Private Daisies? Really?

[Jenn Kryze]

Jenn was yet to find herself a proper place to live by her lonesome. Squatting in Kranak Vizsla 's safehouse was comfortable enough, but the presence of his two foundlings tested her patience with every passing hour- besides, she wished for a place to call her own, where no prying eyes would question her or her choices. Stars, the teenage angst between Eliz Krayt and Gwyneira Vizsla had a way of draining her. They had something of a gift for landing themselves head first in trouble, and the opportunities to try and test her might weren't worth the exhaustion that came with their shenanigans. She needed some time for herself, and so she left for Hefi, hoping to find a ship of her own or an isolated home to acquire.

Somewhere along the line, however, she got... distracted. Helping out Alina Tremiru on the way, she found herself pondering on the meaning behind what she sought- and what it exactly was. So it was that the fearsome, old-fashioned Mandalorian sat on a bench... picking a daisy's petals.

Sam Sheridan

 

[Sam Sheridan]

Sam walked along the narrow, winding road of the park in a more quiet part of the Mandalorian capital. With things not looking too good anymore back home, she had recently started to consider packing up and moving. Greener lawns, or whatever that saying was. She had to admit that it she didn’t want to move from Kashyyyk, it had a very special place in her heart. But after Cas’ death, there wasn’t much need anymore.

Ara wanted her own place and moving into the temple proper was a very good idea... another reason why she didn’t have to stay anymore. They would be visiting regularly, and it gave Ara the space she wanted. Her chance to be an adult. Lastly was Sam’s own wish. To start up a workshop that could work on anything ranging from small vehicles and machines all they way up to starfighters and light freighters. With Wild Space steadily getting settled by the Enclave, she had nothing to lose in checking the spread out.

Only problem was her underestimating everything in her thought process.

Hefi was overwhelming. Sure, it wasn’t nearly as bad as Coruscant, but it was entirely new. The Mando influence over the planet was also a new thing for her. Finding out if there was a market for her idea was going to take a while as she explored the various towns, cities and settlements. And after spending almost all day exploring, she felt that she deserved a break.

The park was a literal breath of fresh air as Sam wandered around. In one arm she had a bag with her lunch, while her datapad rested in the other hand. Focused on the adverts and job listings on the datapad, she didn’t notice the armoured figure on the bench when she sat down next to her. ”... No, I ain’t a karking apprentice or something, jeez.” she muttered to herself. ”Oh come on, is it really that open? How the hell...” a broad smile started to crawl onto her face. Though she nearly fell off the bench when she noticed the woman next to her. ”Yo, you’ll give me a heart attack over here.” she chuckled as she scooted up to give the woman some room. ”... You okay, lady?” she asked as an eyebrow raised. ”Dunno if it’s your helmet or what, but you look like how I feel.” She joked, hoping to start some conversation as she fished her sandwich out from the bag.

Jenn Kryze

 

[Jenn Kryze]

Jenn wasn't quite sure how this old practice went, even as she plucked the petals. Love me... Love me not, counted the warrior as she plucked those petals, lost in thought. For once, indulging in an old superstition without anything other than sentimentality was refreshing. There was no need to live up to the high standards of her people, to think about war and battle and honour- if only for a moment, she could simply sit on a bench in a peaceful park, letting go of the burden that weighed on her shoulders.

The Mandalorian's gentle humming stopped as a stranger suddenly sat down next to her, the poor girl freezing as a doe caught in headlights. Was she going to point out the sheer ridiculousness of a warrior at heart partaking in such a childish practice? To shame her and rightfully remind her that she had more important things to attend to?

Thankfully, she did no such things. She was far too busy with... whatever was on her datapad. When she inevitably did notice her presence, she had quite the reaction to her presence! Slowly, with gentleness one might call unbecoming of a warrior of her stature, she tucked the daisy aside, hands resting on her knees soon thereafter.

''I can hardly answer 'till I know how you feel'' spoke the Mandalorian with the slightest touch of curiosity, doing her best to neutralize any wariness threatening to rise from her heart and into her voice. She had... to be more than that. ''I would say preoccupied, but that smile says otherwise.''

Sam Sheridan

 

[Sam Sheridan]

Sam snorted before she took a quick bite from her sandwich. "I'm karking annoyed, chica!" She spoke up with a laugh. "Like damn, I wanna move here but getting stuff sorted out is hard. Like, don't take this the wrong way, but you Mandos can be stubborn as hell sometimes." She quipped as she looked at the woman. "I can find a place to stay easy enough, Enclave isn't that big yet so lots of good real estate. Issue is getting my own workshop." She explained casually as she sat back and took another bite.

"I mean... the one dude who owns a workshop perfect for what I wanna do straight up told me that if I ain't 'vod' I ain't welcome. Dunno what that is, but yeah. Another ad is only advertising for smiths and stuff... luckily I ain't in that department so not an issue there. Only reassuring thing is that a starship-slash-vehicle workshop seems to be a good option for this area. Wild Space ain't known for its mechanics and engineers so I should have a steady flow of customers once I get my name out a bit which is amazing. But again! Finding a solid workshop in a good location is the problem." She explained to the total stranger beside her. She finally blinked with surprise and held her hand out for the woman to shake. "Sorry, mind's all over the place today. Sam Sheridan, good to meet you." She quickly introduced herself.

She set the sandwich packet between them and gestured to it. "Help yourself, was just looking for a snack while I looked around." She offered calmly. "What's with the flower anyway?" She asked with a mouth half full as she nodded to the woman's hands. "Boyfriend mess you over or something? If he did, just do what I did and mag-dump his armoured ass." She snickered at her own comment.

Jenn Kryze

 

[Jenn Kryze]

Emotions were... difficult to deal with, sometimes. Struggling to appear as socially capable as possible could be hard, when she had been raised to be blunt and to the point! So it was that she simply nodded for a while, listening to the woman's words with rapt interest. The comment about their stubbornness hardly bothered her: they were one of the most thick-headed people in all of the Galaxy, as far as she knew! For better or worse.

Even as she took a firm hold of the woman's hand and shook it energetically, she found herself puzzled by her words. It made sense for Mandalorians to stick to their own- outsiders were a danger, an unknown variable that would endanger every last one of them. Still... the Dar'Manda were a reminder that their brothers and sisters could be just as treacherous as those who lived beyond their isolation. Besides- people from all over could prove to be allies, if given more consideration than mere dismissal. ''Jenn Kryze.''

Jenn was strict with fellow vod, but considerably more lenient with those outside of their culture. How were they supposed to know any better if they were met with blaster and threat? Emerging from that long, awkward silence of hers, she finally dared to speak. ''Vod is how Mandalorians refer to other Mandalorians. It means... brother, or sister, depending on who you're addressing.'' She paused, slowly shaking her head at that. ''Try not to judge us too harshly for that. It's hard to trust others when so many of us lost everything.''

The offer of a sandwhich packet had her suddenly worried. Oh, stars, how was she supposed to explain without coming across as terribly rude as her vod had been to this woman? In the end, the word stumble out of her mouth before she could give any more thought. ''Oh! I- I appreciate the offer, really. It's just-'' she tapped a finger against her helmet, letting out a sigh. ''Can't remove the buy- the helmet. Yeah, it's a... Mando thing. Well, for me, anyway- the more I travel, the more I realize that those from other clans remove it just fine. Go figure.''

Jenn gave a shrug at that, hoping to dismiss the matter... only to get a wholly different problem coming her way. Oh, chit. The daisy.

''Nothing like that!'' huffed the girl, suddenly embarrassed. ''I was under the impression that one plucks the petals- and if they end in a ''Loves me'', then they are sure to find love. If they do not, well...''
She waved her hand in the air, turning away from Sam Sheridan .

 

[Sam Sheridan]

The girl introduced herself and immediately fell into an odd awkward silence. Sam was about to try and break it when Jenn explained what the word meant. With another shrug Sam took a bite from her sandwich. "Figured it was something like that. Karking hell, I can speak just about any common language but I never had a Mando to teach me stuff." She commented.

She blinked in surprise when Jenn turned down her offer over her helmet. It was an odd thing to hear, she had never heard of a tradition like that with her limited knowledge of Mandalorians. Then again, her knowledge went as far as "If you need to have someone killed, you ask a Mandalorian" and that was it. But now it got her curious over what she looked like under her sunbonnet. "Can't say I've heard of something like that. But if it's not really a thing, why do it? Come on, I'm sure it gets stuffy under there after a while." She quipped with a smirk. A smirk that quickly grew into a snicker as Jenn explained the story behind the flower.

"Underworld this place ain't." She muttered as she raised an eyebrow. "Sheridan love advice for the day, get caught and imprisoned by criminals or pirates. I met both of my exes that way, seems to work like a charm." She joked with a light backhand to Jenn's shoulder. "... Plus people might be more inclined to talk to a face rather than a visor." She teased the woman as she finished off her sandwich.

Sitting back, Sam looked around the park for a moment before her attention turned back to Jenn. "Call me a selfish opportunist, but do you got any advice for me to tell that property owner to go kriff himself and sell me the place without me needing to fear for my life? Nothing new, I'll be honest, I just got a good record of how long I last used them." She asked with a daring grin as she crossed one leg over the other.

Jenn Kryze

 

[Jenn Kryze]

The girl shook her head at that, adamant in her refusal to remove the helmet that hid her face from the world. It would take more than a stranger's teasing for her to succumb, even though this woman's light-hearted remarks set her at ease, reminding her that there was life beyond battle. Banter brought a certain solace to her, a semblance of normalcy she deeply appreciated.

''It's important to me'', answered the girl simply. ''It's a matter of honour- which, as you will no doubt come to realize, is something of a big deal in our culture.'' Calm, collected words that belied how aggressive she could be with fellow vod who simply refused to understand the importance of this value, and how it made her feel.

''Yeah, well... if my 'ma found love without ever showing her face, figure I can too'', mumbles the warrior dejectedly, trying her best to hide the bitterness in her voice. The idyllic stories of romance and chivalry were enjoyable, to be sure- but of little help when it came to finding a lover of her own. And now, here she was, conversing with a complete stranger over matters of the heart...

At least, the words that followed gave her an excuse to escape such a difficult topic. ''As a matter of fact, I could help you. I could vouch for you- perhaps that will change his mind.'' That grin took her aback, blinking in surprise at the sight of it. Was she always this confident and nonchalant? Such a casual approach to life soothed her nerves, and she was more than thankful for it.

Sam Sheridan

 

[Sam Sheridan]

Now matter how polite Jenn tried to be, Sam quickly picked up on the seriousness of the topic for the Mandalorian as she spoke. Clearly it was a hot topic for the woman... Sam was definitely going to try and find out more about that.

At least the conversation moved on and Sam brightened up immediately at Jenn’s suggestion. ”That is good enough for me, come on!” In an instant her belongings were back in the bag and she was back on her feet, ushering the warrior to follow her. ”Like no jokes, that workshop is absolute perfection. I ain’t letting that one slide past. I’ll even give ya a permanent discount if you manage to help me out with this.” Very quickly they were on their way back to the workshop’s owner.

Sam was quiet for a good while as she walked with Jenn through the streets of the Enclave’s capital city. She still had to bring her speeder and swoop along with the other major things still at Kashyyyk, but it was a pleasant enough walk as she watched Mandalorians and normal people go about their own business. She looked to Jenn again for a moment with curiosity.

”How does it work, though?” She broke the silence abruptly. ”Like, if it stays on even with the people you’re closest to... does it even stay on when you hook up or something? Dates or other stuff you guys do normally with your hubby or girl?” She asked with genuine interest. ”I’ll shut up about it in a bit, I just gotta know how serious the helmet thing is for you.” She quickly added with a grin.

Luckily for Jenn they soon arrived at the owner’s office. The owner himself was busy with some sort of inspection in the workshop when Sam approached with Jenn. He quickly stopped and turned to glare at the mechanic, his helmet resting on a nearby table. ”You again, huh? I told you, I ain’t sellin’ now beat it.” he spoke curtly before his attention turned to Jenn. <”Pleasure, sister. Did this one drag you along or are you here for some actual business?”> his tone lightened up as he spoke to her in Mando’a, not wanting Sam to listen in on their conversation.

Jenn Kryze

 

[Jenn Kryze]

Jenn merely blinked in surprise at how quickly Sam Sheridan got up from her seat, ushering her along with enthusiasm she had not seen in an adult in... well, years. People were happy about stuff, sure- but how quickly beamed and went to tackle what was next on her list was an inspiring thing. With nothing more than a nod, she stood up and followed this quirky stranger. The two of them kept quiet for a while, and the warrior welcomed this calm: wonderful and exotic as this woman may be, she was well aware of the awkward nature of the long pauses she had to take before answering her, as if she lacked the confidence to ''handle'' a non-Mandalorian. They could not be treated with the same mindset as she did her vod, and it showed!

That question, though... stars, did it take her by surprise! She remained silent at first, trying her best to find the words to tell this woman that she was overstepping some boundaries- but the right way to phrase her thoughts eluded her, frustrating the warrior to no end. ''The old ways are adamant: no living being is to see our faces. I... suppose it extends to these activities, yes. Not that I would know.'' Right. Admitting to this absolute stranger that she'd never really experienced something so simple as hooking up was no doubt going to bite her in the ass, and she only had herself to blame for this.

Thankfully, they soon reached the owner's office, giving her a short reprieve... and she found him without his buy'ce. Of course. The more Mandalorians she met, the more she found herself wondering if she was slowly going insane. At least, he was willing to talk with her- and receptive at that. Inhaling deeply, she found herself thinking of a plan that just might work to persuade the man... the kind that would leave her hopelessly embarrassed after the fact, but she had to try.

She brought an arm around Sam's shoulder, bringing her in close- as if the two of them were the best of friends, if not more. <''Pleasure meeting you, brother. You could say it's... a little bit of both. I know how thick-headed my darling can be, trust me- but she means well, and she's... a friend to our people. Would you reconsider?''>

 

[Sam Sheridan]

While Sam didn't say something in response to Jenn's comment on the helmet thing, the light smirk spoke volumes of what her plans were. She wasn't going to just let it slide like that. At least she seemed more than inclined to help as they reached the workshop. Sam kept a cool expression with a sultry grin as Jenn wrapped an arm around her, saying something in Mando'a that went completely over her head. Luckily the body language was more than enough to follow.

An arm snaked around Jenn's hip as she smiled up at the armoured woman with a glimmer in her eyes. The owner was understandably taken back as he blinked in surprise at her words. <"A friend, huh?"> He spoke up as he studied Sam for a moment. <"You do realize our people's history is a good enough reason to not trusting outsiders? The amount on Hefi alone is already too much for me."> He crossed his arms over his broad, armoured chest as he eyed the two of them. Sam didn't understand a word as he spoke, merely brushing her thumb against Jenn's side as she kept up the appearance.

She didn't understand a word... but she did understand the intent behind the words. She saw it enough in Underworld and on jobs to know what was going on. Thinking she didn't understand the language and then talk down on her with their buddies. This wasn't nearly as brutal as that life was, though she knew the look all to well. She was an outsider, he didn't trust her. Jenn made that much clear with her explanation as well. She decided to take one hell of a gamble, one that could backfire heavily on her. "I get you don't trust outsiders, you dudes got more reason than most in the galaxy. But hey, I'm planning on doing what I can for the Enclave. Pluss chica over here..." With a smirk she poked Jenn's side to make her squirm. "... Has been begging me for months to to go through the trials to join. I told her that if I could see what an entire planet full of mandos are like, I'll definitely consider it." She let go of Jenn and approached the man with a hand outstretched.

"You guys got a hell of a rep. I don't got nowhere else to go, being part of something like this could be real good for me." She spoke with a seemingly genuine passion as she looked the man in the eye.

He thought about it for a long while as his gaze shifted between Jenn and Sam. "You vouch for this one?" He asked Jenn with a hard, long look. Finally he relented with a sigh and shook Sam's hand. "Alright, you got a deal. Come on, let's talk business." He made his way to an office while Sam flashed a bright grin at Jenn with a wink before she followed him.

After almost half an hour Sam emerged with her datapad in one hand and papers in the other. "We're in business, chica!" She cheered before she took hold of Jenn's helmet to lightly bump their foreheads together. Turning back to the former owner, she shook his hand again. "Thank you so much, sir! Trust me, you won't be the least bit disappointed." She reassured before she wrapped an arm around Jenn and walked out.

Once they were out of his sight for good, Sam relaxed and let go of her. "Hot damn, chica, you're smooth as hell!" She laughed as she punched her armoured shoulder. "I can actually get my dream going..." She muttered, staring at the ownership papers in her hands.

Jenn Kryze

 

[Jenn Kryze]

Jenn felt like a complete and utter fool, pretending to be something she wasn't- and yet, she found the notion of posing as Sam Sheridan 's significant other to be a... well, an interestingly comfortable guise to slip into. It was all a lie, of course! A way to deceive a (rightfully) distrustful vod and help out a stranger in need. That she stuck out her neck for a woman she had just met was highly unusual- and why exactly she felt so compelled to help her was a question Jenn could not possibly answer, given her limited understanding of social interactions and the emotions resulting thereof.

She met the man's remarks in dignified silence, trying her best to digest the sheer magnitude of the sensations that coursed through her in the wake of Sam's words and actions. They were benign, to be sure- and yet... something so simple as the nickname and the poke had her flustered beyond belief. Mercifully, the two of them parted, and the business owner turned towards her to ask a question. Lying was not in her nature- she was brutally honest at times, treating all manners of situations with that blunt honesty that characterized her so. ''I do'', reassured the warrior with a fierce nod.

Jenn waited patiently for them to emerge, her thoughts wandering as she crossed her arms and pondered on the sheer power of what she had felt just then. It was new, but not wholly unwelcome... perhaps she could get used to this. When Sam left the office with papers and datapad in hand, she found her joy to be quite contagious indeed: the girl smiled widely underneath the helmet, genuinely glad to see her efforts bringing such joy to another. Once they left the building, she almost felt disappointed when they finally parted.

''That was stupid of me'', brushed off the Mandalorian nervously. ''But at least, it worked. Congratulations, Sam.''

 

[Sam Sheridan]

Sam beamed as she glanced at Jenn and gave her a light shove. ”You’re crazy, girl, that wasn’t stupid. That was a karking brilliant move!” She proclaimed. ”Hell, you can be glad you’re keeping that helmet on, otherwise things would’ve been a lot more convincing.” She teased, her gaze shifting back to her papers.

”I’ve wanted this for years, chica. Even when I was still down there, I always wanted my own shop to chop, soup up and paint whatever I wanted. And you helped me get it, that I’ll never forget.” A near permanent smile adorned her face as they walked along a random road. Sam didn’t exactly care where they were going until the sound of music and chatter drew her attention.

Not too far was a cantina that seemed to be somewhat busy. ”Now that’s an idea, we need to karking celebrate!” Her attention turned back to Jenn as a look of disappointment formed along her features. ”Oh yeah... hell I ain’t giving you a straw, that’s the quickest way to get plastered.” She looked back to the cantina. She genuinely wanted to go knock back drinks and simply enjoy the moment. But she was also enjoying the stranger’s company way too much. She would likely bolt if Sam had to drag her in there.

”What do you guys even do to celebrate something? You go to a shooting range or do you just knock back the shots like normal people?” She quipped.

Jenn Kryze

 

[Jenn Kryze]

''Nothing's stopping you from kissing the helmet'', dismissed the Mandalorian as best she could, glad to have the helmet hiding her rosy cheeks and the proudful grin illuminating her features- a visage fated to remain hidden for the rest of her days. Then, she realized how stupid her words were, gritting her teeth and resisting the desire to slap the palm of her hand against the front of her helmet dramatically. Stars, this was... this was hard. Not finding the words, no- but stopping herself from acting up like this!

''I'm glad to help. You should always seek out your dreams. A... friend of mine told me that.'' A bit of introspection never hurt anyone, right? And Alina Tremiru brought about a great deal of introspection whenever the two of them crossed paths, it seemed. At least, the Sangnir tried to help- to get her to grow as an individual, and see beyond the nigh-religious codes of her Clan. It was hopeless, foolish- and yet, she felt a rush of gratitude whenever the woman tried to help.

Sam Sheridan 's disappointment at the realization that they could not celebrate at a cantina was enough to give her pause. There was something about the girl's unbridled enthusiasm that made her feel a certain loss whenever she ended up floating away from this wonderful exuberance of hers. So it was that she let out a groan- and, rather than answering the girl, she took her by the hand (bold!) and dragged her along, stopping only when they reached the... well, the most ''quiet'' spot she could find- a nice, somewhat comfortable seat in the corner. Still crowded and drowned out by the noise, mind, but it was better than nothing.

Letting out a little sigh, she rested her hand on the table, giving Sam an upnod. ''Aye, we drink alright.''
And with that, she fiddled with a little nub over the back of her helmet... and a lid opened with a hiss of decompression. Well, that was hardly ideal, but it was something. Stars, when was the last time she had to use the emergency hydration system again? That such a feature was completely obsolete by Galactic standards was lost on her.

 

[Sam Sheridan]

An enormous grin formed on Sam's face at Jenn's comment, giving her a smug sidelong glance. "Fat chance at that, those faceplates will turn bright red if I had to do that." She teased with a chuckle. It felt good, to meet a stranger and just click like this right off the bat. Her personal life took a bit of a toll with her time on Kashyyyk. Not that it was a bad thing, the "friends" she usually hung out with weren't exactly the type to keep around if one wanted to improve their lives... or survive, for that matter. Her list of friends might have dropped to a grand total of two or three with her moving to Kashyyyk, but at least she could trust on all of them to help her out, a fact that was solidified whenever she needed help with something. Cas' death still stung deeply...

Sam flinched out of her thoughts when Jenn suddenly grabbed her hand and dragged her to the cantina. With a broad grin she caught her footing and followed closely after into the cantina and past the crowd of people going about their business. For a moment she had the false hope that Jenn would remove her helmet, but a very odd flip of a spot on her helmet crushed that hope. At least they would still be able to celebrate properly, so that was a plus. "Oh, that thing's gonna get abused today." She pointed with an unwavering grin as she spoke. Rising from her seat, Sam gave her a slap on the shoulder as she headed for the bar, soon returning with two bottles of beer and a couple of shots. "Let's start this easy." She quipped, placing an opened bottle in front of the Mandalorian and the rest between them.

As she took a seat, she held her bottle up towards Jenn. "To dreams coming true." She toasted with a wink before knocking back and downing the drink in record time. With a glance at the shots, she raised an eyebrow and looked at Jenn. "Scoot up, I'm helping ya on this one." Without skipping a beat, she got up and slid in beside the woman. "What do you guys do for fun, anyway? I've heard Mandalorians van party hard if they wanna, but what else?" She asked as she picked up two shots.

Sam held one above Jenn's head just over the hole. "Bottoms up." And down the shots went...

Jenn Kryze

 

[Jenn Kryze]

Jenn was used to the atmosphere of a cantina- but she was not used to being a patron. Barging in with a gun at her hip to permanently silence someone who thought they could lay back and take things easy was the easiest way to make money as a bounty hunter! There was practically no risk, and although the pay was miserable, she hardly needed the heat of high-level contracts. And now, for the first time in her life... she would get drunk off of whatever alcoholic beverage Sam Sheridan brought back from the bar. Talk about a learning experience.

The motions were highly unfamiliar to her, but she was determined not to look like a completely clueless idiot- and so she raised that bottle, a smile on her face as she awkwardly brought it around towards that small spot of her helmet, the contents of the bottle flowing down into the reservoir... whose contents flowed into her mouth from a tube so ancient and unused, she coughed due to the dust stuck inside at first. Quickly, however, she found herself drinking from it eagerly, in the same way one would from a large straw: through sheer dumb luck, Sam had picked a rather fruity brand, leaving the girl to drink more, and more, and more... until her bottle was empty, and she let out a plaintive groan.

Just as she was about to try and muster the will to ask her if she knew about her preference, she found herself right next to this new friend of hers, her cheeks burning as she slid the shots down the reservoir... and on she drank, her body language betraying just how satisfied she was with it all. ''Damned if I know'', admitted the warrior with a shrug, a dumb smile plastered over her face. Oh, she was feeling... like her head was swimming, in the best way possible. ''But this? This... is niiiiiiice. I like this.''

 

[Sam Sheridan]

It was honestly not even much for the former borderline alcoholic, hardly even a slow start for the evening. To her companion, however, it seemed to work very quick on making her unwind. Sam snickered at Jenn's answer as she relaxed beside her. "That easy, huh?" She joked. She picked the second pair of shots up and poised one over Jenn's helmet once more. "Think fast." She tilted the drink over as she knocked back her own shot in quick succession. "Told you, you get plastered quick with a straw." Getting up, she decided to get a couple more beers and an extra pair of shots.

This time, at least, Sam sipped calmly at her beer beside Jenn. "I'm curious, what was the flower's end result anyway?" She smirked at the girl, figuring it was a prime time to tease her now with some of the stuff she mentioned. She figured it was a good way to get the girl flustered, something Sam was finding very fun to watch. "We definitely gotta go out sometime, find a hobby or something for ya. I'm struggling to believe that you don't got something you enjoy killing time with." She suggested, though her eyes went wide as an idea popped up into her head.

"Say... how good are you with engineering and stuff? Working on ships and speeders, that kind of thing?" She asked her with a daring smile. "If you want, you can help me out with my swoop. I race every now and then. Can teach ya if you want in on that."

Jenn Kryze

 

[Jenn Kryze]

Poor Jenn raised a finger and began to slur out a plea for Sam Sheridan to slow down with the shots- but the alcohol was just too wonderful a thing to explore for her to stop, immediately sucking on straw-like tube once she felt the liquid entering the reservoir. By the time the mechanic returned to their seat, the Mandalorian's wariness had all but melted away: her arms were wide open, resting on the railing behind her as she gave her newfound friend an upnod, the helmet concealing the widest of smiles.

Sam sipped at her beer calmly, but Jenn proved far too eager for her own good: the bottle was emptied in moments, and she began to completely lose her inhibitions as the bottle rolled from her palm and onto the table, hiccupping as she heard that question. ''Find shhhomeone'', admitted the girl vaguely, turning away from the teasing menace from Coruscant's underworld. ''S'hard, being alone, yknow? A'just-'' she paused, frowning as she realized how she was slurring her words. ''Bah, fugghet it.''

She looked just about to fall into a bout of sadness when that offer came up- and the daring smile accompanying it made the poor Mando fidget about nervously. ''Ah- I mean, I only know a little!'' whined the girl, suddenly embarrassed. ''But I'd love to learn!''
Oh, she knew what she wanted alright- because the girl's dream fit right into her own. If she got to settle down on Hefi and help Sam with her shop... that might just be a life she might enjoy. A quiet place to return to in between bouts of heroics. If the girl agreed, of course...

 

[Sam Sheridan]

Sam watched in awe and amusement as Jenn downed her next beer like it was nothing. This girl was going big right off the bat. Her state left Sam wondering what she was going to do when Jenn reached the point of her drinks not staying down. Perhaps that was a good exception to her rule of “the helmet stays on.”

With a large swig she listened to Jenn’s drunken ramblings with a laugh she fought to suppress. ”No need to tell me, I know the feeling, chica.” She agreed, wrapping an arm around her to give her a supportive hug. ”Luckily you got a total stranger now for a drinking buddy, so you don’t have to swim in the single life alone.” She joked, finishing off her beer.

Jenn seemed rather enthusiastic about Sam’s offer. She was curious about how much was the alcohol and how much was her. The next day would quickly answer that question... if she was going to remember any of it. ”Perfect! We can get in touch tomorrow and hash out details, shop’s gonna take a while to get prepped.” She admitted with a shrug.

Picking up the next pair of shots, she emptied one into her helmet and knocked back her own. ”Probably should have eaten something before you started slinging drinks.” She teased, flicking her finger against Jenn’s helmet. ”Just lemme know when you start feeling queasy.” If Sam had to be honest, she was starting to feel a little numb herself. The shots were steadily starting to catch up with her. ”When last were you in a relationship?” The shameless question dropped as Sam turned slightly to look at her.

Jenn Kryze

 

[Jenn Kryze]

Jenn blinked in surprise as she found herself taken in a hug, her face turning beet red as the mysteriously pleasant warmth from earlier returned to her. This was... different, in the most wonderful way possible. An arm of her own snaked around the mechanic, allowing Sam Sheridan to realize just how strong the Mandalorian was, in spite of such a nimble frame! She pulled her in close, either unashamed or unable to realize what she was doing... and then, when she heard that joke? She let out a laugh. A wonderful, joyful sound that belied the aura of pure violence she normally gave off, gentle and pleasant. A side of her that went unnoticed, truly... up until now.

''Chit, I'll help -hic!- you shet eeeeee'rything up! Not like I got better things t'do, anyway!'' Oh, there she was now, genuinely happy to bask in the moment fully, overjoyed at the idea of spending time with this... well, this terrible influence from the Underworld. Her comments about feeling queasy or eating something were met with nothing more than a huff from her, dismissing the concerns with a motion of her hand. ''I'm Mandalorian! I can take it.''

Then, came that question about relationships- and she visibly deflated, dropping the bottle she'd been holding. Suddenly, her wings were clipped, the wind knocked out of her- her burst of confidence collapsing all around her. She felt like a fool- a drunk, naive fool. ''Never'', the girl finally answered, turning away from Sam in a hurry- as if such an answer could break a wonderful spell between the two.

Was she sniffling?

 

[Sam Sheridan]

The girl seemed even more enthusiastic over the idea than Sam was... the alcohol was in full swing with the girl it seemed. Not that Sam could comment on it, the world was slowly starting to stutter and twist around her as she grinned at Jenn, hugging her close. "Alright, chica! If you're up for it!" She spoke up when Jenn tried to look tough.

An image that shattered apart the moment Sam asked about her love life. Seeing the girl turn away and completely fall apart broke Sam's inebriated heart. Her smile faded for a moment before she scooted up behind Jenn and wrapped her arms around the girl to hold her close. "Heyyyyy, don't beat yourself up over it. You'll find the one for you someday. If I can find someone who likes me, I'm sure you can too. Come on, let's get more drinks." Without hesitation she leaned in and slapped a kiss on Jenn's cheek plate before letting go to get more drinks. More beers, more shots, drinks simply kept flowing.

Once again Sam had an arm around Jenn, grinning happily at her as she bumped her head against her helmet. "Come on, chica! I'm askin' ya nicely here! Can't I just get a sneak peak?" She pleaded with a pout, tugging lightly at her helmet as she made drunken googly eyes at the girl. She was already practically on her lap with her legs draped over Jenn's. "I can keep a secret, I promise." She begged her, resting her head on her shoulder. Bottles and glasses piled up on the table in front of them as they hours ticked on...

Jenn Kryze