm to stuff into a well-worn pack. "It's in an asteroid so not sure it'll be much better for yah."

Instead of a ship in space it was a giant rock holding the void back.

 

[Rune Shamalain]

Rune witheld the withering smile, complacent to allow the woman to think he seemed calm. His brother, [member="Lear Shamalain"], would have known much different.

"No, I do not suppose it will be," for one, he was being exceptionally chatty. The conversation helped him keep his mind off the writhing serpent of hot beskar in his gut.

"Thank the Gods for my brave Pilot," lips twitched into a half smirk as he watched her gather the necessary items for the stop.


...

They arrived to Darjing Port a few minutes short of one hour later. Rune hadn't been tracking the time, but when the discussion ceased and his mind began to churn there wasn't much to do but count down the minutes. Sitting like a statue of ivory, eyes closed and the repetitive mantra of a meditative loop echoing in his thoughts, he considered the likelihood of a fatal explosion and worked backwards from there as the ship shuddered and jolted into the dock.

He didn't open his eyes until he heard the clatter of Kinsey disembarking from her pilot's seat.

"What supplies are on your list, Miss Kinsey," the man spoke as he rose from his seat, stuck between the rock of wanting to be off the ship and the hard place of then being stuck on an asteroid.

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Rune Shamalain"]

She was almost getting used to the Miss part when he said her name. Lips parted as if she were going to correct him. Hesitating, she changed her mind. And for once, she noticed that his pale skin did seem to brighten just a bit after they landed.

Slinging the bag she'd packed earlier over her shoulder, the U-wing's door hissed open. "I'll need a power coupling, probably a gallon of coolant, and one hyperdrive coil." Vibrant blues narrowed on the small kitchenette behind his shoulder. "And some more rations."

Grabbing two oxygen masks off the wall by the door, she handed one to Rune. "Just in case. There are parts of this station that aren't as well insulated. If you start feeling lightheaded, put this on." She tried for a reassuring smile. "If we stick to the main corridors, we'll be fine."

Kinsey looked over her shoulder at her pebbledrone,"Pibs, you're staying with the ship."

The droid offered a bemoaning boop-beep-beep as Kinsey lead them out.