Mission Hypersurveying The Void

[Orlenn Yane]

CASTELL SECTOR

The Venture hung in the void of space.

A worn down old B-7 freighter, it had served the Danbar family well for a time, despite being a nuisance to repair. The most recent trip saw the old freighter along the Daragon Trail, a popular hyperlane, that crossed the threshold from Tingel Arm to Core. Still, just because it was used often didn't mean regular checks couldn't be important. So, the Venture had opted to have hyperdrive issues in the Castell Sector - the one sector that bordered three of the largest governments in the galaxy, no less.

That wasn't too big an issue, the freighter was just a speck among the navpoint traffic, and the couple that operated the vessel had deserved a break anyway.

Hypersurveying was painstaking work, boring more often than not.

Sometimes you had to make your own fun.

"I'm betting the next heavy transport is... Mon Cal design," Otis Danbar muttered, as he reclined in the co-pilot chair. "Winner doesn't have to crawl into the hyperdrive shaft."

Otis gave an easy lopsided grin, as he rolled his head to the left and looked at the beautiful woman beside him. He was dressed in pretty standard spacer clothing, mainly a jumpsuit with a jacket, with a holster on the thigh. His long straggly brown hair half covered his face, before he reached up with a calloused hand and pushed it back behind his ear, as he raised his eyebrows:

"...unless you want to up the ante, Mrs. Danbar?"

Azalia Yane​

 

[Azalia Yane]

CASTELL SECTOR

​

Their employers certainly liked to cover ground in their pursuit of undoubtedly the largest surveillance operation in the galaxy. While their current job left much to be desired, at least they worked knowing that they were part of a much larger network, serving a greater purpose than simply mapping hyperlanes. Besides, their lives weren't exactly devoid of excitement despite their current assignment.

At least, at present, they had some home comforts and if nothing else - they had each other's company.

"It would be a waste of an opportunity not to, Mr. Danbar." She replied, turning in the seat to meet his grin, leaning back against the headrest with her hands interlocked and resting upon her abdomen. She was in no position to want to crawl into a hyperdrive shaft.

"Hm." She responded thoughtfully as she considered his proposal and how best she could bend it to her advantage, though it could equally prove to be at her disadvantage too should she lose.

"Loser has to cook dinner for a month." She offered with a raised eyebrow. It wasn't exactly the highest of stakes but it was good enough. "And I bet it's Corellian, not Mon Cal." She countered.

They were truly living the high life.

Orlenn Yane
​

 

[Orlenn Yane]

CASTELL SECTOR

Otis sucked in breath through his teeth, as he raised his eyebrows even higher.

"A month?"

That was a lot of meals. Especially when the kids were factored in, once the pair finished their surveying and returned home. Part of Otis wanted to clarify if that included washing up, but he suspected he knew that answer. Still, where was the fun if you couldn't up the stakes a little higher...

"Okay, a month," Otis said as he rubbed his chin, scratching his beard. "Washing up included."

He paused, his dark eyes playful as he added:

"And... the winner picks who wears the blindfold for that month."

Otis kept a straight face, for about five seconds, and then burst out into a grin and laugh. He glanced to the sensor panel, saw that the data scrolling across it from the sector traffic had slowed down some, but otherwise was copying as intended. Thankfully Ami was more than capable with the tech stuff, so it was basically automated. The spacer swiveled on his chair, as he turned to face his wife, and moved his legs out to rest against hers - he enjoyed touching her, the contact comforted him.

"Speaking of cooking... my turn, or yours?" Otis asked, as he rubbed his leg against hers. "Oh. And how's the transponder?"

Azalia Yane​

 

[Azalia Yane]

CASTELL SECTOR

​

Ami could have raised the stakes even higher and said every meal for a month but that wasn't a risk she was willing to take. Not when the kids needed packed lunches. It might start as elaborately planned, nutritious meals but towards the end of the month it would likely have just ended up being half a sandwich and a cheese string in a box.

She tried to make as much time for them as she could but work-life balance in their roles was... difficult to say the least.

"Obviously." She confirmed his suspicion. It would only be half a win if the other had to wash up. There was too much opportunity to take advantage otherwise.

She didn't even attempt to stifle the laughter following his additional suggestion. "Somehow, I feel like I'd win either way." She returned his playful demeanour but it softened into something more tender as she felt his touch.

"Yours." She replied, leaning forward to kiss his cheek, as if to soften the blow.

She swivelled back towards the console and slammed a fist down onto it. A very technical method of fixing things. "It's a little old so... I'll let you know when I know." She replied, though there was no sense of nervousness in her tone. She felt self-assured enough and safe enough with Otis by her side that she was confident they could handle anything thrown their way.

She grabbed the iced coffee that she had casually placed on some particularly expensive technology. Well... it wasn't like they were moving. "Mmm!" She pointed ahead at a heavy transport excitedly, unable to articulate with a mouthful of drink. "I win." She gave a smug smile to her husband. "Better luck next time." She gave a consoling pat on his thigh.

Orlenn Yane
​

 

[Orlenn Yane]

CASTELL SECTOR

Otis chuckled, because obviously the deal included washing up.

Why wouldn't it?

Ami commented on how she felt she might win either way, which caused the other to give a lop-sided grin. Otis couldn't deny that. Yet, it also seemed it was his turn to cook, and while the brief - and not even serious - irritation passed at the chore, the kiss did help.

"Guess I better get started, huh?"

Somewhat reluctantly, Otis pulled away from his partner and swiveled the co-pilot chair backward, so he could leave the cockpit. He did pause, though, to hear word about the transponder, which yielded a nod from him in response. It seemed the thing was just plain ol' broken, nothing to be done about it, and what with them sitting casually on the space lane...

"You know, I keep waiting for that fix-it method to not work," Otis muttered as he stood up with a grunt. "Still hasn't happened. Amazing."

Otis bent down, and kissed the top of Ami's hair, then started to walk into the ship interior. The sudden wordless exclamation from the pilot's seat told him all he needed to know, and Otis groaned and turned to peer through the forward viewport - lo and behold, there moved a Corellian freighter, which meant the bet had been... lost?

"I have the worst luck," Otis scoffed, as he winked at Ami and added. "I used it all up getting you. And worth it."

The tall spacer turned and walked into the ship proper. He raised a hand and slapped a low hull petition with his fingers, mainly out of habit by that point, maybe for luck - it was hard to say. Before long, Otis stood in the galley and peered into the cooling unit, searching out something to start cooking with.

Options weren't great.

"Bantha stew or Porg curry, hon?"

Otis looked up over the cooler door, down the passage, as he waited for a response...

Azalia Yane​

 

[Azalia Yane]

CASTELL SECTOR

​

"Yeah, you better." She agreed with a smug smile. "But who knows... Maybe I'll make it worth your while." She hinted, her fingers lingering on his arm for a few extra moments before he moved away. Even with a near-constant presence in each other's company, underpinned by years of marriage, the pair had never grown apart.

Ami affectionately hit her palm against the console with a lighter thud, as not to disrupt it now that it seemed reasonably steady enough for the job. "It's actually a highly technical procedure. You wouldn't be able to do it." She joked.

The old ways were the best.

"Hm." She mused with a smile. "Ever the charmer, aren't you?" She replied. It was easy to be reminded every day of what had drawn her to him in the first place. Even after he left, she was still smiling to herself. "Don't think flattery can get you out of it!" She called out to him as her fingers moved across a datapad, observing some of the data they had collected.

He really was running low on luck today, but as long as it stayed confined to only him...

She took a moment to consider before answering. "Bantha stew, please!" She responded but a moment later she jumped at the sound of a voice through the comms.

::This is Corporal Hart of the Galactic Alliance. Can you explain why you're hanging around this intersection with an outdated transponder?:: He asked, suspicion evident in his tone. "At least it wasn't the Empire. That would've been awkward." She muttered before opening the comms from their end.

::Sorry, Corporal. We were just on our way to get a new transponder. The whole ship is as ancient as time itself, I'm afraid, which is why we've broken down here. We just need to fix the hyperdrive and we'll be on our way::

:: Do you mind if we come aboard and take a look?:: He asked.

::No, please. There's no need. We can manage-:: She began.

::It's no worry. I insist::

There was a moment of silence before she replied, unsure how else to respond. ::Okay, thank you::

"Uhh... Otis? How many portions are you making?"

Orlenn Yane
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