Continuing the Search

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Armaud Eden"]

She turned slightly in her seat. The bugs were almost gone from view. The swarm exploring well below them. So far she felt no sense of alarm. Blues met Armaud's verdant gaze.

She knew she didn't have to tell him this but she was going to say it anyway.

"In my experience, exploration never goes the way you plan it to. Of course, you already know that."

A small smile lit up her face.

"And don't worry. The treasure to the eye of the beyonder is still out there somewhere. Probably. And if you want, we can still forage for your berries. I have some sani-wipes in the back cabinet. Wouldn't want your cut getting infected."

She turned the ship slightly. Slowly. Didn't want Armaud falling out.

"Think that'll do for the swarm?"

 

[Armaud Eden]

"I don't know..." He admitted as he activated the shut switch on the door. Suddenly the sound of the engines and outside word was muffled by the belly of the ship being, once more, properly sealed. "I don't know the seasons here. Hakara is a swamp world but..." He trailed off as he moved back through the ship, finding the alcohol wipes.

He went to work cleaning the wound. "If they have a winter and we are too far into the summer, it could be too late to establish a hive..." It was hard to tell how old the hive was, how old the queen or it's inhabitants were. He knew bees well enough from his time on Sulon but this was different. Apiaries lived with a queen for 3-4 years before she was replaced, these Hakarans could have a much longer life span - given their sentience and connection.

He ripped open a packet of ointment with his teeth and applied it, pulling out a small bacta patch for the cut. He paused as he patted the patch against his knuckle before shrugging. "Too hard to tell, really..." He made a mental full circle and ended it with a smile. Sitting down in the crash webbing, he let out a sigh and ripped open the bacta patch - applying it like he had done many times before.

"I was thinking something more than berries, to be honest." A hunt, perhaps. Take down a bit of wild game or find some protein rich fruit, collect some wild herbs and leeks and tuber vegetables. Have a proper camp out. Feeling to his side, he patted the metal of the interior of the ship and then patted his pockets down. "I think I left my staff down in those tunnels..." He rolled his jaw as he breathed out slowly, leaning into the crash webbing.

Bummer.

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Armaud Eden"]

"More than berries AND expired chips?" She laughed. Better not to dwell on the fate of the sentients they couldn't help. Atleast not now. Maybe she could contact [member="Judah Dashiell"] for some pro bono cleanup of the planet. Or maybe even the man she'd met on Nar Shadda. Felix something. The one who'd introduced her to [member="Alistair Fenn"]. He seemed like he had too many credits to know what to do with.

"Another time," she offered about the camping part. With Armaud? It would've been interesting. Who knew what fire tales he'd spin?

"We can go back for your staff." She offered quietly but seemed to get a shake of his head in the negative. Shoulders shrugged. Fingers typed in the coordinates back to the shadow port. They'd need some more fuel. They could always come back. And she was glad there was a 'they' in that sentence.

 

[Armaud Eden]

"No point. I can always make another..." He replied as he looked back towards Kinsey. Breaking eye contact, he ran his hend across his dreads as he leaned further into the crash webbing and closed his eyes.

~~~

Betha II, an unfortunate way point. But a way point all the same. It took some haggling and friendly betting but when all things were said and done, they shored up supplies and accumulated proper fuel stores before leaving again. He gave some hints, here and there, that Sulon was where they needed to go. It was the only place he knew of where Ankarres existed and it had been some time since he had been home. He was admittedly excited to see Gabe and his mother, and Cera as well. But more than anything, he needed to speak to Master Relit.

He needed to speak with the man on what he had seen in the growth chamber on Hakara.

Shaking the tea packets to the sound of the engine rumbling, he hovered over the small kitchenette. Something foreboding crept in the back of his mind, like a drop in the pit of his stomach that he couldn't explain. Shaking it off, he looked the packs over and nodded. Dac Island and Tattooine Cactus blend. The kettle began to whistle as he ripped them open, dropping the pouches into the mugs as they were clamped to the counter top.

Pouring the hot water in, he looked up and caught the womans reflection in the glass of the reheater. "Why the Eye of the Beyonder? Or did we go over that already..." He scratched the growth of his beard and developed a vacant expression. Deep thinking took a lot out of him. He was sure they discussed the subject but he couldn't recall the why.

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Armaud Eden"]

Since her chances were slim of running into her Uncle there or any bounty hunters, she'd agreed to take the side trip with Armaud back to Sulon. Hopefully if the healer was there it wouldn't be an awkward reunion. Kinsey didn't like being reminded about the ghosts of her past. Plus, he'd promised to get her more of his superior honey.

Leaning against the u-wing door with arms crossed, she looked at Armaud.

Funny how you could become so comfortable around someone without ever really being able to pinpoint when exactly the relationship had started. Just couldn't imagine a time not knowing said person.

"I dunno. I've got so many of the pieces, figured it was a legend worth investigating. Plus treasure. Imagine the number of rations I could buy if it were true?" She smirked. "Bags of chips! Maybe a new fuel cell or two."

She kicked one heel against the floor, vibrant hued blues panning down for a sec.

"So. Did I ever tell you I've been to Sulon before?"

She couldn't remember.

 

[Armaud Eden]

Bags of chips...

He shook his head with a chuckle as he dipped the packets in and out of the water, spreading the infusion. Colors of purple and green in hers, teal and red in his, spread throughout until it was nothing but a darker version of water.

"What a coincidence...I've been to Sulon before as well." It was a sarcastic response but a literal one as well. Two preferences all melding into a Maud appropriate answer. Content with the state of the steeping, he turned and approached Kinsey. Offering her the cup of dac's island, he tilted his head as he met her gaze.

"Would you tell me about it?" Her time on Sulon. His nonchalance failed to conceal his interest.

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Armaud Eden"]

Vibrant blues rolled at his comment, though the corners of her mouth twitched. She took the mug carefully, until her fingers could wrap around the handle without getting burned. "Thanks." The pilot looked at him thoughtfully and nodded slowly.

She realized she wouldn't have brought it up if she hadn't been ready.

"It was about three," she squinted into the steam of her tea before looking up again, "maybe four years ago. I was really sick. Darkside poison. Alliance took me to see Avalore Eden. I guess that's your mum?"

She blew against the rim of her cup, sending the steam in swirling puffed patterns through the air. Kinsey failed to mention she was a prisoner of the Alliance at that time. Baby steps.

 

[Armaud Eden]

He chuckled, observing her thoughtful gaze and her ease at answering the question. He half expected to get something that didn't resemble the truth. Or maybe she would defer, change the subject, and he would have accepted it. That was the nature of getting to know someone. Even if the relationship had seemingly started in the professional realm, he felt it changing.

"Good guess." He took a sip, blowing the steam away first, and contemplated the flavor. It was fresh, like cucumber, but had some salty undertones. He wasn't sure how he felt about this cactus blend. "She was the leader of the circle of healers...is?" He looked up, thinking for a moment. It had been a while since he had been in touch with them, rarely finding his way home. "Is...I assume she still is." What was his mother if not a healer?

Leaning against the interior framing of the hull, he looked Kinsey up and down. "Well I couldn't tell you had been touched by Sith poison. I normally have a good nose for that sort of thing...how bad was it?" He did his best to not pry when it came to her past and their passing touches, given his innate abilities. He valued his privacy and he valued it in others, but sometimes it simply couldn't be helped.

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Armaud Eden"]

A good nose for that sort of thing?

"Oh do you?" Dark-brows lofted over the rim of her mug as she took a small, testing sip. Lowering the mug, her tongue ran along the inside, bottom of her teeth. Despite having her jacket on with tea in hand, she shivered.

"Bad. Really bad. I think that's why I reacted the way I did. Back in the underground pools when you used that crystal with the bugs." She shifted on her feet, kicking one foot behind her so it pressed against the panel. "I'm pretty sure Avalore used a crystal similar to the one you used to heal me. I don't remember much about those few days. It was like I was at the end of a very long, dark tunnel, not sure if I'd be able to get out or see light again. She saved my life."

Maybe her soul, too.

"Why is it easier for you to pick up on that sort of thing?"

 

[Armaud Eden]

"Hmm..." He scratched his nose and nodded. "She has a habit of fixing people up, no questions asked. I can't count the amount of times she put my uncle back together after some engagement with the Sith or the Order." He took another sip and plopped down in the crash webbing. Tilting back, he rocked slowly back and forth with the roll of his feet from heel to ball.

Fixing his verdant gaze back on the greatest adventurer, he contemplated her question for a moment longer. He was always a fan of awkward silences.

Finally, he shrugged.

"We can't really pick our talents, I guess? I don't know..." No one had ever really asked why and in many cases, he didn't see the need for it. Most of life was spent dealing with what was happening, it was rare to have the time or care to ask why. Relit had known Maud's sensitivity for some time and had helped him in developing it, but had never told him if he suspected why. Maybe his parents were just powerful with the force, maybe he was lucky, or maybe he was unlucky.

"An animal jumps into a pool after spending the day running through the mud. The mud leeches away and surrounds them in a suspended sphere of dirt. That's pretty much how I see things...sometimes." He shrugged again. "Maybe the longer they're in that water, the harder it is to see. It's not a science." Somewhere along his explanation, his eyes had drifted to the rippling pool of tea in his mug - vibrating to the hum of the ship. Drifting back to Kinsey, he smirked. "Do my abilities make you uncomfortable?"

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Armaud Eden"]

The pilot, no, greatest adventurer, plopped down in a bucket seat across from Maud, draped sideways across it, armrest supporting her back and underside of her knees hooked over the other one.

Another sip of tea.

"So you're saying you would've seen me surrounded in dirt." She smirked at him, tilting her head just so she could look him square on instead of sideways. Another sip of tea. Kinsey mulled his question over in her mind. Booted-feet swung slightly in the air.

"Not now. At first, yes. They're nosy abilities." Everyone knew that about Kiffar. Duh. Brilliant blues shifted to the viewport before coming back to his freckled, bearded face. "But once I got to know you - who you really are, I knew you'd keep your promise about my identity and that I could," a brief, soft smile spread along slightly chapped lips. "Trust you."

Pibs whistled from the cockpit, generally agreeing and making an inappropriate joke that Kinsey hoped Armaud wouldn't understand.

"Hush you," the girl called over the headrest of the seat.

 

[Armaud Eden]

That was where he and Kinsey differed, it seemed. He was naturally a trusting individual, not inclined to believe people were inherently bad or dishonest. It spoke to his philosophy about conflict, often taking a pacifist route, and believing that there was no problem that couldn't be solved with a simple smile and softly spoken words. Gabe had told him that the idea was naive and eventually Maud would grow out of it. As Kinsey had seen, there were moments were violence was convenient and the lazy side of Maud took to it when it felt appropriate. But otherwise, he still held on to that belief - and trust seemed to work in tandem with it.

Trust wasn't something that someone earned. It was something they lost.

He looked in the direction of Pibs and the cockpit, the joke was missed. After all, he hadn't quite learned droid yet.

"They are nosy abilities..." His free hand lifted up, his fingers curling out from a fist into a waving open hand. "And they were difficult to control when I was very young." He curled the corner of his mouth inward, in thought, as he narrowed his gaze. "For instance, I knew things about my mother and my uncle, far before they told me anything about their past..." He shook his head slowly. "Uncle Gabe has a dark past and no matter how long he sits in the water, it never truly fades."

He chuckled at the sight of the woman, sprawling out over the chair. "Your condition was acute. His, far more chronic." Medical terms, probably picked up overhearing his mother treat various visitors.

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Armaud Eden"]

"Just a spot of mud in my past then. Long washed away," a ghost of a smile in his direction. Then the tea. Mmmm. She loved how the stuff always seemed to warm her to the core. Did wonders with space travel. Not that the cold of a starship ever really bothered her.

"You sound close to your uncle. That must be nice," so very opposite to her own relationship with Uncle Coren.

"Is there a reason why you wanted to go home now? Your family members aren't going to fawn all over me, are they?"

She didn't even think about what assumptions might be made. But she did wonder what it would be like to be a guest instead of a patient. Maybe she'd actually remember things this time instead of everything being in a blistered, fevered, blur.

 

[Armaud Eden]

He smiled as she carried his metaphor onward, far beyond what was needed. It was a poor metaphor, he was sure, but now she was just picking on him. Right?

"He taught me a lot of what I know now. Maybe not with the force but...cooking, hunting, growing, carving...knitting..." He raised his brows, making sure to send home that that could have been a joke. It wasn't, but it could have been. What he had learned from his uncle on living off the land, it morphed into other skills out of necessity. Harvesting animals, using gut lining for stitching hides and stringing instruments, learning how to make due with every piece. Waste was something that had struck him as odd from a very early age.

"Ah, yes." It had slipped his mind to explain to her why they were going home. Now that he thought it over, he was surprised she agreed without the explanation. Reaching over, he pulled the hatchet from the loop beneath his robes and moved to show her the wooden handled. A pinky, extending from his half emptied mug, traced over the etchings of blue and silver. "Mom probably used healing crystals to heal you. And before I was born, someone fused those with living wood. This specific tree is one of the rarest in the universe but on Sulon, there lies one of the largest known groves. I need some of the wood for a new staff."

He looked up from the wood to Kinsey. "As for deer, I'm not sure why you would mention-" He stopped. "Fawn. Ah." He shook his head, and nodded slowly, tonguing the inside of his cheek while adorned with mild embarrassment. "I will do my best to keep them off of you. No promises though."

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Armaud Eden"]

Kinsey would always tease Maud. It was part of their relationship. Part of her character. Keep things light. Teasing or picking on someone could only happen if they shared a certain sense of familiarity. Comfort. Right?

A lopsided grin tugged on her mouth.

"Knitting. Hm. I'll expect a nice scarf for Life Day, then."

The tease.

Shifting in her seat so she was sitting in it how it was designed to be, she leaned forward a bit, elbows propped on thighs as she got a closer look at the handle. She couldn't help but reach out and trace the tip of her index finger down that line. "I'm sorry about your staff," eyes flickered up to his, teasing humor gone.

"As for your family, I can always escape back to my ship," that spark of tease was back just as quickly. Hopefully there wouldn't be any awkward conversations about them trying to define what she and Armaud were.

 

[Armaud Eden]

"It's just an item..." He admitted, which was why he didn't want to go back for the staff. If there was anything he owned that became so valuable, it would be worth risking his or another's life - well then it suddenly wasn't worth having. And if it never reached that level of priority in his life, then it also wasn't worth having. He held little value in the material world and he wanted to keep it that way.

"But if you want a scarf...well I'll have to dust off the old needles." Which meant he'd need to find some needles. Last set he had, he left at the Homestead. Maybe he could lay eyes on them if one of his siblings hadn't thrown them away. Smiling, he placed the hatchet back in the loop and it fell away from view. Propping his chin on his hand, he leveraged a semi-stable position with his elbow propped on his knee.

He rebutted her with a sideways smirk of his own.

"Gabe is a former Marshal and the lead law enforcement agent of Sulon. He oversees port control. And my mom can be very stubborn. But yeah..." He nodded mockingly. "I'm sure you can escape to your ship."

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Armaud Eden"]

She laughed and leaned back, kicking her boots up on the edge of Armaud's seat, by the outside of his knee. "Oh please. What're you suggesting? Your uncle would arrest me? Although, I'm sure Avalore is the more formidable one. Yup. Your mom is the one I'd really have to worry about."

Her grin widened.

"Do you think any of your other siblings will be home?" If she remembered correctly, he'd told her about a brother that was his opposite. And two sisters? Something like that.

The pilot took another sip of her tea.

 

[Armaud Eden]

"Well, he arrested me before..." He settled back, seemingly unaffected by her boot placement. "I deserved it. But no, I imagine at most he would just shut down outbound traffic. As for my siblings..." He shook his head, looking down at her boot. "No way to tell. I've never really kept up with them..."

He placed his hand under her heel and lifted one her boots up. "You have high arches..." He stated fairly confidently. "Wear on your heel and interior ball...and you haven't replaced your boots in a while." He made a tsking noise as she shook his head, only somewhat mockingly.

"Gotta take care of your feet, Ms. Starchaser. You only have two of 'em." Granted, the universe was filled with prosthetics. But that was besides the point.

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Armaud Eden"]

"Wha-at?" A bark of laughter left her throat, eyes crinkling. "What did you get arrested for?" She couldn't imagine Armaud behind bars and arrested by his own uncle. It was all very amusing even if it hit a little close to home. A little too similar to Kinsey's past.

His touch obviously didn't bother her. She'd never been used to personal space anyway. Unless it was a strange man. And Armaud wasn't strange at all. Well. In THAT way.

Ankle rotated slightly in his hand as if she were wagging her foot at him.

"Well Mr.," emphasis on the mister, "Eden. What if I told you these were my favorite boots? I don't know if there's a solution to this dire situation. Aaaaand," arms crossed in mock indignation, "says the man who goes barefoot most of the time." Dark-brow lofted in challenge.

 

[Armaud Eden]

Mr. Eden. That sounded funny, no matter who said it.

"Obviously barefoot is the best way to go..." He assumed the reasoning for his logic was fairly clear. At least when it came to walking through the woods. When matters got to asphalt or submersed waters, that changed. Largely because sentients weren't meant to walk on hardened material like asphalt over long periods and with submersed waters, one never knew what was lurking beneath - best to have some form of protection for the toes.

Placing the heel of her boot on his thigh, he applied pressure to the toe - like if he were forcing her back down from a calf raise. Inspecting, he nodded sagely and traced the sole with his pinky finger - elegantly extended from the tea mug. "These are stitched. You can replace the soles and you should...they're separating here and here." He made indications where gaps were forming which meant that if these things were ever waterproof, they likely weren't anymore.

Taking a sip of what remained of his tea, he sucked air with a smile. "And I doubt you'd want to hear about my lowbrow attempts at criminal enterprise..." He was sure how he put it would only pique her curiosity.

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]