Private I Hid my Hopes in a Tin Can

[Jan Kryze]

Location: crammed into a crate on some crappy ship, Somewhere in Deep Space
Destination: Mandalore... hopefully

Jan could feel her back begging to break out of skin as it sored and ached inside the crate. Traveling this way always sucked. period. Her legs pressed against her chest as they just were begging to be stretched and extended outward for one single minute. Sadly that couldn't happen for as long as she was stuck here. The only thing that could soothe her body's agony was thinking about the smuggler that had shoved her into this crate in the first place.

Some may call it tight but I like to say it's cozy... You're pretty limber anyways aren't ya Mando? You'll be in mandalore by the time you wake up anyways...

"Bunch of bullkark" Jan silently groveled to herself as she imagined the shield on her back being slammed into the smuggler's face repeatedly.

It was entertaining, but didn't change the fact that she was stuck in this place till she could feel the ship land. Then she could finally just get the feth off of this damned ship and see if someone could her tell any karking thing about her father or maybe at least tell her what the feth that weird malarkey that he wrote in for his datapad entries meant. If that meant sitting in a tin can that was carrying a load of junk then so fething be it. Still couldn't the pilot Go. Any. Faster? She couldn't take it anymore and just want her stretch her legs. The outside world was now becoming more and more inviting. A small barely audible voice in her head was trying to get her to stay inside and for a minute it seemed to rain true.

Until a sudden jerk from the ship caused Jan to slam her head against the wall of the crate as the metal on metal contact made the most annoying gong sound that resonated in the very fabric of her soul.

Feth It! Jan reflexively spat out as she bonked her elbow against a button inside the crate causing the top door to slide open the light from the freighter's cargo hold flooded through her visor. Shutting her eyes she grabbed hold of the sides of the crate and inelegantly clambered out almost dropping flat on the ground. Slowly she stood up stretching all of her limbs as she did and arching her back causing several vertebrae to crack in the most satisfying way as she groggily started to look around.

She didn't find anything interesting, it was just boxes, tools, a bunch of metal machines she didn't understand and oh look, a crane! How exciting! Jan resigned to the fact that boredom haunted merely settled for resting her back against a large metal shipping container. She was going to be stuck here for a while. Still as her mind scanned the cargo hold a thought came to her. This junk might make for a fun obstacle course to practice on.

River Kryze

 

[River Kryze]

Finishing her calculations for hyperspace, River's freighter lurched to the side, locking onto the jump points set for Mandalore. It was going to be a very memorable home coming, given that Mand'alor himself was sponsoring her new shop. Giddy was one word to describe the woman, as she pulled back on the lever and shunted her vessel into hyperspace; being the first time in a while that she was happy to see the blue tunnel of hyperspace engulf the ship.

Sighing into her chair, River decided it was time to take stock of her supplies. Swiping her datapad off the center console, she trudged into the cargo hold, opening up the manifest as she would begin her inspection. One thing she found strange, was the weight discrepancy that was listed on the manifest, there was an additional ninty pounds that seemed suspicious to her; did she perhaps get lucky with a shipping mistake? She hoped not, because that meant she was probably missing what she actually needed for her shop. "Damn inspectors. Can't get anything right it seems." She muttered, pausing in her walk as she began to look over the log. If they screwed up her shipment there was going to be hell to pay.

Jan Tracyn

 

[Jan Kryze]

Jan briefly traced the route in her head as her mind scanned the surroundings and gauged what could and couldn't support her weight. Double checking to make sure that shield was firmly clasped to her back and quickly doing some stretches she took a runners stance and softly bounced between her two feet. Her Beskad was still left in the hidey crate but she could get to that later this shouldn't take more than a minute. She could just feel a surge of energy in her that had been dying to just be release and well this seemed like the perfect time.

She began her sprint building up momentum as she charged forward towards a box that stood at thigh height for the Pretendalorian. With a well timed jump she hoped forward and would naturally land on the box using it as a springboard as she kicked her feet out at an angle propelling her leftward towards the wall of shipping container. Already readying her feet as soon as Jan hit the wall she trasitioned smoothly into a wall run already prepping in her mind to make a leap for the crane head which could then be used to swing for a piece of piping on the ceiling and then be used to leap for the roof of another shipping container...

As she tried to make her leap however one Jan's Greaves came loose and slid down her leg causing the punk to mess up her jump. instead she would find right hand could only slap the bottom of the crane which caused her body to start slowly flipping in the air. Jan would try to go with the motion to hopefully land on her feet only for her ankle to hit floor at an odd angle and cause her to tumble several times before landing on her back She could feel pain all over but she knew that it was nothing serious, just would hurt like hell. Groaning in pain she would start to lift her head as she used her elbow to help prop herself up.

Jan was ready to just rest there and feel like an idiot for a few minutes only for the swishing sound of door opening to catch her ears. There was only one thing she thought as she quickly twisted her body to grab for her shield.

For Force's sake​

River Kryze

 

[River Kryze]

The muffled sound of a 'thud' caught River's ears, as she was certain she had heard something come from inside the cargo hold. Stowing the datapad onto her belt, the Corellian woman disconnected her helmet from her belt and slid it on, then retrieved her blaster pistol; making sure it was set for stun. She had to be careful, for all she knew the damn station could have been filled with criminals, and she was in no mood to deal with their kind right now. If this was some elaborate scheme to hi-jack her ship, they wouldn't find it an easy task.

As the door slide open, River came through, weapon draw. She had expected to find a thug, maybe even two armed with some cheap blasters, she didn't expect to see a child however. At second glance, it occurred to River that this wasn't an ordinary child, she was clad with Mandalorian armor; a set that seemed a tad too big for her at that. "What in the hell...." She spoke aloud, her voice concealed behind the modulator at work. Her aggressive posture halted, her head craning to the side as she looked at the girl, then did a quick glance around the hold; flipping on her heat sensor as she gave it a look. A question stewed at the back of her head, why in the hell was a child running around in Mando armor? Especially on her ship of all things?

To her relief there was no one else in here, just the two of them. Sighing, River stowed the blaster, moving to remove her helmet as there was no obvious threat to the ship at work. Hopefully she wouldn't have to fight with the child. "Please don't run off, I'm not going to hurt you." She opened with, raising her hands to show she was no longer armed. "Who are you, and why are you lurking around on my ship?" She was more concerned than anything, hoping that she wasn't dealing with some sort of vagrant, or worse a run away child; she wasn't looking forward to the potential holocall that would require to clean up. "And most importantly, where did you get that armor?" Funny. She had done something similar not all that long ago, taking the armor of her late husband as her own. A rather depressing thought crossed her mind at that, as River's face dropped at the prospect that she was looking at an orphan from that battle on Mandalore not long ago.

Please, not another one.

Jan Tracyn

 

[Jan Kryze]

The heavily modulated voice crossed into Jan's ears and immediately Jan acted. Springing to her feet as she brings her shield up in the general direction of the voice. Her feet spread out into an impromptu fighter's stance as each muscle tensed ready to react at a moments notice. She didn't know who the feth this women was but already a reaction occurred at seeing the golden t-visor staring back at her. It was one of them. Jan could feel her feet trying desperately to force her to backpedal and run for cover half expecting the person behind the cold blooded helm to start returning blaster fire, yet at the same time she wanted to study it a little bit entranced by the whole getup. leaving Jan frozen in place for a few moments before slowly beginning to step back.

Yet instead she removed her helmet revealing a face that was well... Jan didn't really know what the kark to expect under their helmets. She was even putting away her blaster out of some misguided deception, like she thought Jan was stupid enough to buy that and not think there was a trick going on here. There was always a fething trick. She heard the mando spoke in her less intimidating natural voice and immediately Jan retorted.

"Just stay back!" Jan spat out in her best attempt to sound intimidating. She was now regretting leaving her only weapon behind in that crate. Still that didn't mean she wouldn't try to give this lady hell if she tried to attack her, just would make it more difficult. Still the old lady continued on asking why she was here and then asked about the armor...

Jan twitches her head at the mention of her armor, her body tensing up even more and she was already trying to preempt what this karkhole was probably assuming. "I didn't steal it if that's what you're thinking, and I'll make life hell for you if you try to take it from me." Jan once again tried to say as defiantly as she could only to feel her vocal chords choked a little bit as she was finishing that sentence. Memories were occupying her mind in flashes that she was now trying desperately to shove down. Now being reminded exactly why she was in this chitty situation in the first place.

"I just want to get to Mandalore."

River Kryze

 

[River Kryze]

Though the woman went into a hostile pose, River ignored it. While she wasn't a warrior, River could see well enough that the girl wasn't fully trained. If anything, it was a weak attempt to intimidate the older woman. It wasn't going to work unfortunately, because the fact she was so clearly a child was all River could process in this moment. Despite the call to stay back, River wasn't buying the act. The fear in the girl's voice was evident, if anything it only earned her the pity of the Corellian. Just to appease the woman, River did as she was told, not moving from her spot, hands still raised. "I'm not going anywhere, alright? Just settle down." She advised, knowing full well her wrist weapons could pacify the situation if things got heated; something River was very much hoping to avoid.

It seemed her questioning of the armor had struck a nerve, a nerve that River was all to familiar with having struck. She too had the fears of the armor being taken from her, the last memento of her husband being stripped from her? No, River wouldn't have allowed that either. They were cut from the same cloth, weren't they? Tragedy and loss. It was a familiar story she had seen unfold several times now, and here it was showing itself again. "I...understand. It belonged to someone important to you, didn't it?" River inquired, her hand moving touch her own breastplate. "It's all you have left of the past, right?" She pressed further, her words taking a tone of grief now, as she herself was struggling with the images of her past life. "That armor is yours, so long as you keep yourself worthy enough to wear it. Honoring the person from whom once wore it." Despite her attempts at grasping it, saying Mando code stuff like this sounded like total nonsense to River; yet she had to appear to be a Mandalorian to the girl. "Well....I already locked in the coordinates, so how about you come up with me in the cockpit, instead of messing around with all this scrap." She offered, extending a hand to the woman in the hopes that she might agree to come along. "My name is River, River Kryze. Who am I speaking with?" Hopefully she could get a name, even a clan name at this point would help; Aloy seemed to know just about everyone after all, and she was certain the red head could sort this debacle out.

Jan Tracyn

 

[Jan Kryze]

The woman was listening to her which in a way put Jan more on edge. Still she kept her distance which meant there was something to latch onto to feel secure. Jan began to lower her shield more revealing more of armor and the long crimson ponytail that hanged out of her helmet and was fraying in all directions. Jan's green visor was locked on River's face even as Jan's eyes were constantly scanning around her body, looking for anything. A sudden twist, a hidden item, an incoming strike her body was ready to fight or run.

Yet instead River spoke and Jan's mind wasn't ready for it. The tone and content caused something to shift and place extra weight on the pretender's shoulders. Jan blinked and in her mind it flashed again at the mention of the past. Blood pooling on the nearby ground and caressing her fingers, hoarse modulated breathing intermixed with putrid coughs. Familiar voice and body draped in something that seemed alien and distant and the handle of something that was jabbed deeply into his gut along with several other torn pieces of cloth and skin all over his body. The air smelled metallic suddenly. The woman's words serving as narration to each and ever flash.

"It's all you have left of the past, right?"

...

It was still too fresh. She felt helpless. This armor is all she has. This was it and even now it didn't feel right. Becoming aware of how certain plates loosely slid across her skin, the uncomfortable friction. Her helmet actually moves ever so slightly when she tilts her head. Did anything fit with her?

Who was this Woman to make her feel like this again? Jan felt her head growing hot. Just wanting to scream, to destroy to do anything. Images of a black robed figure getting what was coming to them. Overpowering them and taking the knife that sat on her waist, wrapped in a banthahide roll and jabbing it repeatedly again and again just wanting to feel that happen but could only see the images. She wanted to hear them scream, but why did the scream in her head sound familiar though?

blink

The Mando was there. River her name. Unsure if she needed to have her head kicked in or to trust her. Yet her destination was certain, and she wasn't trying to rip away what felt like loose ill fitting skin. She was even offering to join her in the cockpit, not be locked up... but was that true? Jan didn't know. It was just confusing and messy. She just wanted her body to stop aching all over.

"Jan..."
"Jan Tracyn"

Jan spoke as her arms fell to her sides and she accidentally slapped her shield against her thigh.

"Dammit" She said with a defeated sigh instead of frustration or rage.

"It wasn't his, but he had left this for me..." Jan finished as she looked at River. Her body feeling a clash of two feelings at once.

River Kryze

 

[River Kryze]

Her posture said it all, as the stance lowered, her desire to fight dwindled. It was the sign of someone who was tired, just wanting it to stop, just wanting to be done with it. A sensation she knew all to well. River's first instinct was to embrace the girl, but she had trained herself enough to hold back on such impulses. River hadn't seen an actual shield be utilized in some time, then again it could have just been how this young woman fought. Another thing she noticed, was the lovely set of red hair that hung from the back of her suit, like an outward declaration of rebellion. As nice as that hair was, it was also a major hazard in combat, not to mention it meant her suit might not be properly sealed. Poor child probably didn't know how to set it up properly.

Watching the body movements tell the girls' emotional state, River stayed where she was, figuring the girl had a reason to be so defensive. Force only knew how long she had been bused around, drifting without an idea, probably aching from the lose and loneliness. Well, she wouldn't be lonely anymore. Not if River had anything to say about it.

She had a name at least now, that was something to work with if nothing else. Jan. Placing a hand over the helmet hanging from her belt, River's tone dropped to one of sympathy, hoping to convince the girl that they had no reason to be enemies. "This armor was once my husbands. It was supposed to go to our kids but..." She stopped, a lump forming in her throat at that thought.

She was never going to see Sasha and Val again.

Her babies. Gone. All at the age of six. They didn't even know how to hold a blaster properly.

"Jan, can..." She stopped, her hand moving to shield her face now, the tears weren't going to be held back this time; though she couldn't mask the breaking of her voice. "I need to get back to the cockpit. If you want to join me, that's fine. Or you can stay here." She turned away, walking back through the door, her mind slowly being taken over by the grief.

Not the best showing for a Mandalorian warrior. But then again, she wasn't a real Mandalorian.

She probably never would be.

Jan Tracyn

 

[Jan Kryze]

Watching River she felt like something in her body was about to snap. She could feel something building and it was getting harder to ignore. It was terrifying for her as it felt like her body was about to take over her, and override everything to do well she didn't know what it would do but that alone was enough for her to want to fight it. Hearing River mention her husband it now reminded her of how father would on the few occasions talk about her mother. Jan still didn't know what happened to her, all she knew was that when her father thought of her it looked a lot like what River was doing right now.

It was hearing River's voice break that nearly caused this unknown force to takeover, her throat tightening and her jaw feeling like it was about to force itself open. Jan clenched her jaw shut with as much force she could muster and imagined taking this sensation and forcing deep down. Shoving it deeper and deeper and deeper until is was somewhere that it could never see the light of day. Packing it up into a ball and hurling it almost. As she was doing it she heard River mention going back to the cockpit.

Jan stood still as she saw the Mandalorian walk away. Unsure what to do. Something in her told her that she wasn't going to hurt her for now, but she never had to handle anyone being like this around her and she felt clueless about what to do. It was so much easier if they just tried to fight her like everyone else, then she knew exactly what to do. But this? This was alien to her. Sure she had to deal with counselors who 'tried' to act like they cared, whom 'tried' to force a fething smile and say that she had 'potential'... Yet she could just feel the amount of Shaak shit that was laced in every single unfeeling word they driveled out of their karkhole for a mouth. Yet this person she was different. Jan just didn't know how.

When River left the cargo bay Jan felt the room the change. The doors sliding shut and now there was just silence. She was alone again and this time just left with thoughts. She didn't like that. The was becoming an amphitheater for her entire universe and it felt like the limited confines of the space was now the limited vestiges of her mind. She felt trapped in it, stuck in this thing with only the same thoughts to occupy her. It made her uncomfortable over the next few minutes and she feels it trying to creep up again. That ball she had just got done shoving away. She wanting to keep it down... and she was wondering if River was alright.

Jan went over to the crate she was smuggled in and retrieved her Beskad. Sheathing it and attaching it to her waist belt. She then took the shield and attached it to her back again. Then she felt herself reach down and grab a banthahide leather roll that was also attached to her belt. She held it in her hand feeling the texture. It was Tusken made her dad told her, from the time they lived on Tatooine for a brief stint. She didn't understand why they had to drop everything to live there but her dad had insisted on it. Now it was hiding what ended him...

Jan swallowed and made her to the door exiting the cargo bay and opened it. It shut behind her and she made her way to the cockpit. Before opening the door she gave a knock and waited a few seconds before opening it. When the door opened Jan's mind blanked unsure what to say... well there was something she wanted to say, but those words were especially difficult for some reason.

"The cargohold was getting too quiet. Mind if I take a seat?" Jan said has she felt her left hand tighten around the leather roll she was clutching while motion to the copilot's chair with her right arm. If River gave permission Jan would then prop her shield against the side of the chair and sit down. Inside her head though what she really wanted to say remained unspoken.

Hey, you alright?​

River Kryze

 

[River Kryze]

As River left the cargo hold, the floodgates broke, her sobbing allowed to come to the surface without the fear of someone seeing her lose it.

She couldn't say how long she just dumped everything out there, her hands punching at the bulkhead as the flashes of anger came to life, only stopping when she felt that her hands might break. While to her it felt like a lifetime, in actuality it had only been a minute. These things happened at times. Sometimes just the faintest thought about her kids drove her over the edge, other times she just woke up feeling these things. From what little help she had sought on the subject, she was going to feel this way for a while. In fact, she had been told the feeling might never go away.

Now she had a runaway orphan on board her ship, and a Mandalorian one at that. Which meant it was time to go back to being an adult and acting like she had it all figured out. Seeing she was still close to the cargo bay, she decided it was best to get back to the cockpit, after cleaning up the evidence for her waterworks of course. A few tissues later though, River found it better to just place her helmet back on, feeling that she might feel more composed if the girl couldn't see the dead look that was occupying her face at the moment. Removing her helmet from it's place on her belt, she slide it over her head, letting it 'pop' into place, as she was now submerged back into her own world. Totally free from the world understanding what was going on within that shell of hers. It was better that way for both of their sakes.

Sinking down into the pilots chair, River made herself look busy, trying to take her mind off her loss, and the fact she had to figure out what to do with a child that was probably pondering on killing her; frankly, she wished someone would some days. To River's surprise, she would hear the door open, only for Jan to walk in and politely ask if she could join her. "Yes, of course." River responded, her monotone voice made all the more cold thanks to her voice modulator. Saying little else, she went back to looking busy, pulling up star maps that had nothing to do with their destination, checking fuel reserves, power management, then back to star maps; all in vain to get her mind off her grief. Eventually, she'd snap out of it. Then she'd have a lot of stress to overcome.

For now, she sat in silence, the hums and buzzing of the consoles filling the cockpit, as River just couldn't muster up the energy to say anything at the moment. Days like this were the worst.

Jan Tracyn

 

[Jan Kryze]

Jan could just feel something off as she sat down on the chair with her feet crisscrossed. River had her helmet on and her voice was drastically different. Jan could just feel her skin crawl as she noticed Rivers movements. Stiff like a puppet, as it toiled through a bunch of things that Jan knew nothing about, other than what looked to be maps a few times. That confused Jan, didn't river say she already locked in the coordinates? Maybe it was something else she had to look at... Jan didn't know for sure. Yet all Jan could feel was a pit in her stomach like something awful was going to happen, her mind playing out images of the Mandalorian grabbing her by the throat or shooting her like a kill droid. Anything happening but the Mando was still.

Jan jerked her head slightly when she realized that she was holding on to the leather roll so tightly she could feel the dimensions of the knife underneath it. She could feel her entire body drop in temperature and if it weren't for the armor then River would have been able to see the pretender's complexion grow deftly pale. Her helmet also shifted just enough that her visor was now blocking her vision. Jan put the roll away and with her left hand removed the helmet. Her hair allowed to hang completely free as Jan rested the helmet onto her lap and rotated it so she could look into the visor. Meanwhile her right hand was lazily grasping the hilt of her beskad. Feeling safer already knowing that if River tried to do anything that she could defend herself.

She blankly stared into the helmet and it's green T-visor, it looked like it was judging her somehow. Faintly ticking the back of her mind was a masculine voice scratching at her brain. It was there but she couldn't make out what it was saying. Just that she sank deeper into the chair and felt more and more small, like she never could fit in with anything. This was meant for her and it didn't even fit right. An mental image of screaming and ripping it off played but nothing came from it. It just felt like the whole world went blank.

Where was she? Jan blinks and sees the blue cosmos of hyperspace. She remembers sitting down in the chair but can't remember anything beyond taking her helmet off. Her right hand fell from the Beskad's hilt and now is hanging absently. The helmet continuing to stare at her. She could feel how loose the armor is on her as each subtle change in her seating shifts one plate or another and rubs against her. Now even the chair itself feels like it's off for her and a part of her mind wonders if she should have stayed in the crate.

Jan looks over at River and studies her armor. Making note of how much better it hugs her body and how clumsy and amateurish Jan feels by comparison. Without any thought put into it Jan makes a comment out loud that River could easily hear even the tone is heavily deflated.

"This doesn't even fit me right..."

River Kryze

 

[River Kryze]

The movements of the girl went unnoticed, as River's mind was too busy powering down, the Corellian a bit caught in her own thoughts at the moment. What did catch her attention though, was the proclamation of Jan's armor not fitting. At that, River's hand stopped short of the terminal, her gaze turning to face the younger woman. She had removed her helmet it seemed, letting River see the young girl hiding within. She couldn't have been a day over eighteen, so young and unready for the world before her. River's own armor took some time to adjust, a period of months where she had to study about Beskar before trying to make it fit her. Those were some long and hard nights in the forge, especially after she learned she lacked the proper tools to make it work. She suspected the process would be similar with Jan. "We'll have to resize it for you. If you're going to be a Mandalorian, you have to wear the armor. That's part of the code. Right now, the armor is wearing you. That's strictly forbidden." She found a small bit of humor slipping out unintentionally, causing her to smile at her own joke.

Bringing up the display, River glanced at the time listed for their arrival, seeing that there were several hours until they would reach home. "I can fix it for you, just need the measurements and access to a forge. It won't be my first time either, so thankfully you don't have to worry about that." Her hand withdrew from the terminal, patting her breastplate. "It took me months to get it right with my husbands armor. For you, I should be able to get it in the first go." Ideally, that's how she'd like to do it, maybe make a few adjustments for the girl as well. "If you need me to, I run a workshop on Mandalore, bit of a manufacturing company really. I can upgrade your armor for you, if you'd like." Several ideas of armor design came to her, as the Corellian couldn't help but get a bit enthused about her work.

If Jan had sought to distract the woman from her grief, well, it was working.

Jan Tracyn

 

[Jan Kryze]

Jan's eyes seemed to drift downward with the falling pit in her stomach, her situation seeming to be one of eternal uncertainty. Drifting in the lane of hyperspace with no destination. That was until her head perked up and turned to look towards River. She was hearing once again the Mandalorian seemingly transform in front of her eyes as she started inquiring about resizing it. The little joke about Jan fitting the armor even caused a small embarrassed blush to break out and pinken her complexion.

A life line seemed to be cast out for Jan and her mind was racing with ideas. Thoughts of the armor giving a firm hugging fit seemed to already comfort something in her, and then there was the idea of upgrades, it all flashed inside her mind. Especially considering that this one seemed to know alot about this stuff and she knew barely anything, a lot of the hud elements in her visor being but a mystery to the pretender. As hard as it would be to directly say it, she could use a hand with understanding this stuff.

"You're willing to do all of that for me?" Jan posed River with small twinkle of wonder and disbelief in her voice. She couldn't believe it, it all seemed to be too good to be true...

Maybe it was​

Jan leaned away from River and pulled her helmet closer to her chest now, an inkling of distrust building inside her. Her mind waiting for the moment everything would go wrong. It always did, every. single. time. Maybe she was trying to plot a way for her to willing give it up, or maybe she was going to be captured for something or maybe she was going to just be left behind and alone in someplace she didn't know. The last thought terrified Jan the most.

"Wait, what's the catch? There's almost always a catch." She asked in a colder voice, as she felt her mind and body conflict.

River Kryze

 

[River Kryze]

"You're willing to do all of that for me?"

It was such a simple question, and yet River was a bit dumbstruck by it. She looked at the girl for a long moment, head tilted to the side as she inquired about what the catch was. Had her mind been twisted that badly? Perhaps her time away from her clan had tainted her thoughts, wouldn't be the first time that River had seen this sort of ordeal. Hell, she lived it. Seeing there was still a bit of a blush on the girls face, River chuckled to herself, placing both hands on her console. "Well, the catch is you'll have to stay with me until I finish. I need your measurements after all." Giving a shrug of her shoulders, she looked back to the girl, a faint smile forming under the helmet. "Assuming that's to your liking? I suppose I could always ask you to take out the trash or clean up my house, but that'd be demeaning to a warrior such as yourself." It was just a joke, but given how defensive Jan seemed to get about things, River wasn't sure what to expect from the young woman. "But no, there's no catch. I'm just helping a fellow Vod out. A brother, as they say in Mando'a."

She hoped that last line cleared things up, because if not River was concerned she had just embarked down quite a slippery slope. "Oh, and if...you don't have any residence, you are welcome to stay with me. Again, no catch. That's the catch with me, there's no catch. Get it?" It went without saying that she wasn't okay with letting a young woman run around on her own. Not to mention without any sort of parental figure looking over her. Besides, River missed having people around the house.

Jan Tracyn

 

[Jan Kryze]

"But no, there's no catch. I'm just helping a fellow Vod out. A brother, as they say in Mando'a."

What?

"Oh, and if...you don't have any residence, you are welcome to stay with me. Again, no catch. That's the catch with me, there's no catch. Get it?"​

Was it true? Jan stared in utter disbelief. Her mind struggling to process it. This couldn't be real right? Years of being the only one to fend for herself, years of doing odd jobs as a street rat, years of petty theft to just have something extra to eat beyond the school meal, Years lying bed staring at the ceiling with nothing. Now someone wants to give her a place to stay. Just to help? That was impossible. She... she didn't deserve this. Yet the thought of having a bed to sleep in called to her. Not worrying about being woken up by some karker from corpsec who decided to pick on her. There was a pause in her mind as it hooked on this. Something bubbling up that then solidified moments later.

"O... OK. You can do that. Just... Her mind had filled in the blanks of what it wanted to say. just don't leave me. Though it laid dormant and buried inside her head unable to actively perceived wrapped up in the ball that she kept pushed down. Instead the words and sentence hanged in the air lonely and begging to be accompanied for more as she tried to push for to say. Feeling her fingers against the cold metal of the helmet gave a substitute answer.

"... Just... don't ruin it." She finished, before taking another look at the helmet. She picked it up and offered it towards River.

"You can start by taking a look at this if you want?" She asked a small bit of reluctance in her voice as she offered the wearable heirloom.

River Kryze