Private Between Port Nowhere and the Next Bad Idea

[Choli Vyn]

Interacting with: Trextan Voidstalker
Armor- x x x x x | Gear x x x x x x x | Weapons x x x x x

Dockside
Somewhere Between Port Nowhere and the Next Bad Idea

The hangar lights flickered above the Epicanthix like tired stars.

Half of them were burnt out while the other half hummed in that low, teeth-rattling way that cheap generators do when they are about two bad minutes from quitting forever. The whole place smelled like coolant, hot metal, and somebody's questionable caf substitute.

Homey.

Choli wiped her hands on an already ruined rag and slid out from beneath the freighter's belly on her back, boots scraping the deck plating with a dry shhk. A smear of grease painted her forearm black to the elbow and there was another streak across her cheek she did not know about yet.

The ship loomed above her like a stubborn bantha.

Her bantha.

Panels open. Wiring exposed. One stabilizer strut still hanging loose like a broken tooth.

"Blast," she muttered, the curse landing more tired than angry. The Warden rolled to her feet and reached up, thumping the hull twice with her knuckles.

"You and me both, girl. Hold together a little longer."

The Sunfire answered with a faint ticking sound as the engines cooled, like it was considering the offer.

Across the bay, a loader droid trundled past with a crate stack taller than its sense of balance. Somewhere overhead, quiet pitter patter of rain tapped against the transparisteel ceiling. It wasn't a storm, just that patient drizzle that made everything feel like it was waiting.

Choli liked places like this.

Out of the way and off the charts. The kind of port where nobody asked questions unless they came with credits attached. It was the kind of place you could start over... well, or at least pretend to.

She flexed her shoulder and winced, feeling that old scar tissue pull tight. Flying yesterday's courier run through a debris field had been a stupid call.

Worth it -- but still stupid.

Those color shifting eyes of her went drifting almost against her will toward the far end of the hangar.

And there he was.

Trextan.

Yeah, worth it.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

TREXTAN

It had been a few weeks since they parted ways. Distance had felt smaller in that time because they had been able to drop encrypted messages over a Warden channel to stay in touch. It had still started to feel like a lot of time had passed.

Trextan had barely made it more than ten paces into the hangar before he spotted her. She had grease on her face and there was a tension across her shoulders, as if she'd been fighting with the hull.

It brought a flicker of a smile to his lips. She saw him and that tension was gone.

He wasn't entirely certain how the next part was supposed to go. Did he run across the bay floor and sweep her up?

He ended up offered an awkward wave.

He crossed the hangar, hands tucked into the pockets of his flight jacket. He glanced up at the ship.

"Looking good," he said. He gave a pause before pointing at the ship. It had barely been flight worthy when he had left.

He slowed to stop just a few feet away. That feeling in his chest hadn’t shifted at all.

"You need a hand?" he asked.

 

[Choli Vyn]

Interacting with: Trextan Voidstalker
Armor- x x x x x | Gear x x x x x x x | Weapons x x x x x

Choli caught the wave and snorted under her breath, her eyes shifting into an amused mischevious hue. After a second, she rolled from underneath into a sitting position. She wiped her face with the heel of her glove, but only succeeded in smearing the grease into a broader, darker streak. Oh well, didn't bother fixing it.

"Nah," she replied in an easy tone, "Already lost the argument, the hull won." her attention followed Trextan's up the length of the ship, more than a bit of pride tugging at the corner of her mouth despite herself.

"Well here she is, the Sunfire," she added, like an introduction instead of a boast. "She's a chunky old girl. Feels as if a Firespray and a D-5 Mantis decided to have a baby with a bit of an attitude. Her cargo hold is big enough to transport supplies and then some, and there is plenty of room for bunks that don't fold into the walls if you sneeze wrong."

She got to her feet, adjusting the half wrapped flight suit she had that tied at her waist, the grey loose tank top baring her shoulders in a way that past she wouldn't have dared, revealing the smooth and toned bronze of her olive skin. Her boot gave a quick thump against the ramp control, and in the next second, the boarding ramp gave a hiss as it lowered down, light spilling out from the interior, revealing worn metal, patched panels, and more than a little salvager lived-in.

Choli glanced back at him over her shoulder.

"You asked to see her," she said. "Figured I'd stop describin' and just show you."

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

TREXTAN

Trextan’s eyes tracked up the Sunfire’s hull again. He stepped forward, hands on his hips, and let out a quiet, impressed breath as the ramp lowered with a hiss and a hum.

He looked back down at Choli just as she glanced over her shoulder, catching the way the light fell across her face, the streak of grease still boldly stamped across her cheek like a badge.

There was pride in her voice, and something warmer behind her words. He felt it tug at something in him that had nothing to do with starships.

He started up the ramp at a relaxed pace, giving the ship an approving once-over. She wasn’t sleek or polished, but she looked solid, dependable.

"She’s got charm," he added. Then he stopped.

"Oh."

He turned back to Choli. Now further up the ramp, he stood tall over her. He set his hand on her shoulder and leaned down to kiss the cleanest cheek.

"Hey again," he said quietly. The entire business of seriously dating didn't come naturally to either of them.

"Where’s the tour start? Show me what you’ve been fixing up."

 

[Choli Vyn]

Interacting with: Trextan Voidstalker
Armor- x x x x x | Gear x x x x x x x | Weapons x x x x x

Choli glanced up at Trextan, and her smile lingered a few more seconds after he kissed her. It was affectionate and warm. The sort of public display of affection that the pilot was still trying to work through.

It was funny, they hadn't been like this three years ago. Things had been more fervent and awkward. A crazy combination, but hormonal as teenagers were.

NOw they were trying to work through how a relationship felt like.

"Hey," she replied quietly, the corner of her mouth quirking up. Taking a semi clean cloth, she worked at wiping the grease off from her hands. With slight incline of her head to gesture for him to follow her, Choli turned and headed up the ramp, boots ringing hollow against the deck.

"Tour starts where all good decisions go to die," she called back over her shoulder. "Engine room first. She was rattling like a junk droid with a death wish last week."

Inside, the Sunfire opened up into warm, worn space. There was some scuffed decking and a few exposed conduits tied neatly with fresh bindings while the cargo bay that smelled like oil, ozone, and home.

Choli paused at the ladder leading down, glancing back at him.

"So, what's been going on with you?"

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

TREXTAN

Trextan followed her inside, the clang of his boots echoing just behind hers. He let his organic hand trail lightly along the wall as if reacquainting himself with something half-remembered.

The Sunfire had more personality than most ships he’d set foot in recently. There was patched wiring, burnished steel and it smelled like it was a living breathing ship.

He paused beside the ladder, casting a glance around the bay before his eyes found hers again.

"Less near-death experiences than last month," he said with a faint grin.

"Still running messages, some escort work. Helped pull a crew out of a collapsed tunnel near Sorok V. Got paid in parts and moonshine. Which might be good to disinfect something?"

His tone softened as he looked at her more fully.

"It’s good, seeing you like this. Owning your own ship."

 

[Choli Vyn]

Interacting with: Trextan Voidstalker
Armor- x x x x x | Gear x x x x x x x | Weapons x x x x x

Choli's mouth curved at the corner, but still had a measure of concern grace her grimy olive face at that revelation. Not like she wanted him to go through near-death experiences, but as Wardens, there was precious little choice in the matter when one traveled the black as much as they did.

"Hey," the pilot breathed out with a wry twist of her lips, "well, that's progress."

For a moment, Choli leaned a shoulder into the bulkhead, arms folding loose as she listened, eyes tracking the easy way he moved through the bay.

"Moonshine'll clean somethin'," she added with a laugh, eyes lightening to an amused blue green. "Just maybe not what you want it to. Might get you regretting the day after if it is even passably drinkable."

At his last words, Choli's expression softened, thinking about what it meant to hear him say that. The difference now in owning her own ship.

A small huff of a laugh and then she inclined her head.

"Well, didn't plan on it," she said simply. "Ship kinda… happened. Guess I stopped waiting for the galaxy to hand me permission."

She pushed off the wall and nodded toward the ladder.

"C'mon. Engines below. You can tell me about Sorok V while I show you the part that still hums wrong... and maybe I can use you for your body for a bit before feeding you, fair trade?"

She teased, but she was also being honest. Having a second pair of hands would be helpful.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

TREXTAN

Trextan let out a short laugh, scrubbing a hand over the back of his neck as he followed her towards the ladder. There was no hesitation in the way he moved through her ship now.

"Fair trade," Trextan agreed. He narrowed his eyes briefly at the rogue squadron style tease. They had skirted close to a few new lines before parting ways, but it was nice to feel comfortable enough to make jokes.

At the top of the ladder, he paused, glancing back toward her with a curious tilt of his brow.

"Right. Sorok V..." he started as he began the descent first.

"Was supposed to be routine. Scouting a rumoured pirate relay. Turned out to be a smuggling hub buried under a glacier shelf. Two hours of silent climbing down. Then convincing them not to shoot me. Then a week of hauling their junk back up."

He let out a grunt as he landed on the lower deck. He turned, reaching out to steady her by the waist as she joined him below.

"Alright. Show me how you're using my spare hands."

 

[Choli Vyn]

Interacting with: Trextan Voidstalker
Armor- x x x x x | Gear x x x x x x x | Weapons x x x x x

Choli's brows rose high regarding the mention of pirates -- not that it shouldn't be something both of them as Wardens would be well familiar with.

Three years ago, they both nearly died due to taking on a hail that ended up being the Blazing Chain with a cuckoo hail.

It was the mention of a smuggling hub buried under a glacial ice shelf that really prompted the Epicanthix to pause, turning to look at him as she led him towards the Engine room.

It wasn't pretty here either, but it was organized. Some panels were missing from the bulkhead but that could be fixed. One could see that the ship had seen some scrapes before and had some aftermarket additions. She had some history, and if Choli had her way, the Sunfire would have even more modifications to make her just right in time.

"What were they smuggling?" she asked, curious, then followed, "And how did you end up convincing them not to kill you?"

She asked, grabbing a hydrospanner and handing it to Trextan while she plucked her own from her belt.

"I have to replace a few powercouplings, but while my hands can wiggle in and work on the bolts, need someone else's hands to make sure the coupler doesn't fall and break as I remove it."

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

TREXTAN

Trextan caught the hydrospanner with a little flip, turning it once in his palm before crouching down beside the exposed panel. His gaze skimmed the tangled mess of conduits, power lines, and patchwork junctions, brows lifting just slightly in quiet appreciation that the ship still ran as well as it did.

"They were smuggling some rare metals used to stabilise coaxium" he said. "Hardly interesting but lots of trade bans."

He braced one hand under the coupling, ready for her to start the repair.

"Took lots of convincing that I was alone and not there to steal their stuff. Told them I could look the other way, no reports filed."

"They didn't believe me for [he first few rounds of blaster fire."

"How've you been?" he asked, tensing as he stretched to keep his hand in place and passed her the hydrospanner.

 

[Choli Vyn]

Interacting with: Trextan Voidstalker
Armor- x x x x x | Gear x x x x x x x | Weapons x x x x x

Choli slid in beside Trextan, shoulder brushing his for half a second before she focused on the open panel.

"Trade bans," she muttered with a shake of her head, "Galaxy's favorite hobby."

She took the hydrospanner back from him, fingers grazing his briefly, feeling their warmth. Dangerous if she thought about it too long.

"Hold that steady," Choli instructed, leaning in closer to the coupling. She twisted the spanner and the metal gave a reluctant groan.

"I've been… busy," she answered after a few seconds. "Tryin' to get her reliable to a state I can fly her and get in and out of atmo and hyperspace and hopefully not exploding mid-lane would be nice."

A small spark snapped but she didn't flinch.
It… was still okay. Kinda like how one knew how many more kilometers one had in their speeder even after the marker hit empty.

"Figure one solid cargo run will tell me if she's ready. Something that is boring. Maybegrain or. medical crates. No blaster fire required."

The brunette tightened the last bolt and glanced at him from under her lashes.

"Heard there's a lot shifting in the Core though…. Feels like the calm before somebody does somethin' stupid."

Concern lit in her hazel eyes, tinting them with a faint grey ring.

"Your father said anything?"

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

TREXTAN

Trextan stayed crouched in the narrow crawlspace beside her, one knee braced against a coolant line to keep his balance while he watched her finish the last turn on the bolt.

The hydrospanner clicked softly as she set it aside and he let the power coupling settle into place with a faint, satisfied hum from the console overhead.

Trextan glanced sideways at her. The concern in her voice had not escaped him.

"Jacen?" Trextan echoed, letting a small, wry smile tug at his mouth.

"Left tatooine. Said he was off to give people advice. Nonconcrete information. Just the usual vague warnings."

He shifted closer, shoulder brushing hers in the confined space, and reached past her to nudge one of the loosened access plates back into alignment. His arm lingered a fraction longer than necessary, the back of his wrist grazing her forearm before he pulled back.

"Honestly, though," he continued, voice dropping a little lower, "I don't think retirement suited him. But I do worry about him."

Trextan straightened as much as the low ceiling allowed. He looked down at her, taking in the smudge of oil on her cheek, the way strands of hair had escaped her tie and clung damply to her neck.

"You know," he said. His tone was lighter now, teasing edged with warmth. He didnt like talking about war. He knew neither of them did, though she faced things more pragmatically."

"If the galaxy does decide to fall apart again, at least we'll both have freedom to get well out of the way."

 

[Choli Vyn]

Interacting with: Trextan Voidstalker
Armor- x x x x x | Gear x x x x x x x | Weapons x x x x x

Choli let out a quiet breath through her nose that was half huff half laugh, her attention still on her task but still amused nonetheless.

"Advice," she repeated, with a cluck of her tongue, "That's never ominous."

After a second, her grimy olive face swung over to him, studying his features and his expression for a second instead of the wiring.

"He tell you where he's headed off to or just dropped a 'trust me' and vanished?" she asked. "And did anyone go with him?... might not be too bad of an idea just to check up on him."

Not that the life of a Warden wasn't a lonesome life, or that the Jedi was the same. But still, with things going on, one could never be too safe, she mused, her fingers absently brushing the edge of the panel they'd just sealed, the lingering warmth in his touch a bit distracting as he teased about getting out of the way. She gave another brief huff and a shake of her head, focusing back on the task at hand.

"Well... one would hope. That is if I can get this girl to not fall apart. I remember how you clutched the Verre's armrests every time I hit atmo or got out of it. WOuldn't want you to think I'm going to blow you up."

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

Trextan let out a small laugh as he continued being busy trying not to stare at the smudge of grease on her cheek.

"It wasn't clutching," he protested, though the lack of conviction in his voice gave him away.

"It was a tactical bracing. There is a.. mechanical difference. Besides, your flying is amazing but can be a little scary for someone who can barely land safely."

He reached out, his organic hand hovering near the panel she had just sealed. The easy back and forth between them was new. It was a nice change from the dramatic back and forth. It still made his stomach do a slow uncertain roll.

"As for Jacen... no. No destination. Just a lot of talk about 'finding the path' and 'listening to the currents'," Trextan sighed, shaking his head.

"He went alone. He always knows best."

He looked down at the Sunfire's deck plating, his expression softening as he glanced back at her.

"I do trust your flying by the way."

He paused, his gaze lingering on her for a heartbeat too long before he cleared his throat.

"Roght, what can I help with next?"

 

[Choli Vyn]

Interacting with: Trextan Voidstalker
Armor- x x x x x | Gear x x x x x x x | Weapons x x x x x

"Well, perhaps you should reach out just in case," Choli added, thinking back on how much was going on out there. "With as many shifting gears, it would be best to. You already saw what happened just on the hyperlanes after the Convergence."

She twisted the snap back shut to the final twist lock and that was it. Now it was time to test it.

A wry smile crept over her face then.

"You only like it now because unless I am panicking, odds are we are not going to blow up despite how much the ship is shaking and how many buffer panels are lost."

It was an easy banter, one that Choli was warming up to.

"I need to test this to see if switching out those coils worked and then... maybe lunch?" she offered, only to add, "Only I premtively apoloigze, as I do not have the same variety as you do. Instant gluk noodles out of a package is all I can offer now."

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

TREXTAN

Trextan watched the final twist lock snap into place, the sound echoing slightly in the cramped space. He admired the efficiency of her work.

"I do like not blowing up," he said. "How do you know of that all worked?"

He offered her his artificial hand to help her up palm open, fingers slightly curled in invitation.

"Yeah, I'll call. The hyperlanes are not what they used to be. I'd rather be told to mind my own business than find out later I should have checked in."

"Had to eat nutrient paste for three days once. Bit of salt on noodles will do."

As he hauled Choli up, he reached out with his organic hand. He smeared a steak of grease over the clean cheek.

"There, now it matches."

 

[Choli Vyn]

Interacting with: Trextan Voidstalker
Armor- x x x x x | Gear x x x x x x x | Weapons x x x x x

"I just do," Choli replied with such surity one would have thought she was being prideful until one registered the set of her jaw and the lift of her chin -- it wasn't pride at all, it was just a knowing.

An assurance. The sort of feeling in her gut that let her know that, despite the ship feeling as if it was going to shake itself into oblivion, it wasn't.

"I just know. Always had." She explained, taking his hand as she got to her feet.

That olive shoulder gave a soft shrug, only to give a bemused glare and laugh when he smeared a bit of grease over her other cheek. For a second, she blinked at him, widening her eyes at his audacity.

Then the switch in color hue was his only warning, as Choli came up and then took her hand to smear her fingers from his forehead down over the left hand of his face.

"Well now you match too!"

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

TREXTAN

Trextan did not flinch when she came at him. He saw the shift in her eyes a half second too late and then her grease-slick fingers dragged down his face in slow revenge.

He blinked once. Then twice.

There was a stunned pause as he stared at her, dark smear cutting diagonally across his brow and cheek.

"Bold," he said at last, voice low. He gVe a shake of his head.

His hand came up quickly and tightened around hers before she could retreat. His thumb brushed absently over her knuckles, leaving a faint streak of grease in a new place.

"You realise," he added, stepping closer, "this means escalation."

But he didn’t escalate. Not yet.

Instead, he studied her. He admired the certainty she carried about the ship. It wasn’t pride. It was instinct. The Force brushed him lightly as he felt her connection with the ship.

Trextan pressed a kiss to the back of her hand and released it.

"We should finish up. I've missed you and I could just get lost in you so easily."

For Trextan, it was a rather bold admission.

"You’re listening to something the rest of us don’t hear?" he said, glancing around at the ship.

 

[Choli Vyn]

Interacting with: Trextan Voidstalker
Armor- x x x x x | Gear x x x x x x x | Weapons x x x x x

Choli froze for exactly one heartbeat when he kissed her hand, just long enough for the words to land... as she was still struck by the slow way his smile had curved over his lip and the flop of his dark curls.

She blinked up at him, those almond shaped slanted eyes squinting a little at the grease smear she'd given him.

"…Well," she muttered quietly, even as her lips twitched. "Now you match the ship."

Bold hmm? Even if she was trying her best to not think about the brush of his thumb along her knuckles.

"You may try to escalate, but odds are.. " she added, looking him right in the eye. They were practically the same height, all of an inch of a difference.

"I will still end up on top." how is that for bold?

Well at least until he admitted he missed her and could easily get lost in her.

Oh, the many ways her mind took that.

It was a good thing the light wasn't so great down here, else the ruddy rush of heat over her cheeks would have been easy to notice.

"Alright, alright." she began, pushing off the console to grab her hydrospanner again, tossing it lightly in one hand. "I will give this a quick test and then we can head out to eat."

As for sensing things.

"I am pretty sure you're the one with the biggest Force potential in the room," she added dryly. "Seems wasteful not to use the ears that come with it."

With that, she quickly tapped out a few keys on the console, going through the testing algorithm. So far .. so good.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

TREXTAN

Trextan did not bother to wipe away the grease smear. If anything, he wore it with a sort of pride. It was almost a marking that proved he belonged here in the oily, humming heart of her ship rather than some sterile temple.

When she made her comment about ending up on top, he felt a spark of that old, rash heat rise in his chest. It was not the dark anger of his acolyte days, but a purely competitive, human challenge.

"Is that right?" he asked, his voice dropping a fraction. He held her gaze for a second longer than was strictly necessary.

Trextan swallowed. Despite what he said, it was clear her challenge caught him off guard. It was far too easy to imagine how she would sound as she rose up above him. He let the challenge hang there before he leaned back slightly to give her room to work.

He was mindful of the rules they had set on Mindabaal. No shortcuts. Every time she pushed the line, he had to remind himself that building something real took more discipline than any lightsaber form.

"You seen anywhere good to eat here then?" he asked. Food was always a good diversion.