Private Evolution

[Rhia Kesyk]

Welp. That backfired, didn't it? Rhia opened and closed her mouth a few times, looking rather helpless as though she were floundering, and then she huffed. "Drats..." Now she had to make the decision, didn't she? Wasn't much of a threat if she didn't follow through with it. "Alright, um..."

Rhia squirmed her way free from him, and reached for her pad to begin searching the ole holonet in hopes of finding some inspiration. Light, he'd said. Nothing too heavy. Her mind immediately drifted toward some nice flaky fish, the likes she'd had on Crait a few years back. Maybe battered, with some sort of slaw..? But the fish here wasn't all that likely to be so fresh was it?

Another, quieter huff. She was definitely hungry, that didn't make matters simple. "Okay, hear me out... There's a place that does some great noodles, but they're not the thick and starchy kind. They're thin, light, usually paired with a salad? Delicious, and they're not too heavy." Rhia was already prepped to order some of it to be delivered by droid, but she figured it was nice to at least warn him before hand. "Cold... You're not put off by the idea of cold noodles, right?"

A nice umami sauce... With some thin strips of nerf for protein... What wasn't to love? Unless, of course, he was vehemently against it.

Marus Saretti

 

[Marus Saretti]

"Sounds good to me," he replied with a small shrug. He stepped over to where she'd squirmed away, wrapping his arms back around her from behind so that her own were free to order. "You're adorable when you get flustered like that."

Rhia Kesyk

 

[Rhia Kesyk]

Welp, with that in mind Rhia just checked out their order and then waited a moment as it gave a rough estimate of time. "Droid should be here in like, twenty," she stated, before she felt his arms wrap around her. Comfortable, not at all restricting, her mood was immediately lifted again. She put the handheld device away in her pocket, then shifted to turn back to face him.

"Who was flustered?" she inquired innocently, going so far as to playfully bat her eyelashes, "Nobody flustered on this observation deck!" Rhia beamed a grin up at him. Truth be told typically she wouldn't have been all that flustered, she was used to making decisions on the behalf of others - well, Ideon at least - but it wasn't as though she really knew what he liked.

Not least because he'd ignored her when she pressed about such earlier. Maybe it was time to fix that...

"So, what do you usually like?" she asked again, narrowing her eyes, "Food, drink, hobbies?" She'd gathered bits and pieces here and there during their travels together, but for the most part there was still so much she didn't know. Maybe prying like this wasn't the most natural way to find out, but hey! If he was going to potentially be gone in a few days she could at least make sure they made the most of it, and knowing what he might like would certainly help a girl out.

Marus Saretti

 

[Marus Saretti]

He grinned back at her, electing not to think about just how dangerous her fluttering eyelashes could be. "Nobody? You certainly seemed flustered for a moment there," he fired back, electing to continue the teasing for a moment before she came back at him with another question. What did he like? What did he like? What did he like?

...

What did he like?

you

No, Marus, still not a valid answer, she already knows that one.

"Well, food and drink, I don't really have a ton of preferences. Not much opportunity to be picky at all, y'know? Just had to learn to like whatever I got." He shrugged. No doubt it would set her mind back to worrying over how he'd grown up, at least to some small amount, but he'd come to realize that was almost unavoidable. There certainly wasn't any lie in his statement, however; he never had a choice in his food, not until he could start doing things to be able to buy his own, and even then the choices were generally minimal. Eat what was there or go hungry.

Hobbies, though...maybe he'd be able to get answers from her in return for answers from him. "I've always liked to draw, though," he said after a moment. "I've already got a couple sketches of you and Ideon I did when I was bringing the two of you here."

Rhia Kesyk

 

[Rhia Kesyk]

Really? He wasn't going to let her slip out of it so easily? Hmph. She frowned up at him, then shook her head once more. Expression softened... "Maybe a little" she confessed, not wanting to actually push the boundaries and literally lie to his face. A playful joke was one thing, but taking it too far felt wrong.

When his response came her expression became a little more guarded. No preferences insofar as food and drink were concerned? No chance to really explore and find out what he liked?

"Well, we have to change that," she stated with a firm nod. "While you're here we'll uh... We'll try out as many different cuisines as we can. There's bound to be something you like more than the rest in there." She wasn't even worrying for once, no, this was a girl on a mission. If anything she was excited by the prospect of giving him the room to explore it all for himself.

Rhia might not have been much of a cook, but she did appreciate the culinary arts.

He explained his hobbies easily enough, though. Drawing. Rhia sucked at drawing, but she did keep a journal and often accompanied her words with sketches here and there. "Neat," she replied, "Just drawing or do you like other mediums too?"

It took her a moment to catch up with the rest of what he'd said.

"Wait, you drew us?" There was that blush again.

Marus Saretti

 

[Marus Saretti]

Trying all sorts of foods with Rhia did seem like an enjoyable prospect, so Marus decided to leave out the part where he had tried a great many foods through his life. That was one of the things about never having much of a choice combined with constantly travelling: There was a lot of exposure. "Just drawing," he replied shortly to her question, thoughts of food disappearing as soon as she spoke about his sketches. "Never had much opportunity to work with anything else anywa—"

Oh, she was blushing again. "Well...yes," he replied, slightly surprised by how quickly she'd latched onto that part of what he'd said. He supposed it had to make sense, though, kinda like having a holo taken of you without your knowledge. It could be anything from flattering to horrifying. "You want to see them?" His sketchbook was, after all, one of the few things that he always made sure to have with him. He never knew when there'd be something interesting to draw. "I've got sketches of the two of you, I've got one of what Silver Rest—the big temple on Kashyyyk—looks like, there's some of the more interesting ships I've seen..."

He'd probably have to get a new book soon, in fact. Of course, he'd also entirely forgotten about one sketch in particular that he had made, driven more by idle imagination than any actual intent at copying Rhia's appearance. Hopefully, if she said yes, she wouldn't find that one. That might prove hard to explain.

Rhia Kesyk

 

[Rhia Kesyk]

Just drawing, he reiterated, and yet the trailed off statement he tacked onto it made him wonder what he might discover if he was given more to play with than just pencil and paper... Yet again the gears in her mind were whirring, and though she had no real experience or knowledge where art was concerned she wondered if she couldn't unearth something for sale on the station. Maybe she'd speak with Cotan about it, he might know of someone.

It would certainly save her from aimlessly wandering the city-sized station...

Her gaze drifted up at him once she'd allowed that thought to run its course, and a sheepish smile wormed its way over her expression. "I mean, if you're okay with showing," she replied, for as little as she knew about art she did know that most were pretty guarded about their sketchbooks... "Silver Rest? Cool! I don't think I've ever been out that way before."

Marus Saretti

 

[Marus Saretti]

Marus stepped back slightly, reaching ino his jacket with one hand to pull out his sketchbook. It had likely started life as a journal, but he wasn't exactly the writing sort—certainly not by hand. It had certainly seen a fair amount of wear through the years, the corners noticeably bent, the covers a bit tattered, and there were some conspicuously torn-out pages that could be noticed even with it closed. "Most of the earlier stuff is just ships and the like," he said, handing it over. "Not the most interesting. The drawings I did of Kashyyyk and everything later, though, those start around where I've got that little ribbon-thing stuck as a bookmark."

Rhia Kesyk

 

[Rhia Kesyk]

It barely constituted as a sketchbook, in fact it was pretty dog-eared, yet all the same it had an undeniable personality. As it was handed over, all previous thoughts of finding him a new medium to play with vanished from her mind. Nope, Rhia knew exactly what she wanted to get for him. Especially when she noticed how few untouched pages remained at the end of the journal.

She smiled when he explained the contents, and opened it to the first few pages. A few words at first, which she didn't pause to read, before various drawings came to life on the page. It sounded as though he wanted her to start later on, but she couldn't help but admire those earlier images regardless. "These are all ships you've seen?" she inquired softly, peering up at him for a moment before her gaze drifted back to the page.

Gently, she thumbed through and in doing so was given yet more insight into the life he had led. That thought had her ears burning and the near-constant blush deepening. He really wore his heart on his sleeve, didn't he?

Marus Saretti

 

[Marus Saretti]

"Yeah, even the old Dynamic and XS light freighters there," Marus said, pointing out a pair of ship designs. "Got to ride in them, too. Old freighters, thousands of years old, but the bunks were actually more comfortable than most newer ones." He continued explaining various of the ships, or stories behind a few of the drawings, until she started to flip through into the ones where she had a clue of the story already. Although, as she did so, some small sense of alarm started to come up within him, something about the effects of imagination on a thoughtless hand.

"Uh, just a moment." He reached out, snatching the book from Rhia's grasp a few pages before she'd turn to where he'd begun drawing her and Ideon. Turning to where she couldn't see it, he flipped ahead, found the one he'd done when drawing her laundry, and quickly—but cleanly!—tore it out, folding it up and placing it within his jacket. Then he turned again, flashed her a winning smile to try and conceal the bit of nervous worry he felt, and held the book back out to her. "Had to pull out the practice page, there was nothing interesting to see there."

When was that food supposed to arrive? Hopefully soon, so that it might distract her from any questions she wanted to make about that page.

Rhia Kesyk

 

[Rhia Kesyk]

"So cool" she breathed with absolute sincerity in her tone, eyes scanning the pages as he explained the different ship models, and other images he'd drawn such as the Silver Rest. She was utterly engrossed, leaning against him as they both observed the pages and the like. For the most part she remained quiet, though she'd make a few comments here or there as he shared stories.

Then he snatched the book back, and she peered up at him curiously as he tore a page from it. Brows furrowed together, but he handed it back soon after so she supposed she couldn't mind too much. He was hiding something, she could sense as much, but it wasn't any of her business. This was his book, after all, she was lucky to be seeing inside it at all.

Of course she was naturally curious... But oh well. She squashed that down and smiled.

"Practice is interesting too" she shrugged, before she turned back to the journal and opened it up again, flicking to find the page they'd last been on. As if reading his mind though, pretty soon after a shiny protocol droid would approach with their meal in hand. Too engrossed in the images, Rhia didn't even notice...

Marus Saretti

 

[Marus Saretti]

Yes, well, this practice would have been very interesting to try and explain. Luckily, however, he didn't have to, as the droid arrived while Rhia was still engrossed with the sketches! Everything was coming up good for him. He patted Rhia's side once, and stepped away to go retrieve their lunch...quickly moving the folded piece of paper from jacket pocket to trousers pocket as he did so. Best to keep it with the clothes that couldn't be easily removed from his person and taken.

Although, come to think of it, Rhia did have both a sword and the Force, and knowledge of how to use both...

No, no. She's too nice for that, especially over a random sketch.

He took the offered package from the droid. "Thanks, bot," he said to it, having zero clue what its designation actually was. It gave him a small bow in response, a metallic 'Enjoy your meal!', and quickly vacated the room. Just him and Rhia again, but this time with noodles. Cold as they were—and thus, not wafting scents about nearly as easily as they might if they were warm—he could still smell them pretty clearly. Or, at least, the dipping sauce that they came with.

His stomach rumbled again.

"Want to find a seat on one of the benches?" he asked Rhia, holding up the food. "Or has my doodling put you off lunch?"

Rhia Kesyk

 

[Rhia Kesyk]

Food arrived and so begrudgingly she closed the journal shut and lifted her head to look at Marus as he held up the food and asked his questions. Clearly the case of the missing page had already been forgotten, and instead she just beamed a grin up at him.​

​

"You have a good eye" she stated, offering him back the book before peering past him to the various benches. Which would give them the better view..? She led the way toward one, which was front and center, and settled down into it. Patted her side for him to join her.​

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"You kidding? I'm starving! Force, I hope they're as good as I remember..."​

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When he joined her by the bench she lightly took the bag from him and began to pull out the various containers as well as some disposable chopsticks to accompany them. She handed him his, and then opened up her own and inhaled the scent. Now it was her stomach which was grumbling.​

​

After snapping the chopsticks into individuals she set the dish into her lap and then reached out her free hand to gently squeeze his. "This is nice" she said, eyes drifting to the view of the rift. Then she excitedly looked his way. "Let me know what you think!" Hopefully he'd like her choice.​

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Marus Saretti ​

 

[Marus Saretti]

It was slightly difficult to take the book back and get it in the pocket where he normally kept it with only one hand, although he luckily did manage it without dropping their food; he even felt somewhat bolstered by how Rhia didn't bother to comment on the page he'd torn out any further. If she had, he was about to wish he'd handed it off to the droid to go and destroy. He obediently followed along and sat next to her, pulling out a small carton full of the noodles for each of them, and the chopsticks they'd been sent with.

Sōmen, basically. Or...potentially hyamugi. Did the distinction matter much, on a space station out in as-close-to the middle of nowhere as you could get in the galaxy? Either way, it was something he'd only had once before. Maybe. Maybe he'd just read about it. Before he could start to eat, though, she reached out and took his hand.

His right hand, the one in which he held the chopsticks.

He glanced at it for a moment, before reaching over with his other hand to take the chopsticks, squeezing Rhia's back. Luckily he'd gotten good at working with both hands, between doodling practice, some of the few odd jobs he'd taken that required him to try and squeeze into strange tight spaces and work with only one hand or the other, or practice with blasters and the like. He wasn't nearly as good with his left, but:

Good enough to grab some noodles, dip them into the sauce, and put them in his mouth. The sauce was certainly very savoury. Some onion, some ginger, but mainly...

"Fish flakes?" That had to be what it was based on. "Nice."

Rhia Kesyk

 

[Rhia Kesyk]

She only noticed her folly when he had to switch which hand held his chopsticks, but by that point he'd adjusted and was already beginning to eat. One brow raised in admiration to that fact, would she have been able to adapt if her usual hand was not available? That thought brought with it just the briefest amount of dread; what if she lost her dominant hand?​

​

Note to self, train with the other some time...​

​

With the mental note made she dismissed the thoughts and instead just focused on the moment. Once he'd taken his first bite she saw fit to follow suit, and after taking a bite she nodded her head eagerly in response to what he said. "Mhm" she responded, so as not to be rude and speak with her mouth open.​

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Once she'd swallowed, she let out a soft sigh of contentment.​

​

"One day we'll have to go to someplace with fresh fish" she stated, though she knew deep down she'd just go for the battered variety herself. Not quite so healthy, since it was coated, but the flaky innards more than made up for that.​

​

"Do you have a favourite world out there?" she asked all at once, as her gaze was caught up by the Rift once more. It really was mesmerizing, wasn't it? Truth be told, Rhia wasn't even sure if she had an answer to that question herself...​

​

Marus Saretti​

 

[Marus Saretti]

He did eventually have to release Rhia's hand, if only to steady everything on his lap so that he didn't make a mess. "Favourite world?" he asked in response, thinking back to how many he'd actually visited. Kashyyyk, Taris, Csaus, Trevura and the other worlds they'd passed on their way down to the station...

"Well, not Taris, and not Csaus. Those are bottom of the list so far." That was the easy part of the answer. As for any favourites... "Hmm." He'd spent so little planetside through his entire life that it was hard to claim any real favourite. Indeed, before Kashyyyk, he'd never stepped foot on one, merely seen them out of the viewport of a shuttle or an orbitting space station.

"I think I really don't have any favourites. Haven't seen enough to decide. Kashyyyk's pretty comfortable, though." Another mouthful of noodles.

"What about you?"

Rhia Kesyk

 

[Rhia Kesyk]

While he gave the question considerable thought, Rhia made quick work of the cold noodles. Evidently she'd been more hungry than she realized, because it didn't take her long to make a rather sizable dent. If she kept on like that she'd be done with them in no time.​

​

He listed off a few worlds but they seemingly had more negative connotations to them because he rejected them outright as contenders. Ultimately he didn't even really have a favourite, and once again he reminded her of how little of the Galaxy he'd actually seen. By contrast, Rhia had seen a great many worlds over the years. But did that mean she really had a favourite..?​

​

"I haven't been to Kashyyyk" she responded as she pondered the reversal of the question for herself. "I've always wanted to visit, though. Mostly I've roamed over this way, the Outer Rim." As for her favourite? "There was this one world I visited as a kid. Orax... One of the first I saw away from where I was raised. I don't even remember all that much about it," she chuckled at that, shaking her head, "All I know is I've wanted to visit again. Can't say that about anywhere else, really, so I suppose that'd have to be it. Orax."​

​

The first place she'd gone to with Cotan, coincidentally, after they'd left D'Qar. So long ago now... Another lifetime, really. Rhia gently nudged Marus, then smiled at him. "I'm sure you'll see plenty more of what's out there. I'm excited for you, really, I remember how cool it was to see the different types of worlds out there for the first time. Oceanic, volcanic, some are even crystalline or filled with great big towering mushrooms!"​

​

She reckoned it wasn't the place which mattered so much though, not going off her choice, but the memories made there, and that wasn't really something anyone had any say in.​

​

Marus Saretti ​

 

[Marus Saretti]

"Like Felucia, right? For the towering mushrooms? I think that's what they say most of those jungles are. Just a bunch of fungi." Another clump of noodles slid into his mouth, coated in the dipping sauce. Certainly, Rhia knew how to make good choices. "Kashyyyk has some similar things, although they're all down in the shadowlands in the wroshyr forests. Not a place for people to really go exploring most of the time; they generally tell us to just stick to the tree villages, or the beaches, or up in the mountains where the temple is."

In fact, even Marus himself had been smart enough not to go poking around in the shadowlands or anything like that, even when other, more experienced students were making plans to go and look around. While there might be all sorts of interesting things to find down there, when even the Wookiees refused to go down that low except for very special circumstances, he wasn't going to gainsay them. Especially not after what had happened roaming around the undercity on Taris, and that was with troopers, other padawans, and even some full-fledged knights.

Nope, nope, nope.

"You ought to come visit Kashyyyk one of these days, Rhia, I think you'd really like it."

Rhia Kesyk

 

[Rhia Kesyk]

"I think so, yeah."​

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Rhia hadn't ever been to Felucia to know for certain, but it was one of those worlds she'd learned about way back when at some point in time. Maybe she'd see it one day. As for Kashyyyk...​

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"Shadowlands? Yeah, that doesn't sound too nice does it?" Still, it sounded as though it could make for a cool adventure. "You've never like, wanted to go down and see for yourself?"​

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Could she blame him? Places like that didn't get a bad rep for no reason, after all.​

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Then he suggested she visit, and a sheepish smile wormed its way over her lips. "Yeah?" A small nod accompanied it. "Maybe one day I will. It's pretty far, though. I'm going to have to start my Journey soon, maybe I can work it into the trials somehow..."​

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Learn how to live like a Wookiee? Discover some previously undiscovered creature? Hm... She'd find a way.​

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Marus Saretti ​

 

[Marus Saretti]

Never wanted to go down and see for himself? Him, who until that point had never really stepped foot on a planet at all? Just ships and stations? The idea of him running down into yet another ridiculously-low-level, right-at-the-ground, completely sunless expanse of nothing but things that wanted to kill him was far from anything he'd consider a relaxing trek. "Listen, if you want to go into the shadowlands, be my guest, but I'm not fond of the idea of getting turned into prey. Kinrath and Katarns are the nicest things down there. Wyyyschokk, Terentatek, giant carnivorous flowers..."

Food, Marus, focus on your food.

"Guess it makes sense as a place for trying to complete the trials, though." He'd heard other Jedi at the temple talk about the trials, going through them. All sorts of difficulty to prove that they were ready to be raised to the rank of a knight, to go back out into the galaxy on their own, maybe start training their own apprentices or teaching at the academy. The shadowlands were probably great for that stuff. "The Wookiees themselves go down there for some rare coming of age ceremonies and stuff like that, or just to prove how brave they are."

He turned and poked her in the side with a cheeky grin. "Really, in that respect, you might fit in perfectly with them. Seems like 'grin and bear it' and 'look tough' are your favourite approaches to life sometimes."

Rhia Kesyk