Impact

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]


A hot flush colored Kaile’s cheek then. Her eyes fell down to his bloody and charred shirt. “Here let me help you.” she uttered quietly, her hands carefully and gently moving to take the hem of his shirt.

“You moved fast.” Kaile admitted, fingers curling at the fabric to gently tug up. “Here we go.” he had moved fast. It was a reminder that Asmus wasn’t the petrified kid anymore that hid behind cargo boxes. He was a trained Academy graduate. A distinguished naval officer and a member of the SIS. It was just hard to meld the two images together that it was her Asmus.

“Can you tell us more about the ship Jay Four?” something to keep the conversation flowing. The fluid strech and pull of muscles met the cool air as Kaile lifted the shirt up. Extra care came when she reached along his shoulder, adding a soft, “Sorreh.” when she found him grimacing.

“Just have to lift the fabric that’s burnt against it.”

 

[Asmus Janes]

“It's alright, just keep going,” he said. The left sleeve was the last part to leave his body, leaving just the kolto patch he'd managed to half cover the wound with. This close he saw the flush in her cheeks, the uncertainty in her gaze.

Without thinking he cupped her chin with his index finger and lifted it up. “It's okay,” he said. He didn't specify what because there were a number of things he encompassed. “What you did was amazing.”

[Yes of course,] came the interruption Asmus had already steeled himself against. [This is an H-type 273 cruiser commissioned seven years ago and bought outright by my previous master outright with the full interior package. I heard mention of a drinks cabinet?] Jay kept his eyes on this time and took a step forwards. They were certainly more interesting than his previous owner. Not as rude either.

Asmus laughed. Force, Kaile was so close. But there were other matters to attend to. His fingers gently peeled at the edge of the kolto patch he'd managed to half apply and ease it off. The wound did not look brilliant. Hard to say yet either a concentrated bolt had burned a small hole in the muscle and the rest was just blackened scorching or he was going to require surgery to rebuild the muscle. He took a short deep breath and swallowed. Some of his courage was faltering now there was nothing to direct it towards.

“What does the med bed come with Jay? I'll save that stiff drink for after please.”

Please was a new word as far as Jay was concerned.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

It was the slight pressure of his fingers along her jaw, the way that his expression softened and really, really saw her. All of her. It was disconcerting, but it also inevitably seemed to draw her closer to him. To his law of gravity.

The mention of the drinks cabinet and Asmus’ subsequent laugh broke a bit of the tension. Kaile relaxed, giving a small nod along with her own quiet, “Okay.” An awkward chuckle followed at Jay Four’s antics and woe be gone discourse over his former master.

HOwever, seeing the wince of pain and flinch that Asmus made at removing the bacta patch managed to focus Kaile back to her normal, concerned mode. Fussing came to her easy, especially for those she cared about. All the more when it dealt with Asmus.

“It don’t seem like it dealt much damage. “ she began, stepping foward close enough so that Asmus’s breath would be able to fan at her hair. Gentle fingers rose up to the injury, carefully hovering over it as she inspected it proper. She was no medic, but she dealt with her fair share of field injuries much like this.

[ The Arr-Gee-Nine PharmaTech Medical Pod is a top of the line fully automated Medical Procedure Pod. It can recieve, assess and stabilize wounds immediately following injury. The Medical Pod was used to treat my former master by using advanced diagnostics and teleoperated instruments. ]

“Fancy.” Kaile managed to say, her brows perking as she locked brown upon jade.

“Guess all you have to do is lay down and let it do all the work.”

 

[Asmus Janes]

“Okay,” Asmus replied, turning and hopping backwards into the floating platform. Whoever had owned this ship had been wealthy, that was for certain. He'd always wanted to have a look around one of these luxury models and give them a push. Even going well outside of the usual parameters the engines had purred and the ascent remained smooth.

Concern crossed his features. What if that cruiser caught them in hyperspace or they needed to make a course correction. “Kaile will you be alright to fly the…”

[I was never allowed.] The voice held a touch of regret. The droid stepped closer, looming over them. Asmus couldn't help but feel a touch nervous. The droid seemed fairly benign, but it was a tall, powerful looking unit.

“Sorry Jay-for?”

[I was never allowed to fly this ship even though my programming is perfectly capable. He liked his well dressed man at the helm.]

“Sure,” Asmus replied with a nod, though he cast Kaile a sidelong glance. The droid loped towards the cockpit with his odd stride. Asmus laid back onto the table and a small arm came up and swept over him. Once he thought Jay was out of earshot he asked Kaile: “Can you slice or use the Force to make sure he's going to be honest? I don't want him turning us around and oh…”

Another little arm pressed a needle into his arm. His pupils dilated. “... Never mind the drinks cabinet, that's the good stuff.” He tried to appear cheerful and made a better job of it as the pain faded to a dull throb. He left his left arm still as several instruments closed on the wound, but reached for her with his right. He hadn't expected to be undergoing a minor procedure all of a sudden.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

"Don't worry about that." Kaile replied, her voice an octave above a whisper. Fingers curled around Asmus's hand, feeling the grime and grit over his skin along with the warmth. The Med Pod didn't even give a low hum as it worked on Asmus' injury. It was rather interesting to see and if Kaile hadn't been overly concerned over his well being, she might have wanted to poke around with it some more. The medical pod was unlike anything Kaile had ever interacted with as a machine. Bacta tanks yes; something his high tech and luxurious? No.

"Feeling better?" another scanner swept over him, checking his vitals and adjusting painkillers based on his status. However, by the slightly glazed expression in his jade green eyes, it appeared that for the present time Asmus would be alright. They'd been lucky. Anything could have gone wrong. He could have been shot in the chest and then --

Kaile's fingers grew tighter around his hand, her face blanching a bit. "Don't do silly things like that again." she warned him, a small catch in her voice.

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

An awfully pleasant fog had settled over Asmus' mind. Once upon a time he would have paid good credits for a buzz like this. It did nothing to shield him from the pang at Kaile's words.

His fingers tightened around her own as he looked to see the raw expression behind her eyes. Was she replaying a version of events where that gunman was just a fraction quicker. She truly cared about him. It gave him a warm fuzzy beyond what the drugs could achieve.

"I'm alright," he tried to assure her. Taking risks and spotting openings before the other side was actually what had kept him alive so far. It was what had taken him to Rogue Leader. "I'll try not to. I should have let you handle them."

Feeling a tug on his shoulder her turned to look. One arm held him, whilst another had split into a range of little tools. A bright laser was currently stripping of pieces of dead flesh whilst another lifted them free. His skin blanched more than Kaile's had and he quickly turned back to face her. His hand tightened about hers. Stay.

Perhaps she could have talked them around, but he hadn't known she could do what she'd ended up doing. They'd been right on top of her and Hacken with fingers on triggers. Asmus tried to pull her hand towards him to hold against his chest, but the table made an angry beep when her hand came within range of its scanners.

"Or not," he said with a slightly vacant grin. There was a hiss and he couldn't help but look again even knowing it was a bad idea. A tiny nozzle was spraying a milky white substance into the wound. Up and down laying strips it went. This time he didn't look away, sparing a glance with raised eyebrows towards Kaile. He'd forgotten its name, but that was an organic compound would, within a few hours, adapt to his own body and turn into new muscle and skin. Very, very expensive. They still did skin grafts in military medical facilities within the GADF.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

[SIZE=9pt]“Pretty fancy.” There was an odd, semi abashed awed expression settling on kaile’s face as she followed Asmus’ gaze to his shoulder. Just watching the thin, milky white substance seem to mesh to his skin was a rather bewildering event. The adrenaline has already begun to crash, so it was no surprise at how awkward yet needy the Lorrdian felt. Her grip on his hand kept flexing, fingers arching up only to slide against his own, but it was her emotions running ahead of her over concern for the silly rogue. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Just relief crashing down. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]He now had a rather derpy smile on his face. A dimple flashed within that mass of dark scruff and those gold-flecked emerald eyes swam over her with such appreciation. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]“Reckon the liquor cabinet is out of the cards then for you.” It was a lighthearted, nervous quip. Another small arm swept a sensor then shone a pulsing blue light over the wound. Likely to activate the substance. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]“Odds are they doped you up real good. I'll take care of things for now.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]It was the least she could do. Asmus needed his rest. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]A pause, then a more serious expression settled over her face. She squeezed his hand. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]“You did good.” Truthful praise. He had. And he surprised her to boot. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]“Thank you.”[/SIZE]

 

[Asmus Janes]

There was a faint tremble in the fingers that responded to her touch. They'd worked on only a few hours of sleep each and carried out a sharp hike just that morning and all the previous day. With the drugs in his system and the adrenaline fading he was starting to feel the strain. Looking down at his shoulder being picked apart by a machine hadn't helped either, there was a distinct lack of colour to his cheeks.

His gaze didn't waver from hers however. Even as a series of expressions crossed his face as he absorbed her praise. A modicum of colour returned to his skin at her words. Such a simple thing to say, yet it struck him deeply. He had always wondered during those intervening years if she would be proud of what he had become. Once she had told him that she would trust him if he asked he had known he simply couldn't let her down.

“You...we did good,” he replied. He was far more than he had been years ago, she was far more than he had realised. She could actually use the Force. That realisation was struggling to sink in. They had saved each other at least once each on the trip, worked well together despite all the unanswered questions between them.

Despite the protestations of the machine he tugged her hand closer. He kissed the back of her hand before nuzzling it between his cheek and good shoulder. He wanted to ask her to stay until the machine was done. He couldn't. There was duty, an imperial defector on the bridge of a stolen shuttle in enemy space.

“I'll be okay now,” he reassure her. “I'll come up and nap in the cockpit, just in case I'm needed. Maybe we'll sneak something out of the cabinet when we're back. I bet this guy has some good stuff.” He gave her a smile and returned her hand to the edge of the bed to stop the beeping.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[SIZE=9pt]It will be okay now. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Ah, so many meanings the phrase could be connected to. The back of Kaile's hand tingled where he had kissed her; the imprint still warms where flesh had met skin. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Right. Okay, still on the job Kaile, the agent told herself, giving a small nod. Part of her wanted to stay behind, to make sure he was alright. Another warned her that they were not out of this just yet. They still had the droid to deal with and Hacken. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]"Try not to trouble the pod too much," Kaile managed a crooked grin, the briefest flash of dimples with that.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]"It might add a whole other arm if you ain't careful." the slight twang had reappeared. A token hint to Kaileann's warming to her usual self. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]She let go of his hand if letting it linger just a few seconds before those slender digits moved away. A brief glance was spared at the lounge area and the rooms beyond. Just what else would be here? [/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]"Or find out any more surprises..." [/SIZE]

 

[Asmus Janes]

The return of her accent didn't slip past him, even held down on a medical slab of durasteel. It was cold, he realised. That hadn't occurred to him until she was walking away for the computer. He didn't know if it was the drugs or the sight of what the machines had been doing, but he felt more than a little nauseous.

“I'll have a little look around,” called after. Asmus spared a glance to his shoulder and was pleasantly surprised. All the scorch marks had been washed away, the blackened dead flesh cut away. Another little arm came up and sprayed some artificial skin across most of the shoulder, hiding the substance that would slowly transform into muscle and skin underneath the barrier over a few days. It felt cold. He wanted to see her smile again.

The restraining arm released him but snatched his wrist and slid it over his waist.

“Please immobilise shoulder with sling.”

“Erm, right, where do I find one?”

No reply was forthcoming.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

Meanwhile, Kaile made it back to the cockpit. Which was a grand idea, considering how Hacken and the Jay Four were now involved in a little tiff of their own.

[ I am here to pilot this ship. I recommend moving to the side immediately. ]

It was quite amusing considering the rather woeful tone Jay Four took as if this all was a great pain for him to go through and Hacken's mind was just too small to be able to comprehend.

"What's going on?" Kaile inquired, slowing to a stop. One droid head and Hacken's nearly bald one both turned to her at that tim.

[ This man will not let me pilot the ship. I was informing him that I had been instructed to do so and if he did not stand aside, I would make him. ]

"Let's... not make anyone do anything. " Kaile brought both of her hands up.

"Colonel, I'll take it from here. Why don't you go pick a room and rest a bit?"

 

[Asmus Janes]

The bed printed a little ticket. It gave a brief explanation for a medical professional that Asmus was supposed to visit within the next day. It told him which pills to take for pain and which sling to use. It also suggested that more supplies would be ordered and delivered to the ship when it was next registered. That made him realise there was more work to be done. There was a cabinet within the medical bed's recessed area in which he found the prescribed items.

Feel a little light headed, Asmus went to nose around the ship. There was a drinks cabinet in the lounge and two spacious rooms with their own refreshers on this deck. Taking the stairwell down he found a small office space, likely where the noble worked whilst in transit. Behind it was the main cabin. Asmus decided to have a poke around. There was a walk in wardrobe, a drinks cabinet with much finer drink than the one above and some other interesting items.

“Well, I was a pretty criminal…”



There was a clink as Asmus returned to the cockpit just as Hacken was starting to leave. Between forefinger and thumb he held a glass with an ice cube and an amber liquor. He wore a fine, long sleeved shirt that was a few sizes too large. That actually worked for him as the left sleeve was empty and his arm slung underneath the shirt. There was also a new and very fine sporting blaster slung for a hand stitched leather holster on his right hip. He held up the glass.

“It's not for me!” He said at Kaile's sideways glance. “It's for you. A seventy two whyrren to celebrate your defection. You did a very brave thing.” He passed it to the colonel, placed a hand on his shoulder briefly and then sat down at the comms station.

Jay Four swivelled his head around from the controls he'd finally been allowed to operate. “I'm afraid most of the master's clothes won't for you. He was very fat.”

Asmus stifled a laugh. The noble had only been a little round about the middle from what he recalled. Certainly the clothes weren't enormous.

“You're harbouring a lot of resentment deep down there aren't you Jay?”

“I don't know what you mean.” But the droid snapped his head back forwards very suddenly.

“Anyway, thank you for helping us,” Asmus said earnestly. Perhaps it was because the drugs had him space out, or maybe it was his earlier rudeness, but he felt like being friendly once more.

Jay turned his head back around. His mouth lit up as if he was going to speak, but no sound came from the droid. It turned his head back forwards slowly before quietly muttering: “my pleasure. Nothing at all really.”

“Kaile, we need to go and change the transponder soon if you think you can? I need to pick a new name for my ship before we leave hyperspace.”

 

[Kaile Vera]

It had been a rather interesting little dilemma with Hacken and Jay Four, but eventually things were situated. By the time Asmus came back holding -- wait was that alcohol? Her brows immediately pinched at the thought of him mixing liqour with whatever drugs the pod had injected on him. He must have caught on to her expression real quick because he elaborated that it wasn’t for him -- but for Harken.

Leave it to a former smuggler to know exactly how to win over the Colonel. After that the older gentleman was quiet happy to make off by himself and relax in one of the empty rooms.

Which left Asmus, Kaile, and Jay Four alone again. Arms went crossing over her chest, the Lorrdian female raking her gaze over the pilot.

“Made yourself right at home I see.” She added, shaking her head with mild amusement. The addition of, “you should have stayed in the pod a bit longer.” Rounded back the conversation to her concern.

[ Well the master won’t be wearing much of it now. ] another small double take and an amused glance were set upon the droid. What a curious one he was.

“I’ll get on the transponder--”

[ I wouldn’t advise it. Changing the transponder code could blow us all up. ]

Well that was one way to gather both of the SIS agents attention.

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

Asmus furrowed his brow. He had been idly spinning his chair from side to side. Definitely not in a place to be operating heavy machinery.

"I'm sorry, what now? That noble will have reported this stolen and offered a bounty by now. If we can't change the code we can't go anywhere near a civilised system."

The Kayri system could hardly be described as civilised, but Asmus still didn't fancy their chances. Right now, for all they knew, the Subversion was trapped in enemy space. They didn't have enough fuel to make for Fondor.

[The Master was quite specific in his instructions to the shipyards. Link the transponder to the reactor and if it detects tampering activate a two hour self destruct timer. They wouldn't let him make it instant. In his words 'something about those damned sentient rights'] Jay explained. Asmus saw the droid tweak the controls to take the strain off the engines. A shrewd move given what Asmus had done to them.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

Kaileann's eyes bulged a little bit wider. Of all the things -- She immediately shook her head. "Really?" her exasperated tone followed through with a deep sigh. Add in a pinch of her fingers at the bridge of her nose.

"Well ain't that just peachy."

[ I doubt that the final result of the reactor blowing up and taking us all to our disintegrations is very fruitful. ]

Leave it to Jay Four to take it a little bit seriously. Then again, he was a droid. He often would think in absolutes.

"I'll take a look at it." a pan of chocolate brown eyes swept from the droid over to Asmus.

"Don't move around so much. You need your rest." she reminded him. "I haven't been in this class of ship before, where would your transponder module be?"

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

"Well," Asmus started to reply, "I was going to settle in for a nap here, but I think I might not be able to sleep for a few minutes." He did at least settle back into his chair more comfortably with a faint wince. Whilst the drugs numbed the pain, the sensation of the organic gel starting to form new neurons was distinctly uncomfortable.

Jay's hand folded down to expose a dataspike that he lodged into the console.

[Right at the back of the ship Kaile. It's the blue unit I've just ejected from the side of the corridor. Slide it back into place when you're done. If you're going to kill us all I would appreciate a warning message.]

"I'll take one of those warning messages too!" Asmus suddenly announced with a grin. He looked to the side as if bemused by what he'd just said. When he looked back to Kaile he gave a small nod. "Right, rest."

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

“Make sure he doesn’t decide to wander off and not rest Jay Four.” It was a rather silly thing to ask of a droid whom they’d barely met, but it appeared that the only real interaction besides his former ‘fat, lazy and rude’ master had made the droid rather parched for conversation. Even if it was to be a gossiping hen. Allowing Jay Four to fly had certainly warmed the droid up to Asmus and the espion a bit.

[ Why should I have to make sure he doesn’t wander off? Where could he wander off to? If he jettisons himself it is not my fault. ]

Not exactly what kaile meant, but the look that passed between the espion and the pilot was enough.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure you will get the update if we all will be blowing up to the Nine Hells.”

[ Not all. ] Jay Four added. [ I can survive in the vacuum of space. ]

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

Asmus held up one hand, palm forwards and gave a nod. The slightly vacant expression was still there, but it was clear he got the gist of her look.

A moment later, there was a delayed reaction as he turned to face the droid.

“Jay?”

The droid swivelled its head around past ninety degrees to face him. Asmus found something a little disconcerting about that.

[Yes?]

“Can you survive the reactor exploding?”

The droid stayed stock still. Asmus could almost feel the cogs turning.

[Probably not] Jay replied, its head turning back towards the controls. [But I am twenty seven point four percent more likely to survive than you.]

“Nice,” Asmus replied with a slow nod. “We'll be fine,” he asserted before Kaile left. If Kaile said she could do it then he assumed she could. If they couldn't they could always drift in deep space near a holonet buoy and try the Subversion again. In his slightly spaced out state he would watch Kaile leave a little more closely than strictly necessary.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

[SIZE=9pt][ if you keep cranking your neck in that position you'll end up falling out of your chair. ] Jay Four pointed out to pointed out to the medicated Asmus. Indeed, The droid had not missed the manner by which the pilot had followed the line of Kaile's departure. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt][You will only end up right back into the medical pod.] One had to admit, the droids voice was so dry that it was One had to admit, the droids voice was so dry that it was comical. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt][My former master often did the same.] a pause and then he added, [On his organic mate quest.][/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Kaile gave a sigh, she could hear the fading conversation between Asmus and Jay four. It was going to be an interesting predicament once he came back to the Subversion. Likely SIS would wipe the droid clean for security purposes. Then there was the ship. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]“Well aren't you a shiny girl?” The Lorrdian said in a low murmur. Lifting her arm, Kaile let her fingers trail over a polished white corridor wall. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]“Alright,” she added, pulling her sleeves back. “Let's see what you got.”[/SIZE]

 

[Asmus Janes]

“Oof,” Asmus brought his hand to his shoulder as he pressed himself back into his seat a little too quickly. Right, he told himself, sit still and let the good drugs keep you nice and chilled out. Don't let your thoughts wonder. He could sit back, relax and just imagine her swinging hips for a few minutes.

And not do anything Jay could comment on. Perhaps his lack of filter was what had led his last master to leave him on the ship. Asmus felt bad for thinking that thought, so he returned his mind to more pleasant ones.

[Can you see it?] Jay asked over the intercom. The panel which had slid out was relatively obvious, revealing a semi transparent panel with a complex pattern made up of layers of blue circuitry.