Crimson Stars and Midnight Skies

[Armand Temi]

Fearing retribution of some kind, Sylvia and Marcus finally slipped out of the Sullust estate, passing stumbling pilots and Alliance bureaucrats alike as they made their way out of the Charity Ball. The volcanic planet was not the most hospitable for walking around so choices were limited in where they could go.

A hotel, her barracks or his ship.

While Sylvia didn’t mind repeating the experience they’d had in a Soceras hotel, the lingering memory always causing a welcome blush to appear on her face, it would be nice to go somewhere else. Likewise her barracks were cramped, she had a roommate, and it was more a loose college dormitory than a strict military environment, though security at the barracks was extremely tight. Still, fellow pilots smuggled in “friends” all of the time.

The redhead pilot suggested Marcus’s ship, a small but sturdy freighter in which to peel off from the party and either hang out or even take a trip. Rogue Fifteen never minded a completely 360-degree view of the stars, after all.

Running her manicured hand along the side of the freighter, red nails clicking against the hull, Sylvia asked, “Corellian?”

She may not have known how to say "Gotal'ur kar'taylir darasuum at ni" in Mando’a, but she knew her starships, the make, model and even materials with which they were built. And this particular ship made sense for Marcus's line of work as Corellian engineering sold the most varied modular freighters on the market.

“Where should we go next?” she asked, waiting for Marcus to lower the ramp. His answer could have been “let’s stay on the ship,” and that would have been fine with the Alliance pilot, but perhaps he wanted to take her somewhere. If Sylvia could have a fantasy night, she’d steer the two of them off to Point Modie on Maramere where they could explore the sea and sand of the beautiful resort world.

[member="Marcus Lok"]

 

[Marcus Lok]

Marcus had truly been surprised that they had not aroused suspicion during their exit. They had left little behind to show that anyone at all had been in that hallway... Whatever it really was, and even less in the room that they had occupied for a little more than an hour. With little to keep them, a journey to his ship seemed the most appropriate way to end the night.

In his mind he dreaded the idea of leaving her to return to her duties so quickly. He would have to take her somewhere, and he already had a few things in mind himself. He could take her to the mountains of Corellia, perhaps rent a cottage among the vast towering formations stone and snow and there a rest by the fire would seem all the more appropriate. Another possibility would be a visit to the expansive forests of Kashyyk where they could spend hours concealed beneath the canopies of Wroshyr trees with not a soul to bother them for miles... These thoughts were all very extravagant, and they only grew on him as the dark outline of his ship came into view.

"Yeah, it was my dad's ship, he passed it on to me."

The ship was used, but it was far from old. His father had bought in the later stages of his life and had praised it all the way to his last job. His last ship, a worn but reliable light freighter that he had won in a game of Sabacc, and he had ran it until it finally croaked in some hangar on Nar Shaddaa. Marcus always treasured the moments where his father would hand him a spanner and lead him out to the earthen landing pad that sat outside of their home to perform whatever daily maintenance that was demanded for the ship's continued operation. He would not bore her with those stories though.

"I've got a few ideas."

He reached towards one of the landing struts which offered access to the ramp controls and with a firm push to one of the buttons, the ramp would fall slowly to the durasteel pad. It was a welcome idea to be leaving this rock, even if it had given him an opportunity to rub elbows with some of the Alliance's finest, and a little more with Sylvia.

"After you."

He motioned in a half mocking manner up the short ramp into the hull of the starship, though he did feel a bit foolish. Upon entering she would find nothing extravagant; bolted furniture, a few sealed doors and a short hallway which appeared to lead to the cargo bay. Although he doubted it would compare to the sort of things she was used to in the navy, he hoped it would be comfortable enough to suit her needs.

[member="Sylvia Nuru"]

 

[Armand Temi]

Sylvia walked up the ramp and into the ship, minding the back of her dress since the hem skimmed the top of her thighs. Looking around at the interior of the Corellian vessel, the pilot mused that it wasn’t built for comfort, but neither was her X-Wing for that matter. And frankly her own quarters in the barracks, with its modular, dreary furniture and lumpy single mattress, were not much better in that respect.

Leaning against something that looked vaguely like a seat, Sylvia asked: “Are your parents still alive?” Rogue Fifteen hoped she wasn’t prying into forbidden territory. Both Nurus – her mother and father – were still living on Coruscant, but with their stiff upper lips, she imagined neither of them would think highly of the fact that she just climbed into the starship of a Mandalorian slicer. But the red-head pilot was not worried in the slightest. Marcus had the kindest forest-green eyes, and an even gentler touch that could also be firm but in the most impassioned way. She did not fear him, and if that is naive, so be it, she thought.

Kicking off her kitten heels while she waited for Marcus to reply, she added: “You don’t have to stay in that suit if you’re not comfortable.” Then worrying that she was asking that he strip down right then and there, she continued: “I mean into a flight suit or something. Or casual clothing…”

Oh just stop now, stupid nuna, she thought. You’re just embarrassing yourself.

Sylvia was curious, however, as to where Marcus planned to take her. Since war boiled across the galaxy and her next assignment could be anytime, she was quite happy to have a midnight adventure to a sector far away from Sullust.

[member="Marcus Lok"]

 

[Marcus Lok]

Marcus followed his guest up the ramp and quickly closed and locked the mechanism once he was sure that no one had been following them. It was not as if he expected anyone to care that they had trespassed into the private depths of a Jedi's mansion, though it certainly would look bad if security was able to track the ID of his ship.

Pressing on towards his quarters as Sylvia made herself at home, he came to a steady halt just infront of the door at the mention of his parents. Their loss had hit him hard at first, and for a long time he could hardly hold himself together when he remembered the times that his family had shared on their small ranch. It had been most of the reason that he had moved to the city, to forget those memories, and for a time he found that it had helped. There was no way she could know about the fate of his parents and he certainly could not blame her for asking. In that instance he wondered what his own family would think of this. Moonlighting with a pilot from the core worlds? His father would have scolded him for not finding a girl that at very least spoke Mando'a. His mother would have been the voice of reason, she herself was adopted into the Mandalorian culture, though his father would not admit it. He had only learned shortly after his death, though it seemed insignificant in comparison to the weight that had then suddenly been dropped upon his shoulders. With a half sigh and a finger pressed to the door's security mechanism he stepped into his quarters.

"They both died a few years back... And yours?"

He did not want to come off too grim on the matter, he had come to grips with it and he certainly had no business ruining their night by bringing on a pity party. At the mention of his suit, Marcus could not agree more with her urging. Of course he had likely come to the same thought when she added on the bit about a flight suit... It was cute. He began to unbutton the fine white shirt that had seen so much neglect in the past months and tossed it aside onto his bed. Following suit with the pants, he soon covered himself with an old T-Shirt and a pair of baggy sweatpants. It was hardly as fancy as the getup that he had worn to the party, but he felt the mood on the ship would be far more relaxed than an upscale cocktail party.

Exiting his quarters, he revealed himself to Sylvia to face her criticism.

"Casual enough for you?"


[member="Sylvia Nuru"]

 

[Armand Temi]

“Sorry, Marcus,” Sylvia said, her eyes searching the floor for a moment. She felt a pang of regret that she’d asked the slicer about his parents, but this was all part of the “getting to know you better” that needed to happen. Especially if they were to be intimate again, at least in the pilot’s head. “My parents live on Coruscant. My father Magran is a retired Imperial Naval Officer. My mother Addison was kind of a yeoman, a record keeper for the Navy as well.” She smiled and looked back up at Marcus again. “So I was a Navy brat though we mostly remained on Coruscant.”

Once the Mandalorian slicer went to change, Sylvia poked around the ship a little but didn’t intrude too much. She only ran her hands over the console, peeked under the seat, not sure what she’d find… traces of Marcus she supposed. Food wrappers of what he liked to eat or bottles of his favorite drinks. When he came back out, she straightened up and with a smile so big, her eyes crinkled at the outer edges. He looked so comfortable, she longed to change into similar and curl up beside him in the cockpit. Voicing this thought, Rogue Fifteen said: “It’s perfect. In fact, I’m jealous now. I’d love nothing more than to get these heels and this dress off.”

Blushing again, she realized how that sounded, but this time didn’t correct herself. Truth be told, the flame-haired pilot wouldn’t mind continuing the close embrace they’d been in at the Sullust Jedi Estate and this time, without her dress on, but she wasn’t sure how long of a journey they had before them.

[member="Marcus Lok"]

 

[Marcus Lok]

"It's not important. They died well."

Deep down, Marcus knew that bringing up the deaths of his parents may have not helped him gain her affection in anyway, but he owed her the truth at the very least. Hopefully he didn't come off as being too cold about the event either lest she believe he hardly cared for them.

Her own upbringing seemed as strict as a military background could be. An Imperial Officer for a father would leave little room for free thought, but he wasn't apt to tell her what he thought of officer corps. Within the Mandalorian clans, few people acted as officers, and even fewer would be as arrogant as to believe they could. But she was in the Alliance now! A far cry from any imperial starship, and more than that, she had defected! Though the aftermath of such a defection was still a mystery to him.

Once she commented on his outfit, he could scarcely keep a straight face. The night would be full of many slip ups, all of which were not the bad kind, he only hoped that the destination he had in mind would not be a crushing failure.

"I thought you might!"

From behind his back, he revealed clothes that were very similar to his own outfit... In fact, they were his. He had spares of course, one could never be to comfortable in their starship.

"Put these on, I don't think you need to keep tugging at that dress anymore."

He threw her the bundle rather awkwardly, but he was satisfied that it at least kept its shape through the air, and they had to get going! Leaving her to change in relative privacy, he made his way towards the bridge, a rather small arrangement with only one swivel seat for the pilot. It was a very compact design, an was modeled primarily after smaller combat ship arrangements so that a single individual would not have to count on other crewmen to service the multiple needs of the ship. It suited him just fine, as he seldom had company.

Soon, from the depths of the engine room that sat just behind the galley, the motors began to wind as he set to work at the necessary switches and buttons. It would not be long before they were off the pad and into the upper atmosphere, away from the crowding party that still went on in the planetside mansion.

[member="Sylvia Nuru"]

 

[Armand Temi]

Sylvia didn't judge. If Marcus's parents died, that was his business. She would not intrude or ask questions. The topic went by the two without incident.

When he threw her the comfortable attire as he wore, the pilot grinned widely. "I hope this will fit me, " she said with a smirk. Of course she was dwarfed by the clothing as petite as Sylvia was.

She scuttled into the back of his ship to change into the clothing that he'd provided. Okay the top fit, like a dress, but the bottom dragged off of her legs. She stepped out of them.

Sylvia approached Marcus, as he punched in the coordinates to take them to wheever:

"Im ready!"

Truthfully the girl was without pants, but it didn't matter as she was happy to be wearing Marcus's clothing, even didn't completely cover the bottom of her legs.

[member="Marcus Lok"]

 

[Marcus Lok]

Marcus managed to punch in the coordinates of their destination just before she arrived in the cockpit. He was happy to keep their destination a mystery, and though she might get a bit curious, he was sure he could keep it under wraps at least until they arrived. Now it was only a matter of getting past Alliance security.

It was not long before they were contacted by a few sleek fighters that bore the red insignia of the faction and after a quick transmission of codes, they were on their way. A few Alliance capital ships orbited in the vast expanse of Sullustian space, as would be typical for the capital planets of most governments. Perhaps Sylvia would know more about them? He motioned for her to come closer to the viewport to observe, but kept an arm over the navigation interface, just too be sure she didn't take a quick glance.

"The Alliance has a nice little fleet, any of them familiar?"

Generally, he thought that one of those ships might be the base of her squadron's operations, and perhaps he could get a name. After all, if they were ever defeated, he would at least know where to start looking for her.

[member="Sylvia Nuru"]

 

[Armand Temi]

Sylvia was intensely curious about the destination, but she stayed quiet, wearing Marcus's oversized tee-shirt, knowing it was not proper pilot attire, but not really caring.

At his beckoning, she stepped closer, peering at the fleet which guarded Sullust.

"If I gave my call sign, none of them would keep us here," she said. "You give the word and we're off into the galaxy, with nothing to keep us here."

Putting her hand on the slicer's broad shoulder, Sylvia said, "Let's go. I'd be completely happy to go somewhere else but the Galactic Alliance."

It was not the first time, but the second time, Sylvia would show that she was not alleged to anyone but herself, despite her careful display of patriotism.

[member="Marcus Lok"]

 

[Marcus Lok]

Marcus nodded as they cleared the blockade and headed towards the edge of the controlled space around the planet. Before them was set an endless blanket of stars, all churning with fire and life. It almost made him get sentimental, but it was too common of a sight now to take an effect like it had when he had first ventured into the stars with his father.

At the press of a button on the console, the engines began to whine audibly and soon the stars seemed to form into great streaks just ahead of them. It was not long before a loud bang signalled their entry into the blue depths of hyperspace. The all too familiar tunnel formed a space around them that would do little to give away their destination, but it shouldn't have been of any real concern to Sylvia, he only expected that she would be deeply curious.

Marcus gave her a smile and soon stood up to head back towards the galley. It would not be a long flight, but he hardly needed to be at the controls when they arrived, it would be pretty clear.


[member="Sylvia Nuru"]

 

[Armand Temi]

Marcus's ship moved past the blockade with ease. Sylvia too, watched the beautiful stars in awe, always bowled over by the wonderment of space. As the familiar feeling of hyperspace took hold, the flame-haired pilot steadied herself and then followed the dark-haired slicer into the galley.

She still couldn't believe that she was leaving Alliance space like this. One part of her wondered just what in the Void she was doing with Marcus, but the red devil on her shoulder reasoned that all of this was right in the grand scheme of things. She'd been looking for adventure, and she found it - or it had found her - and so much more.

In a way, she was hesitant to ask where they were going as Sylvia thought it might break the entrancing spell she felt herself in at this moment with the handsome Mandalorian, but she couldn't help herself.

"So Marcus," she said, leaning against the doorway to the galley. "Where are we off to?"

[member="Marcus Lok"]

 

[Marcus Lok]

Marcus eyed her once she finally asked what their destination might be. He returned only with a coy smile and a rather cryptic explanation.

"It's somewhere that relaxes me... I think you'll like it."

At least he hoped she would. The location had been near and dear to him ever since he had stumbled across it after a quick mission to Druckenwell had left him looking for a place to hide. He did not often give out these sorts of locations on the off chance that one day's friend might become tomorrow's enemy, but he hardly thought that Sylvia would ever turn into that sort of problem. He could tell the people that would, they often made no attempt to hide their dark desires and true intentions.

Without a second word, he motioned her along to follow him to a small service ladder that lead down into the guts of the ship, presumably towards another compartment, though it seemed a bit well hidden. Taking hold of the top rungs, he took a look into the darkness below and began the descent. In truth, it had once served as a spare cargo compartment, but not finding any use for it, he had modified the section after he inherited the ship.

"Careful coming down, it's dark."

[member="Sylvia Nuru"]

 

[Armand Temi]

Marcus was full of surprises, but Sylvia was sure that whatever the slicer had in store was benevolent. And if the setting relaxed her handsome, new paramour, the Red Devil had a feeling it would relax her too.

"So capable," she teased. "So confident"

She shimmied down the ladder, a little nervous at what was at the bottom. Marcus would get a good view of her blue lacy underwear, but that was to be expected since she was climbing a ladder downward without pants on.

Was this where Marcus slept? She was quite sure he was not going to jettison her out of the ship, but still the darkness was disconcerting.

"I'm here," she said. "Show me."

[member="Marcus Lok"]

 

[Marcus Lok]

Marcus began to feel around at the wall once he reached the final rung of the ladder. It had to be around here somewhere...

Got it!

As soon as he flipped the switch, a dim orange light came to life and flickered a sort of goldish glow throughout the entire compartment. It was small, no larger than a small bedroom, but it was certainly not built like one. Dark cushions ran the length of the floor and he was careful to step over the reinforced glass panes that sat almost invisible over the metal blast shield that would soon reveal the exterior of the ship. Indeed, he had converted it into a small observation room.

He supposed it was just as Sylvia was coming off the last rung that he felt the all too familiar jolt of the ship exiting lightspeed. It was not anything that would make one fall, but after a few years traveling the void, one got to know it pretty well. Knowing it was time for a bit of a reveal, he synced up his datapad to the ship's controls and set them on a course for the middle of the nebula, a mite dangerous if any other ships were in the sector as their sensors would be next to blind in the clouds of gas, but he hardly expected any larger cargo vessels would be so stupid as to venture into the middle of a nebula. Once everything seemed just fine, he laid down on one of the beds of cushions and awaited Sylvia.

"Come here and get comfortable. We're here."

[member="Sylvia Nuru"]

 

[Armand Temi]

Sylvia had no idea what she was walking into only that she was heading downward into the bowels of the ship. But when she heard Marcus saying " "Come here and get comfortable. We're here. "

She was surpised,as it seemed as they were at their destination so quickly. But she was curious and her desire for the slicer was high. she jumped atop Marcus when he invited her in. Quite willingly, licking his ear, she said, "I'm very comfortable, are you? Where is this place?"

[member="Marcus Lok"]

 

[Marcus Lok]

Marcus felt a sudden flush of heat as she jumped atop him and he was suddenly awash in her scent. He hardly had enough time to reveal their location, and with the position the two found themselves in now, he hardly thought that he might need it! The warm tingle he had been feeling ever since she crawled atop him only increased once she licked at his ear, and with a nervous finger, he went to press down on the small button of the datapad's screen which read simply as, CLOSED.

"Just look and see."

He motioned his head to the side as the metal walls that seemed to surround them slowly disappeared to reveal open space. Although it may seem as though they would both soon be vented, it would soon become apparent that glass still separated them from the cold openness of space and in that space sat the immensity of the Dragonflower Nebula. Clouds of gold and red hues surrounded the ship and the windows, and in the confines of the observatory, it may well appear that they were floating through it, as the ship was. It certainly was eye opening.

[member="Sylvia Nuru"]