Oiling the cogs

[Kairon Rees]

[member="Malia Afredane"]

"You know...that sounds just fine. I reckon we didn't always get to spend enough time at the helm together," he admitted. Kairon had almost seen the questioning forming in her mind, knowing her well enough to see where her attention had been fixed for the last few seconds. "You know what, my man on Chroma Zed wants to talk business, but won't have a cargo ready. We take off and head in that direction, we'll work something out on the way, play it by ear."

~​

​

"She just had a little cough is all," Kairon remarked as he ducked into the cockpit. He was still wiping his hands on a grease-smeared rag as he took up the co-pilot's chair. His eyes traced the frame around the cockpit. If there was one thing he liked about the Z-3, it was the view it afforded. Well, he would, when they were out of the rather bleak hangar. "Got the secondary nozzle clogged up. Power couplings were acting like capacitors and bounding the power back and forth. Oscillating, that's the word." He'd headed back below whilst she'd checked the diagnostics quickly. Mal had been right, a good full diagnostics and service were in order. Probably a few secondary issues hiding in her innards from the time she ended up stranded.

This time there was no sudden whine as she was primed, just a gentle hum as the main systems all checked out in sequence. Kairon reached forwards and manipulated a few controls. "Dampeners are good, she's churning through the numbers to make the jump already," he affirmed. He looked over the Mal, a content expression on his face. "Maybe we can find somewhere along the way to give her a tune and then put her through her paces?" he asked. He wasn't near as good as Mal at the helm. Wasn't even as good as his nephew. Didn't mean he didn't relish flying beside her.

 

[Malia Afredane]

Gracie was therapy, in the basest form. She was an open sky leading to the galaxy beyond, a streak of engine wash fading into the serene blue of the upper atmosphere and off into oblivion. Sliding into the pilot's seat, she curled her fingers around the yoke and closed her eyes. The grips were molded to her hands from years of use, countless hours spent in this seat, watching life through the windscreen of an old, antique freighter. It was the confirmation that life goes on, that somethings are eternal. The well made machine, the feel of wonder, the love of a mother. None of these things had been lost in the last few weeks, merely set aside while others things needed to take precedence.

She opened her eyes, hazels crossing over the board before she opened a channel to ATC.

"Wicked Grace, permission to take off?"

"Permission granted, Mal. Take 'er easy up there." The familiar voice of Horace came across the headset before she looked over at Kairon and sighed, forcing a smile on her face.

"You ready for this?" He had been on the bridge of the Warden, he had flown with her at the controls, but the Warden was massive. Gracie wasn't nearly as agile as a starfigher or a tactical ship, but she was fast and sleek when she needed to be. Compared to the Warden, she was a sports coupe.

[member="Kairon Rees"]

 

[Kairon Rees]

[member="Malia Afredane"]

Kairon turned to face her. After six months on the same ship, in the same room, he knew how to recognise her expressions. Her smile wasn't entirely genuine, her mind was churning behind those hazel eyes, but she was trying.

He gave her a small smile back, there was a slight twitch at one corner of his mouth. “Are you suggesting I won't be able to keep up?” he said as he reached up to the console over his head. His hand paused as he mentally mapped out the controls. Two switches were flicked and shortly followed by the whine of repulsors warming up.

“Because I can't,” he added quickly. “But I'll give it a damn good go. No asteroid fields though. Please.”

 

[Malia Afredane]

"No asteroids, I promise."

Kairon settled in and she hesitated a moment before she pulled gently on the yoke. Gracie lifted off easy, going straight up in a hover until she had cleared the spaceport, then she pushed the controls and the 3-Z zoom on upwards to the heavens. Mal was certainly in no hurry to immediately get to hyperspace, and as she left the atmosphere there was a weight lifted from her. This was her home. Not Bin Prime, not the bar, not the apartment.

Gracie. Open space.

This was familiar and soothing.

The panels beeped that the computer was ready for the jump but her hand paused over the control a moment before she reached for his hand to give it a squeeze. She looked over at him, her eyes a little less somber.

"I love you."

[member="Kairon Rees"]

 

[Kairon Rees]

[member="Malia Afredane"]

"I know," he replied softly. His eyes stayed on the console before him as he flicked two more switches to stabilise the internal dampeners before the jump.

It was only then that he turned towards her, he looked...content. "I love you too," he said with utter sincerity as their eyes met. As she started to move her hand away he quickly snatched it back with his own. Leaning across her he pressed down the jump lever with both their hands. The blue streaks of hyperspace flashing across her eyes was the last thing he saw before he pressed his lips against hers.