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?"