Private Blood Runs Thicker Than Water

[Ripley Kühn]

Location: Traveling through the Outer Rim
Tags: Vanir Eris

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ripley scurried about the ship, fluttering around, not sure what to do with herself. She kept securing and re-securing the supplies, bothering the pilots about how much longer and played quite a few rounds of Dejarik with the other members aboard. She finally found a seat and sat back, reflecting on the events that had brought her there.

She had landed aboard a space station, dropped off after making her previous pilot… angry, to say the least. She had floated around for a few days, not sure what to do with herself. When another ship landed, she had heard rumors they were looking for crew to do a few deliveries. Ripley had jumped on the opportunity to escape the confinement and be amongst the stars once more. They had since stopped twice, and the upcoming one was to be the last- then the pilot would deliver her anywhere she wanted in exchange for her work, with a few credits thrown in on top.

Ripley wasn’t exactly sure where she would go after, but somewhere tropical sounded quite nice. After wandering for so long without real purpose she was exhausted, ready to settle somewhere, at least for a few months. Sure, it could be lonely, but maybe if she actually planted roots somewhere she could make a few real friends for once.

Friends… a makeshift family…. Ripley had to swallow the lump in her throat and fight back the thoughts. Since she had awoken on the streets with no memory, all she had dreamed of was finding her people. Someone like her. Dogs are stronger as a pack- she had read this in a book somewhere in her travels.

Her thoughts were interrupted as the captain's voice came on over the intercom system.

“Crew, we’ve finally made it to our last stop. Please remove the supplies from storage and prepare them for transfer.”

Ripley sprang up from her seat, eager for something to do. Only a little longer, and she could find a new place to reside- a home.

 

[Vanir Eris]

Playlist | Ripley Kühn
Location: NCT-196
Outer Rim
____
A moon of relative obscurity, save for the scientific groups that came to do study on the flora and fauna. Vanir’s company Vanestris Labs had received a grant by the planetary government that oversaw the area to have access. He had only arrived a day ago and the government was even gracious enough to allow him to make requests for deliveries from the nearby starbase. While his needs thus far were few, he had decided that his stay may end up being longer than just a few days.

In the meantime while he waited he expanded his camp, the location by the ocean. While his ship had all the amenities of a luxury apartment, Van liked the sound of the water and the coast was beautiful. It also happened to be a space that was easy to find for said supply drops. He usually only returned to this point for supplies as he had another location he was studying at.

The captain of the ship sent him a broadcast that he would be arriving soon and the Lopara got cleaned up as he had the bad habit of making a mess when working. Mainly he just tidied up his appearance, some things tended to be ignored till absolutely necessary. Such was the bachelor life and habit of a man easily given to focusing elsewhere.

When the ship touched down nearby Vanir stood out of the way in plain clothes light and loose suitable for the oceanic scenery. He was a good looking man, but his height gave many of the crew pause for standing at a lithe six foot eight most fell below his eye level. It was the shift of wind that rooted his attention on one particular individual as he directed where his supplies were to go.

Her scent hit him with the force of a speeder making his breath hitch in his chest. His brain screamed that her presence was impossible, but the proof was inescapably evident. This unknown woman was his kin. She smelled of his clan, Eris remarked that it looked as if they had a younger sister. Once the supplies were arranged he scrambled to come up with a means to keep her put. “You… Girl!”

The lame shout barked out drawing eyes and a man near her casually stepped away, in case his crew mate was in trouble. “I need an assistant, it pays well. I’ll be here at least a month. Interested?”

His heart hammered in his chest and he wanted to run screaming into the hills. This was impossible. It had to be a ploy. His thoughts were a tangle and he swallowed, mouth suddenly dry. Had he been holding something his hands likely would have visibly shook, but he stuffed them in his pockets. If she were his kin, she would bear the mark of their clan and her bloodline would be written upon her back. Of course, if his father had spent his seed somewhere and this girl could easily have never known of her true family.

Her age perplexed him, she was old enough that he would have known of her had she been raised in the clan. He would have known. He waited for her answer with baited breath and jelly for insides. This was a shock and as soon as he could sit down he’d likely fall into his seat.

 

[Ripley Kühn]

Location: NCT-196
Tags: Vanir Eris

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ripley was hard at work, stacking crates one on top of another on the hover palette, lost in the mindless work. She paused only to wipe the sweat from her eyes. Never again will I take a manual labor job, she thought to herself. This is for the dogs.... her internal dialogue drew a small giggle as the pun was so bad she almost cringed. The crewman next to her gave her a strange look, but the girl continued slaving on, paying him no mind.

When she exited the ship she stopped a moment, her eyes drinking in the beautiful sight of the ocean. The waves crashing echoed through her head and the salty breeze on her face was refreshing. She continued on, following the other members who had more experience, helping them situate the supplies in an orderly fashion. One she had finished, she put her hands on her hips, allowing herself a moment to cool off. It was then she heard the call from across the way.

Her head snapped over, her gaze taking in the strange man. Why was he calling her like that? Had she done something wrong? When he continued and mentioned money, Ripley grimaced. All she wanted was to relax... but she was no fool- the pay from this job wouldn't hold her over very long. Her eyes flickered back to the ocean, and she decided on the flip of a hat she could stand to stay. A smile spread across her face as she began approaching the man.

"I'm sure we could work something out!" she yelled back, growing ever closer.

And then it hit her. The breeze had been blowing it away, but at this distance, there was no hiding that scent. Her smile faded instantaneously, replaced by one of shock. But what was he? Her nostrils flared slightly as she took a deep breath in. Okay... she could sense a bit of lupine, from the way others she had met smelled. But there was something else, something so familiar, yet so alien.

Her stride picked up once more as she continued closing the gap. As she grew closer, she was able to see his face more vividly. The way it made her feel was even stranger than when she had picked up his smell. It was like she had seen it before- in a dream, another lifetime- fuzzy, familiar, comforting. She knew in her head though she had never met this man.

She just stood there awkwardly, wondering when she had gone mad.

 

[Vanir Eris]

Ripley Kühn
Vanir hardly noticed that the crew was boarding and barely felt or heard the sounds of their departure. His focus was on the girl standing close enough to touch staring up at him with confusion.

Take the pup inside foolish one. Show her the mark, see if she will reveal if she too has one. Have one of those toys you play with steal her blood and howl it’s story.

The dry commentary from Eris was like a light nip on the ear, chiding and getting his attention. He sucked in a breath and gruffly spoke. “Follow me. I have… Questions. You… You no doubt will too.” He led her into the shuttle and she would see every beautiful state of the art inch. “My name is Vanir Kühn, my other half is Eris, but to any outsider unless told otherwise I am simply known as ‘Vanir Eris’ understood? What is your name, I can’t keep calling you ‘girl’ you… You seem to be my kin. Calling you by less than your name is… Disrespectful.”

Eris sank back to being a shadow now that he had his counterpart looking and moving less like a stunned prey animal. Van for his part sank down into a chair of the common area because it he felt like his whole body was gelatin. He just couldn’t believe it. His heart however cleaved to it, but his brain (and part he listened to most) was reeling. More than that, it meant he no longer had to be clan leader. He could be free. Finally he could toss aside this duty that strangled him and serve his clan as a Scout as he should have. Providing this girl knew her duty.

It should have been Comori. a thought hissed from the seething tangle that was his thoughts, but he ignored it. He was never meant to run a clan, now he may not have to. That however would have to wait, ascertaining her identity and knowledge came first. He slowly stood up and walked a little away from her unbuttoning his shirt and turning his back to her. As he took off the ring on his left thumb she would see writing slowly reveal itself from the base of his neck flowing downward to above the base of his spine. Names. The entirety of his bloodline was revealed. A bloodline she shared, though her name was as yet not added under the names of his siblings. If she had a similar mark, Vanir’s name would be listed right next to hers.

Before her stood a piece of her missing puzzle. A man and kin who could give her much craved knowledge. A man whose duty it was to stand with her, protect her and be something she craved above all others. Her family.

 

[Ripley Kühn]

Location: NCT-196
Tags: Vanir Eris

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As the man beckoned, Ripley followed close behind. Her mind was running a million miles a minute trying to work all of this out. The stranger spoke, and she just nodded vigorously, unable to form words. Questions she had indeed, the most important being what are you?

As they made their way into the shuttle, she glanced around at the beauty of it. Ripley had grown so used to riding in clunkers that this almost seemed too nice to be real. When he introduced himself, the girl quickly noticed he talked of his “other half”. She wondered if he was referring to another form, perhaps one relating to the lupine blood she had smelled earlier.

Kin. The word reverberated off her eardrums, sending her into a deep state of shock. She sucked a breath in through her mouth sharply, but she couldn’t hear it- the world around her had fallen all but silent. Kin. This was all she had ever wanted, but how could it be? Did the man recognize her?

He’s not lying. Kin, he is. The voice inside her growled, startling her back to reality.

By this point, Vanir was rising and unbuttoning his shirt, and her face contorted into what must have been an equally amusing and frightful look. If they were truly kin, and they had just met, why was he undressing himself in front of her? It was only a moment later she realized his intent when she saw the marks form across his skin. Her hands flew up to her mouth as she attempted to maintain consciousness, the shock overflowing by this point.

It took her a moment, but she snapped out of it, fumbling with the clasp of her cloak and letting it slide off of her. Her hands flew up, removing the earrings one by one, dropping them to the floor in a careless motion. She turned and pulled her shirt up- her whole back wouldn’t be visible due to her undergarments, but it would be enough to see it was the same mark.

After standing there long enough to prove the point, her hand fell to her side, her shirt coming down with it. Hot tears began to find their way onto her face. Blinking them back was no use at this point- the emotion was boiling over, unable to be controlled. She spun on her heels and ran full speed to the man before her, throwing her arms around his neck. Raw sobs escaped from her mouth, so full of sadness for the time that was lost, yet so happy for this new beginning. She breathed in deep, finally recognizing the scent - it was home.

 

[Vanir Eris]

Ripley Kühn
Hearing her gasp he turned just as she stood up and tossed off her jewelry lifting up her shirt. Her lineage appeared plain as day and before he could move she flung herself at him. Vanir lost his balance as the weight of her body connected to his, back hitting the cold floor. His breath rushed out with a woosh and he laid there one arm resting on her back as he struggled to get back the air he lost. Her sobs shook both their bodies and he barely had a thought to spare to getting them both back to their collective feet.

He rubbed her back and let his head sink back to rest on the floor. She would feel his heart beating underneath her, but she would also feel a sense of calm flutter down and drape across her like someone laying a blanket on her. It was a deep well of peace, like someone lifted her up and told her without words she would be safe, that it was safe and that she wasn’t alone. That feeling came from Van as he sought to soothe them both and in so doing, get his thoughts in order. It was an automatic gesture.

Her frantic sobs making his protective instincts rear its head and roar. He could feel approval from Eris which helped, her tears made him feel even more discombobulated. He wasn’t used to people crying on him in the least. The next breath she would feel her earrings slip back into her ears on their own from wherever they had rolled to. He patted her head with a sigh. “Tell me about yourself Ripley… Tell me everything.”

Maybe then he could make sense of this madness because the only thing that made sense was this girl was born after his family disappeared. That where she was born had a shift in such a way that time moved faster than where they presently were. It meant his family was still alive. It meant, he noted with bitterness, that his family might never resurface except for a sister he just now met. At least there was hope that he could discard the title that fell to him. If she wanted it. He would not be so callus as to dump leadership in her lap if she didn’t want the burden. He wanted to. He wanted to so badly, but why would he do to her what was done to him? He would not be that cruel.

 

[Ripley Kühn]

Location: NCT-196
Tags: Vanir Eris

____________________________________________________________________________________________________



As they fell onto the floor in a pile, Ripley tried to get ahold of herself, which only made the sobbing worse. Logic had fallen away and pure emotion had come to rule. Her cries grew slightly louder as she tried to spit out an apology.

“I’m….” Sobbing. “So… sorry….” she managed to get out breathily.

She felt a familiar wave wash over her, a sense of calmness, serenity, peace. She recognized the move from her days under her master- it was one he had to use frequently to calm the young girl. Her weeping slowly faded to slight whimpers and sniffling. Vanir finally spoke once again, and she attempted to move her arms to the floor and push herself up. She removed herself from him, instead choosing to sit next to the man, crisscross.

“Well, I guess I’ll start from the beginning- or the beginning of what I remember anyway.” Her voice was hoarse from the minutes before. “I woke up on the streets of Corellia, not knowing where I was or where I had come from. All I remembered was my name. I wandered, stealing to get by until my master discovered me. He took me in and began my Jedi training. Year after year I failed him until I decided to turn my back on the Jedi code.”

Ripley visibly flinched when she mentioned this. It was a choice that still haunted her to this day, no matter how often she tried to play it off. She took a deep breath, centering herself, before continuing.

“I turned to slicing to get by. I found a group that taught me everything I know. They became my makeshift family…. Until they were all arrested. Since then I’ve kind of been wandering, lost, doing what I can to make a living. And well, that’s how I ended up here- just a strange twist of fate that led me to an odd job.”

Her big blue eyes moved to look at him, drinking in his features. Looking now, she could kind of see the family resemblance. Someone who looks like me… blood.

“I know it’s not much to go off of and I’m sorry. Do you know anything that would make sense of it?” she asked, half-scared of the answer.

 

[Vanir Eris]

Ripley Kühn

Amnesia. Hearing that he schooled his expression to remain calm and attentive. He didn’t want her to become discouraged or worse, start to cry and this time from hurt. “We were a clan of a couple hundred and were cut down to fifty due to an event that cut a swath through the galaxy. People simply vanished… After I got everything in order I and thirteen others went out in search of answers. You… You must have been born wherever the rest of our clan went and if my hunch is correct, time moves differently there. Our clan numbers a little over a hundred again, but it has been very hard.”

He swallowed and shoved aside the memories. “I left a cousin in charge of the clan back home. I was… I was never favored by the clan and as the last of the Core family left the burden fell to me, but honestly they didn’t want me. Tandrek does a better job than I and now that you fell into my lap? They would look to you likely gratefully. You could become the leader of our clan if you decide to do so, I won’t mind.”

That being an understatement. “I can give you everything you need to know about our clan. From the histories to our laws and even about our people. From the smell of you, you seem to be like myself, half Lupo. Which means father took a fourth mate, but since there are no other names save yours… He hadn’t sired any other offspring who came of age to be listed within your mark. Who knows if that has changed.”

He stayed laying on the floor, it was comfortable now that she wasn’t on top of him and he just wasn’t ready to move. He watched her, his clear blue eyes taking in her every detail. There was sadness evident in his gaze, old memories ghosting in his mind. A lot of what he said spoke of unhappiness, but he didn’t go into detail either. Not all of his early years had been unhappy, but he had a lot of disappointment and a lot of loneliness.

He hadn’t been wanted. He still wasn’t, except by her. Was it because she truly wanted him as kin or because he’d been the hand that pulled her from where she had been drowning from? Would her feelings change? He couldn’t bring himself to be hopeful. He didn’t want to grow attached and have later the memories she forgot wither what was between them. He had hope that Comori and Velias had helped in her raising and not his father. The man had ignored his youngest son and save for his two eldest brothers so had the rest of his siblings.

The clan as a whole had kept a distance, they weren’t unfriendly, but none had welcomed him into their hearts either. Not much had changed either. Would she do the same? He ignored the grief, letting it flow out as easily as it sparked. No. Easier to do his duty and go his separate way, he was used to being solitary. All he could hope for was that she would take his place and he would have his freedom. He needed nothing else.

 

[Ripley Kühn]

Location: NCT-196
Tags: Vanir Eris

____________________________________________________________________________________________________


Ripley nodded as he explained. She tried putting herself in his shoes; over half of his people - no, our people the voice inside her chided- vanished in an instance. She wondered where they were now, and how she had gotten separated from them. When he mentioned being unwanted, she frowned. Taking up this duty would be something she would need to consider, but she wouldn't be able to do it alone. She did not see herself as a natural-born leader. She would need help, someone to guide her.

Her frown faded as she stared at the man before her. She was still in awe at this strange twist of fate. She reached out and laid her hand on his forearm- both because he looked like he could use the comfort, and she needed to make sure he was still real, and this wasn't some sort of twisted dream.

"I want to learn everything."

Her voice was still hoarse and the sentence came out as barely more than a whisper. She cleared her throat before attempting to speak again.

"I want to learn everything. I won't lie- the thought of leading people makes me anxious. I've never been the type people should follow. But if it is my duty, and they need me, I will be there."

Tears threatened to come again, but she swallowed back the lump in her throat. Her eyes once again found their way to his, the blue mirroring her own so well.

"But first, I want to know everything about you. Spare me no details."

 

[Vanir Eris]

Ripley Kühn

She wanted to know everything. It was a request that was a tall order, especially for someone who didn’t get in the habit of talking a lot. He sighed gustily and sat up giving her a sidelong glance. “I am not great at anything domestic, at all. My cooking is even worse. So if I can’t automate the process, I do without, as I can’t be bothered to put the effort into it. This is why my ships or the droids on them do that for me. I spend most of my time traveling and studying, I am a scientist and my residence and workplace are in Confederacy space on Arbra. Which you are welcome to join me there, I can see to it you are given a place of your own and I will provide you with work and furnishings if you so desire. You may also travel with me if you choose.”

He pushed himself to his feet picking up his top which he pulled back on, ring soon after slipped back to his thumb. “I hate anything that has touched vinegar and Eris is a sucker for anything pickled. Otherwise I am pretty dull.” He then paused and shrugged. “I can share what I know in terms of Force training as well, but I am not a type that fights in melee combat. So what you are likely to get from me is basic enhancement, psionics, mental manipulations and elemental shaping.”

Others might not be so blasé about it as he was, but he didn’t consider his abilities to be anything superior. In his mind it made him a liability compared to a normal combatant because of the swath of carnage he could cut. A force user in his mind was the same as arms loosed from a battleship. Really limited in terms of use and highly destructive if given free reign. “Beyond that I wouldn’t know what else to share. I’m sure in the process of staying near me you’ll learn more by observation. I hate trying to sell myself for I don’t think I have any valuable assets to note.”

Which was true, one reason why he chose to head his own company was because he hated his time served as a grunt pushing a resume. Getting to a point where he wouldn’t have to impress others was a true joy. Especially when he started to release sellable products that would speak for him. “Ah, I forgot something. Outside the tools of my trade I am not great with technology. I don’t social media, I don’t navigate the holonet with ease and frankly while I could take apart a droid with my mind, they literally become trash to me if they cease function. So if you need things, just tell me instead of trying to sell me the idea because I will either get bored and just throw credits at you or fall asleep.”

His humor also ran dry, the picture he painted of his technological skills was bleak and if he could stand the work involved he’d live without much tech, but he was lazy. And this is why we can’t find a mate willing to stick to you.

Inwardly Van snorted. No, the real reason he didn’t appeal to most women was because he didn’t have the wherewithal to puff himself up and make himself appealing. It was a wonder the one lover he had was willing to put up with him at all. The only thing he gave to her when with her was as much of himself as his oaths would allow to an outsider. It would be a different story were he going to court her to change it, but he wasn’t ready for that. Nor offspring. Especially offspring.

It also reminded him he would have to contact her soon. He’d likely see her after he was done on this planet, after he got his sister safely denned where she couldn’t casually sniff that cavat of his life. He wasn’t ready for his new sibling to know of that much detail. In fact, if he was lucky she’d never know at all, the idea gave him the urge to cringe. Just no. “It goes without saying that the only time an outsider is to know of anything pertaining to our clan is if I give permission or they are to become your mate. If there is a messy detail like they are wanted by most of the galaxy or something, I need to know, but anything else beyond those kind of sticky details please… Please do not share. Only thing I will ask is no strangers in our shared space and nothing offensive to nose or ears.”

Which he hoped was a very reasonable set of requests. “If you get in trouble I will help you within reason or ability.”

A quick look outside said that there was nothing he needed to bring in. He closed the rear doors and ran a hand through his hair. “Here shortly we’ll be moving to my main campground. There is a shield that keeps anything native out that could be dangerous. The border is clearly marked so you won't likely leave it by accident. Please tell me now if you don’t like spiders?”

There was a reason for that question.

 

[Ripley Kühn]

Vanir Eris

Listening to him talk about himself, a shy smile spread across Ripley's face. It was apparent it made him uncomfortable, but that would not stop her prodding.

"A scientist, huh? The intelligence must run in the family. It's okay if you don't know tech - maybe I could help you with that? I would also love any sort of training you could offer. I'm hoping I might find a new master soon, but I don't want what skills I do have to grow rusty while I look."

Her eyes took him in, scanning every aspect. They seemed to be so similar, yet so different. He was guarded and reserved - she was an open book, and excited about everything.

As he continued on, her nose wrinkled. She had only kissed a boy a select few times, and one girl. Romance seemed to be the most boring thing to her when there was trouble to stir up instead. She certainly didn't intend to take a mate anytime soon.

"Don't worry, I don't kiss and tell, not that there's much going on it that department. As for trouble... I am an angel, innocent and pure. Never would I think about doing anything that you'd have to fret over, and if I did... well, I wouldn't be dumb enough to get caught." As she said it, the shy smile grew into a witty smirk.

When he mentioned spiders, her eyes grew wide in horror.

"Anything with eight legs is going to be a no from me."

 

[Vanir Eris]

He frowned when she said she said she wasn’t a fan. Indifference would have been far more acceptable than fear. “We will have to fix that, otherwise you will have a hard month.”

He walked to the cockpit and sat down. It wasn’t long before they were up in the air, the lift to the ship barely discernible, for it glided smoothly. There wasn’t even a hint of turbulence either. The scenery of the planet ballooned out before them and after about fifteen minutes they descended to then land in a small clearing. However the first thing that Ripley would note was the lacing of webbing all along the perimeter of the small clearing.

When he opened the hatch she would see shapes moving along the webs. At first they would seem like barely glowing fireflies, lighting the gloom under the thick trees. However the more she would watch, the more details she would see and it looked like flowers that had orbs of light. As he stepped down something dropped to dangle at chest level in front of Vanir. Delicate legs shifted to touch his extended forearm and then crawl to his shoulder. It was a spider that was from leg to leg as big as his face. The shape that she’d see was like a lotus flower holding an orb of light. When it moved to turn its eight eyes on her she’d then see it was a massive, though pretty, spider.

“This is Ambrae… I created her and those on the webs keep the insects at bay, Ambrae here is the Matron to all those drones. They are mindless things she sets to tasks, but she herself is quite intelligent. If you can speak to the R2 set of droids, you can understand her, otherwise she might speak telepathically. If she chooses. There is a barrier on the other side of the webs, but to leave camp just go to the opening to the north. The spiders are harmless, but if you walk into the webs, because of how thickly draped they are, you’ll get stuck. They’ll be closing the top part and make a dome again. Come nightfall we’ll have light to see by as well.”

The spider herself just casually moved to perch on top of his head to watch her. She might get the sense that said spider was just as apprehensive of her as she was of it. Truth was Ambrae hadn’t up till now met another humanoid, she was usually hidden from sight usually in whatever coat Vanir was wearing. Now this stranger was in their territory and she wasn’t sure what to make of it. “Am, why don’t you go back up top, you have no reason to be afraid and neither does she.”

He lifted his hand near the string of web, after a moment the spider quickly moved back up and then above their heads. The swarm of drones had been hard at work making a massive orb web like ‘lid’ to their campsite. It was a lot like watching ants work or termites, they paid them no mind at all. “She always travels with me, so we shall slowly get you both acquainted.”

 

[Ripley Kühn]

Ripley found a seat and enjoyed the journey. She had never learned to pilot herself, but flying always brought about a sense of comfort for her. She looked out the window and enjoyed the peace and serenity that she now felt. Ripley was so attuned to being a big ball of feelings and chaos, and this calm that surrounded her was new territory. It was as though everything, for once, was right within her world.

As they began the descent, her eyes grew wide at the shimmering around the clearing. She squinted, trying to figure out what the material was. It almost looked like... no.... webs? Horror ran through her as she shook her head. Not wanting to seem like a baby, she followed Vanir out of the hatch, but almost fainted when she saw all the little creatures. They were beautiful, yes, but that didn't mean they scared her any less. When the big one crawled onto his shoulder, Ripley let out a little EEEE! She listened to him speak and gulped, trying to hold the fear at bay.

"Uhhh. Hi Ambrae. So very nice to meet you- please don't eat me." Ripley said with a nervous giggle after.

“She always travels with me, so we shall slowly get you both acquainted.”

"I'll try my best. I haven't really messed with bugs much so I'm sure the fear will fade. Is there any grub around here? I'm starving" She stated, grabbing her stomach.

Vanir Eris

 

[Vanir Eris]

Grubs? He looked down at her and wrinkled his nose to scoff at her. “Just what kind of primitive do you think you are saddled with that you think I’d feed you insects?”

He tilted his head towards the interior of the ship and led her through to the luxury of a fully equipped galley. Such was his ship that every spacious inch was equipped with whatever modern need one could think of as well as everything he needed for his work. He gave her a snort. “Brush your fingers on this sensor, the autochef will give you a display if you need, but if you know what you want speak it. After that, food appears. And, arachnids are not insects, they are their own species with insects as food. Besides that, she won’t eat you, but she could wrap you in webs in your sleep.”

The mischievous smirk on his face would tell her that he intended to leave her with a thought that would make her squirm at night. He ordered three massive plates of food, one being green vegetables and the others piled high with quite a bit of meat. “I better see an appropriate amount of green things as well as protein. It is quite evident that you are used to doing without proper things and it is something I will personally seek to rectify. If you want me to craft you a custom menu I will do so, but you are to tell me when you need or want something instead of just doing without. Understood?”

Taking care of her was a duty he would see done, regardless of what it was. She might choose to crawl around in the muck that is often the underbelly of existence, but she damn well did it by choice, not necessity. She was his kin and he would not see her shorted on anything, even if said shorting was done because of obstinacy in regards to her new older sibling wanting her to have better care. He understood she might have pride, but he had the means and obligation and by the stars it would be done.

He sat down and glowered at her from behind his mountain of food making absolutely sure she got enough food to have her belly properly full. After that he would show her to the fabricator so she could make whatever clothing needs she wanted, then she would hie herself to a wash.

It isn’t like she is a mud covered ally welp soul-brother.
--I know, but when was the last time this girl had the luxury?
I suppose you are right…

Inwardly he growled, dumped on the street with hardly anything to her name. She had done good, but he’d see good turned into better otherwise he’d find the people who hadn’t seen to her needs and give them plenty more regrets. Eris for his part sighed at this, but Van would not be appeased.

 

[Ripley Kühn]

Vanir Eris

His response and misunderstanding brought a slight smirk to Ripley's face, and she didn't bother to correct him and tell him grub was slang. Let him think what he may, she got more amusement from it that way. She followed in suit to the ship, admiring its luxuriousness once again. When he spoke again her face wrinkled, lips pulling back in utter disgust as she imagined the scene he painted. She let out a slight shiver, attempting to turn her mind away from it, but it was sure to return later.

When he ordered the food, she took a step back, overwhelmed. She had been used to eating scraps when she had to, and this... well, this just seemed over the top. Her eyes were wide and her mouth dropped open at the piles of meat. She quickly shut it, not wanting to look ridiculous.

Ripley grabbed the plates, balancing them carefully, and made her way over to the table with them. Once there, she kind of pushed the plate of greens back away from her, hoping Van wouldn't notice. She then went to town shoveling the rest into her mouth.

"I understand, but really, you don't have to worry too much... I've gotten by just fine thus far." She stated in between mouthfuls of food.

The sentence led her to reflect on her past a bit. She thought of the lonely girl who had awoken on the streets - it now seemed like ages ago. Her experience had forced her to become tougher, more resilient, grittier than most. She wondered what Van would think when he saw that side of her.

You must let go of the childish fear you will lose him... you are kin. A pack. You are bound to each other.

Isla was right. There was no getting away from her now- Vanir was stuck with her.

 

[Vanir Eris]

He did indeed note her surreptitious pushing of the plate and casually pushed it near as she wolfed down her food. He ate with gusto himself, but with a shade more elegance that came from long suffering lessons on how not to get attention on himself. Just because his clan mostly ignored him, didn’t mean they weren’t also quick to educate thoroughly his mistakes. Anything too a particular way could be seen as either a slight or arrogance and neither were good.

He didn’t chide her however, in the end as long as she ate, that was all he cared about. Later on this might change, but that would be her own decision and not for any action on his part. There were more important things in life than finer table manners and as far as he was concerned, she was better than quite a few of their clansmen. “If you don’t like vegetables, eat them first to get them out of the way. However this pile of sauteed greens still has texture and has plenty of flavor. I’ve yet to find something better and I am picky about what veggies I eat.”

They also had the best in terms of nutrition too, another reason why he chose them. If he was going to choke down green things, he’d be damned if they didn’t do what was needed the best way as also tasting good. However in those rare moments when he couldn’t escape the unsavory, he always got what he hated out of the way first.

Ripley Kühn

 

[Ripley Kühn]

The reply brought an expression of hysterical disbelief to her face. She maneuvered her utensil in exaggerated form, picking up the greens, then lifting them to hang in mid-air as she inspected them. He was right about the texture at least - it was vastly different than the mush the stalls had passed off as "clean eating" in market places. Ripley decided to try them, moving the spoonful to her mouth. She noticed the smell wasn't nearly as bad either- and when they hit her taste-buds, it was bearable. She decided to pull the plate back over and went to work on it, taking his advice to just get it out of the way.

As Ripley ate she studied her brother with an unwavering gaze. She couldn't seem to get past his stoic demeanor in comparison to her own. As she reflected on it, something he said earlier crossed her mind: Never favored by the clan. Her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to work out why. He was obviously smart and had the ability to be successful, given what he had shared about his work. Her mouth opened to ask, then closed again as she thought better of it.

She let her gaze fall to her food as she ate, the thoughts racing through her mind. It was a lot to process, and her emotions were running rampant. After a few minutes, the silence combined with the storm in her head seemed almost enough to smother her. With her head still tilted down, her eyes found him once more.

"I wish I could remember them." She stated in a low voice. An expression of sadness flickered across her face before she cleared her throat and attempted to collect herself. "Sorry. Anyways, what's the plan bro? How long are we here before returning to Abra?" The webs outside flashed across her mind and she shivered slightly, hoping he would say soon.

Vanir Eris

 

[Vanir Eris]

Vanir helped himself to another serving and casually plopped more onto her plates as well. “I was scheduled to be here a month more, but given the change, a week will longer. That will leave us with supplies enough to get back to my home and from there… I will need to educate you on our clan, prepare you for what you shall be dealing with once we get there and then after that visit… Gods only know. I honestly haven’t planned too far ahead.”

He ignored her comment about her wish to remember, she either would or wouldn’t and he would not dwell on it. “Don’t focus too much on what you can’t remember. You will either remember or won’t. Perhaps what I have planned will trigger things. Besides that, what I will test out will tell me just how far along in your training you had. While you, yourself, cannot remember, muscle memory can tell me much. You would have had the same teaching that all of us had, father was such a stickler for tradition.”

There was scorn in his tone when he said that. Not necessarily directed at their father, but he was part of it. “In any case…” Picking up his empty plate. “Finish every bite. I need to go check on some of my traps and have the surveillance droids send me their footage. I’ll review it later on, but my goal is to capture a couple live specimens to take back to use as part of my work. Ideally I would have stayed till I was successful…” He then shrugged. "No matter, I can always come back."

Ripley Kühn

 

[Ripley Kühn]

Ripley nodded at his response. He was right- it was better not to dwell on what was. They were here, together, and they would figure things out moving forward. She continued eating as she pondered his words. She had always excelled in combat whenever she was still a proper padawan- perhaps her body remembered more than her mind did. It was slightly frustrating - she wasn't mentally deficient in any way, or she never would have been able to slice - but it was as though something was blocking things. She visibly shook her head, attempting to control her thoughts.

Ripley was, however, overloaded with excitement at the prospect of learning their people's history. She may have lost her own, but based on what her brother had said, there was much to cover about tradition and lifestyle. She held onto that, picturing what they may be like.

The plates were cleared and she cleaned them up properly, before trying to decide what to do next. He seemed used to the isolation, and she didn't want to be a bother as he worked. She glanced around the ship, slightly nosey about what all was there, but refrained from doing anything that may violate his privacy. Her feet carried to the opening of the ship, stepping off into the dirt, taking in a deep breath. Though the excitement of city life may have suited her better, she couldn't deny that the open area and clean air quality on this planet was nice.

Vanir Eris

 

[Vanir Eris]

She’d hear the scrape of claws on the ramp behind her and see the brindled patched beast that Vanir had changed into. Around his body was a kind of pack that he could easily slip into with the help of a droid. Getting out of it was easy and she would see that the gear was actually part droid. ---If you wish to come with me you’ll need four feet instead of two Ripley. And no need to act like the wind, the only things I wouldn’t touch are anything organic, chemical or Other. Otherwise explore the ship, I noticed you were curious.---

His mental voice was colored with amusement, he thought her care funny since the ship made ‘privacy’ nearly impossible. In his current form he was about two hundred and fifty pounds, he could cover a lot of ground very quickly. His amber eyes watched her before he seemed to frisk over to her tail wagging. Different behavior from a man so aloof, but then as he was now he was more beast than man. His other half had no issues with the way things were now, he was especially glad to have family to run beside.

He didn’t need do more than hop a little to swipe his tongue over half her face. A canine greeting full of joy.

Ripley Kühn