Private Road Trip: What now?

[Klar]

"Hey - HEY! This one's tryna rake us over the coals!" The Zabrak protested heatedly. "The coals! He's rakin'! US!" The complaint was more incredulous than it was anything else, as though he were astonished by the sheer act. Or, perhaps, the gumption to jump the script entirely. Homar continued laughing. "Grabba choh kon niko hanka bah" He advised. "Nuhto wanni wanga. Bo tutta! Hohna bo chunni wanga." He continued, waggling a finger at the two. The Nikto kicked a large bolt across the junkyard in frustration. "At this rate, they're just gonna jet off to Dever-Tet Zhallo and buy from Piston Pete!!!" He spat angrily. "We blew this one."

No wonder the Hutt was so relaxed about the goons negotiating and translating so poorly. It wasn't his product, it wasn't his money. Was he doing them a favor? Maybe he was some sort of consultant or executive coach? Klar wasn't sure. Surely the cost of a Hutt business coach would coast way, way more than a dinky little shop like this was even worth, right?

Did this even count as misdirection, anyway? The Hutt was clearly in charge, even if he didn't seem to have any ownership in what was going on. Leaning in, Klar murmured quietly to Xuko. "I think the Hutt is a teacher or something." She explained softly. It wouldn't do to leave him without context and struggling to understand what was going on. "I'm not sure, but that's my read on the situation."

Honestly, the Nikto getting frustrated and not only kicking a bit of trash like a petulant child but also giving them the name and location of his scariest competitor? Not even a Hutt could help THAT kind of incompetence.

 

[Xuko Pagoi]

Xuko, fortunately, had lots of practice holding a stern expression, because until Klar leaned in and quietly shared some much-needed context he was grasping at straws to interpret the fallout from his gamble. Even so, the truth sounded wilder than anything he could come up with; even if it made an odd sort of sense, given the dynamics he and Klar had observed. A Hutt business coach? Truly the galaxy was a strange, unpredictable place.

At least that understanding helped bring some clarity to the negotiations, even as the Nikto gave a backup option in Devar-Tet Zhallo. Xuko guessed that it was a nearby settlement; very near, if Piston Pete was considered a serious competitor. As the Nikto continued venting his frustration on random bits of junk lying around the yard- a surefire way to break a toe, in Xuko's opinion- Xuko considered his next move. On one hand, he had the two goons on the back foot, and pushing the advantage might result in a better deal for him and Klar. Faced with the prospect of a long trip home, he knew that he and Klar would have to stretch their credits as far as they could. On the other hand, both Roppei and the Nikto hadn't taken this latest setback particularly well; and pushing them further was only likely to cause resentment, if not more outbursts.

So as much as Xuko wanted to clonk the two would-be scammers' heads together, he decided to extend an olive branch. Teaching these two knuckleheads the benefits of dealing fairly would be a service to the citizens of Devar-Tet Whai, he told himself.

"My partner and I"- that was getting easier for Xuko to believe- "would be willing to overlook this, so long as we can come to a fair deal" Xuko said, catching both Roppei and the Nikto's eyes to drive home that this was the last chance they'd get. "Otherwise we will go and buy from Piston Pete." Either they would come back to the negotiating table, or he would get more time riding a speeder bike with Klar.

A win-win, as far as Xuko was concerned.

Klar

 

[Klar]

"What'dwe do now?" The Nikto muttered, glancing at the Hutt. Homar chortled, his resonance filling the chilly courtyard. "Ho kutta bo LUCRE." He laughed, before slapping one of his hands on his blubbery chest. "Lu tucka chu-rua. Go banni lucre, solo wanna."

With the opening of thier pitch somewhat salvaged, the two launched into negotiations. While Homar had not provided them with much guidance on such foolish matters as customer service, it was clear that they at least had their numbers down. The Nikto was a firm negotiator, when he could set his over-ambitious greed aside. The Zabrak was a bit of an idiot, but knew his parts very well. It became clear through the course of negotiations that they'd set up shop in Devar-Tet Whai hoping to make it as big as the little rural town could support - by buying out an elderly man's supply depot and trying to modernize it with offworld business tactics.

Tactics that just weren't serving them so well. Partly because they were still outsiders to an insular rural community, and partly because they were just assholes with an understanding of how much things should cost informed by the wealthier standards on busier planets.

Even so, Klar was happy to set Xuko loose on the haggling. She'd already let him know how much she had (very little) when they'd taken stock of their resources, and she hated negotiating - but he seemed to have a flair for it. While Xuko haggled, Klar struck up a polite conversation with Homar the Scar, asking questions about the local atmosphere and his unique business model.

 

[Xuko Pagoi]

Even with the threat of Piston Pete on the table- or in this case, the cylinder shape of a moisture farm half buried in the ground between them- the Nikto and the Zabrak were determined to make things difficult for Xuko. He worked to keep his temper in check as the two took turns mixing their offers with insults, threats, and outright foolishness.

He was almost successful, too, and was close to striking a deal with them, when the Nikto casually asked if Klar was for sale.

Xuko didn't stand up from his chair. He didn't need to in order to reach the Nikto. His right hand shot out, grabbing the Nikto by the ridges on his head, then he slammed the Nikto's face down onto the "table" with a sickening sound of breaking cartilage. As he did so, his left hand twisted the Nikto's virboblade out of his grasp, aided by the sudden pain and the element of surprise. Then, still holding the Nikto by his head, Xuko brought the blade to within an inch of the Nikto's throat; watching as the man's Adam's apple bobbed nervously in recognition of the danger.

Xuko ignored the Zabrak's curses and the Nikto's cries of pain. "Jan'Nor'ven Vor! Apologize, or else."

The Nikto, once they overcame the initial shock, showed no signs of backing down. Perhaps he was embarrassed by being so easily defeated by a youth. Perhaps he didn't realize that Xuko was quite willing to carry out his threat. Perhaps the impact had damaged the few brain cells the Nikto possessed.

Whatever the case, Xuko found himself in a standoff, trying to ignore the prickling sensation he felt every time Roppei adjusted their grip on the holdout blaster now aimed squarely at Xuko's head.

Hopefully Klar was having a better time than he was.

Klar

 

[Klar]

They'd been close - so very close. Very very close to just... buying some parts and then figuring out how they were going to pay for the rest of them. A normal transaction.

And she could probably still make that happen, Klar realized. She could step in. She could get between Xuko and a gun, she could probably talk everybody down. They didn't need to fight this, really. The townies were probably cruel to these two fools, but no doubt they'd rally around them if some out of towners put one or both into the hospital. Or the morgue. And it'd be a pretty crummy way to thank the Perkins' for all their help to this point. She SHOULD get between this, let Xuko know that she very much appreciated him defending her honor but really, she could handle the insult. It was normal out here, probably just an honest query. Business-like, almost. THEY were probably the ones being a little unreasonable here. So no thank you, and we'll just get out of your hair. Thank you for the attempt at honest business.

But she'd already been sold once. Xuko knew that. And they were pointing a gun at her boyfriend. And Coruscant was burning down. And the Empire had been executing hostages on open holovid channels. And her arm still hurt and was still broken. And she was keenly, sharply aware that if she hadn't been born a girl, this whole topic probably wouldn't have come up to begin with.

She gave the Hutt she'd been talking with an appraising look. He yawned languidly. Probably wasn't getting paid nearly enough to intercede in a physical conflict, just to stand close by to negotiations in case there was advice to dispense. A clear enough signal.

Klar was on her feet in one smooth motion, leaping forward with her folding chair already over her head. She brought the seat down with a whipfast snapping motion, slamming the blaster-toting arm into the table hard enough to snap his forearm and crack the table.

 

[Xuko Pagoi]

The tension, the table, and Roppei's arm all shattered at once with one vicious swing of a folding chair; poetry in motion, courtesy of Klar. The Codru-Ji was beautiful when she was violent. Xuko felt his right arm- the one holding the Nikto's head- strain as the Nikto flinched involuntarily, and Xuko let go; inwardly cursing himself for losing his temper in the way that he had... while knowing that he'd change nothing if given the opportunity. Unfortunately, he also saw no future in which he and Klar would fairly get the parts they needed from these two- not now that things had officially entered the realm of aggressive negotiations.

Speaking of, the Nikto was stumbling away, back towards the entrance to the shop; to escape or to return with another weapon, Xuko wasn't sure. Besides, there was a lesson he needed to drill through the Nikto's thick skull. Xuko strode over, tossing aside the vibroknife as he did so and easily covering the ground between them. He dodged a frantic punch before grabbing the Nikto's collar and pinning him up against the wall of the shop.

A better fighter than the Nikto would've used their reach advantage and continued to attack Xuko, but his earlier assessment of the Nikto's fighting style paid off. When faced with a true threat- in this case, a very angry Zabrak- the Nikto's nerve deserted him and he stammered whatever he thought could save his skin in the moment; offering a discount, a deal, parts for free, throwing Roppei under the bus...

"Nor'vor." Xuko said, then repeated himself in Basic. "Shut up!" He waited out the final few babbled words, eyes blazing. "Repeat after me. People. Are not. For sale."

The Nikto complied, with less conviction than Xuko would've liked.

"Again. And louder."

Xuko had the Nikto repeat it several times before he was satisfied. Resisting the urge to do the same to Roppei, Xuko instead strode over to where he was whimpering on the ground. "Get up." His tone invited no arguments. "And quit whining. You only need one arm for this." Xuko grabbed the Roppei's good arm and marched into the shop, blinking while his eyes adjusted to the dimly-lit interior. It smelled like oil and grease and metal; oddly comforting, for some reason Xuko couldn't place. He had no idea what most of the parts inside here were, but Roppei certainly did; all the injured Zabrak had to do was point.

A few minutes later, Xuko emerged with the most serviceable condenser Roppei could find, and the appropriate replacement fluids in hand; having left a few credits behind in exchange. He and Klar didn't owe these two anything, but Xuko had eventually told himself that taking things by force was akin to robbery... whereas underpaying for parts was far less likely to stoke the ire of the locals. It was still less than what they'd almost agreed upon, but then again Xuko and Klar would be leaving without all of the components they were searching for.

Xuko was still angry, but most of his temper had ebbed away by now. He glanced over at Klar while he made his way towards the speeder bike, checking for injuries and her overall mood. "Are you ready to leave?" he asked her, quietly.

Klar

 

[Klar]

Loading up a speeder was harrowing enough, even more so when Klar had good reason to suspect she was going to get blasted in by a wild shot or something from some dark corner of parts shop. She was less interested in teaching the men a lesson than she was in getting the hell out of here before they had the cops called on her. She was also more than a bit ashamed of herself for losing her cool the way she had.

Did they deserve it? Probably. Could she have found a non-violent way to correct them or diffuse the situation rather than hewing to her temper and wounded pride? Absolutely. Not very Jedi of her, honestly.

Xuko handled the acquisitions. Klar extracted a bill of sale from the other shop owner so they'd be less likely to be accused of theft, then worked on loading up the bike. Homar the Hutt was happy to laugh in the background of all of this. Klar suspected he'd own the shop - or the men - before too long, if he had any interest in a backwater like Devar-Tet Whai at all.

It wasn't her business. Even if the yokels by and large had done nothing but boggle at her, or in the case of the Perkins' and the Doc, help out of the kindness of their hearts.

Xuko spoke up, snapping Klar from her thoughts while strapping down a condenser. "Hm? Hey." The blonde greeted, offering a wary smile. "Yeah, I'm - I'm ready to get out of here." She promised, offering a hand as she strained to pull the last strap into place. "We'll want to take it slow getting back. This little speeder's probably overweight now."

"Let's go home?" She asked hopefully.

 

[Xuko Pagoi]

Home. The word struck Xuko in a way he didn't expect as he realized that he wasn't entirely certain where home was anymore. Once upon a time it had been Iridonia- the arid, harsh planet he'd grown up on. Then, for a time, it had been the temple on Tython; the seat of the Jedi Order's power and the first static place that Xuko had stayed for more than a few weeks in as long as he could remember. But somehow that felt less concrete, now.

He'd always considered 'home' to be a place. But could someone's presence make any place, such as a damaged Pathfinder scout ship- home?

"I do not mind taking things slow" Xuko responded, then considered the irony of that statement as it applied to a different journey with Klar. Last night had been decidedly uncharacteristic of him, but he decided it was unlikely that Klar would be interested again. The brief fight they'd had just now was nothing compared to the war they'd survived yesterday.

However, the whole situation left a sour taste in his mouth. Roppei and the Nikto were unlikely to learn anything from this, and the more Xuko thought about it the less he liked the outcome. Even if he and Klar had obtained a critical piece of equipment, he'd hardly acted like a Jedi in getting it. "I am also ready to get out of here." After letting Klar mount Xuko took his place on the speeder behind her; wedged uncomfortably in front of the condenser with his thoughts light-years away.

Klar

 

[Klar]

Navigating the speeder back from Devar-Tet Whai with all the extra weight was a bit of a trick. Klar could handle a new bike, and she could handle a rider, but a rider and a big ol' condenser? That was struggling a little. All the more reason to take it slow, glide through the town at a rate that felt almost leisurely compared to how she'd been able to open the throttle up on the way in. The little town - village, really - whisked by. Klar's hopes of stocking up on things like clothes and food felt further away, as did her hopes of recovering for awhile. The sleepy little townies had been regarding them with wariness before, they'd likely view them with outright suspicion now. If for no other reason than making noise on the first time they'd been into town.

It was snowing again. Even a gentle powder could smack your cheeks until they stung, if you or it was going fast enough.

There was a long strip of road between town and the Perkins'. Nothing but fields and space. Hands on her hips. Wind in her hair. If things hadn't been so dour, she'd have loved to be here. It wasn't the sort of future a Jedi would have, Klar imagined, but it was one she figured she could be happy with. Roads diverging in the woods.

"We should probably leave soon, if we can." Klar decided, raising her voice a little to be heard over the engine. "We... didn't do great today. It might cause trouble."

 

[Xuko Pagoi]

Xuko sighed, his breath visible in the cold air but immediately left behind as Klar eased the speeder through town. It seemed that Klar was thinking the same thing he was; their visit to the junkyard had gone poorly. And while she was kind enough to use the plural "we", Xuko was certain that if he hadn't attacked the Nikto that thye might've still been able to pull off a deal. "The fault is mine. I am sorry for losing my temper" he said. He'd considered the risks of doing so, and he'd allowed the two goons to get under his skin anyway. Another weakness. Besides, it wasn't like he had to defend Klar's honor unless she asked him to- she was perfectly capable of doing so on her own. More trouble was the last thing they needed, and Xuko privately worried that the Perkins' would be caught in the crossfire of any feud between them. Or targeted in revenge.

The silver lining to the whole situation was that leaving was now theoretically an option, assuming Roppei had sold them the correct parts and that 9RS was as good as they claimed to be when it came to fixing ships. Like it or not- and Xuko didn't- he was entirely useless when it came to tools and technology, outside of potentially jury-rigging something with low-tech items.

At least there was still some daylight left with which to work- or, in Xuko's case, try not to impede things further. Before long the Perkins' homestead was coming into view, and then the Pathfinder. When they returned to the ship Xuko helped carry the condenser inside to 9RS, than rolled up his sleeves and began cleaning the more high-touch areas of the ship; starting with the cockpit. It helped keep him out of 9RS way while feeling useful in a way he hadn't since before they'd crashed. Once finished, with his stomach telling him it was near dinner time, Xuko searched the Pathfinder to see what Klar had been up to.

Klar

 

[Klar]

The thing about cooking was that it was actually annoyingly hard. Klar hadn't managed to do much besides frustrate herself for an extended period. She'd tried to make a simple stew, but it'd been prohibitively salty. She'd wanted to dull it with grilled sandwiches, but she'd had no idea she had to lubricate the pan and had burnt the bread before anything inside had melted. She'd then cut the sandwiches up and tried to use them to thicken the stew and cut down on the salty, but the result was so pathetic and unpalatable that she'd just dumped the lot of it into the incinerator and tried not to cry about it. Crying about burning dinner after polite inquiries as to her availability as a sex slave and burning dinner trying to be domestic for her partner would have been just one step too far down the feminine, though, and her refusal to do so was about all the control she could manage.

In the end, she'd made instant noodles and tried to church them up a little. A dash of green onions, some garlic, and several big globs of peanut butter to go with the chicken flavor and add protein. Served alongside the one thing she COULD reliably prepare - tea.

When Xuko arrived, Klar had of course done other things besides make dinner one and a half times. The Cordru-Ji presented him with a list of nearby stations and populated planets within range of Ulmatraa, pulled from the Pathfinder's nav-comp.

 

[Xuko Pagoi]

Xuko arrived in the kitchenette of the Pathfinder, ready to begin to preparing dinner, only to find that Klar had already whipped up a meal with their meagre resources. Xuko embraced Klar in thanks, enjoying the sensation of being physically close with her and the ability to nonverbally remind her that he cared for her; that was something that partners did, right? The resulting food wasn't as spicy as Xuko normally enjoyed, but at least the peanut butter would help deliver the protein that his species required, and the green onion/garlic combination added flavor and texture. The Zabrak gratefully accepted some tea and sipped appreciatively. He usually went for water, but tea seemed important to Klar so Xuko knew he'd have to try it sooner rather than later. Xuko quickly decided that he'd accept tea anytime Klar made it; to his surprise, the hot leaf water was actually good.

"Thank you for cooking, Zor'rek" Xuko said when they'd finished, collecting her dishes and washing them. "It was delicious." Additionally, Klar had possessed the foresight to research several planets near enough to Ulmatara that they (likely) wouldn't explode on the way there. Xuko scanned through the list of planets and stations, but he quickly realized that he had no frame of reference for what might make a better location than not; this was only the 5th planet he'd ever been on.

"I do not know the galaxy very well" he admitted, returning the list to Klar. "Do any of them look good to you?" The prospect of returning- to a galaxy shaped by the battle they'd left, to a war that had only just started, to an Order that he struggled to fit in with- weighed on him, and as such he inwardly hoped that Klar might choose a destination that would elongate their return... even as thoughts of finding the Sith who'd nearly killed her continued to haunt him at unexpected moments. Xuko pushed those sudden thoughts aside, but they weren't wholly unproductive as the topic of revenge reminded him of earlier.

"We should stay for one more night, though" he said, glancing over to Klar to see if she agreed. "I will guard the Perkins' house, if they will have me. Just to be certain that those two from the parts place don't try something." Mentioning their mornings' experience brought him no joy, but perhaps he could clear some of his conscience by watching over the Perkins' in return for their hospitality.

Klar

 

[Klar]

Klar was all to happy to let him clean up after dinner as she puttered about - making another cup of tea, then reclining behind him. The galley wasn't too large, and it was easy to talk to someone who was working in the kitchenette while taking her ease. A meal, some light touches, and a couple of painkillers had meant feeling a bit better. Even more so when Xuko so clearly appreciated the somewhat-wanting excuse of a supper she'd come up with. She'd tried to make it spicy, and it had been to her own palate, but she knew it wasn't enough for him.

Klar made a mental note to get some hot sauce or something. Even if it wasn't spicy enough for Xuko, it might help - and maybe she could train up her tolerance a little, too. She'd already progressed from garlic to peppery foods thanks to Xuko's influence, after all. It just felt nice to eat the same things.

"We're... rather in the same boat there, Xuko. Both ways." The Codru-Ji chuckled, her feet up on the couch as she plinked and plonked about on the datapad. "I hardly know a thing about space this far out. I'd just be guessin'. But the way I see it, we've got two paths here. We get onto the Vermilian Drift and follow that hyperlane up towards the Null Zone and skirt the Confederacy on our way back towards the core, or we head towards Nar Shadda." She explained. "The first would probably be more pirates, but if nothing breaks it'd be faster. The second takes longer, but we'll have more chances to resupply and repair in Black Sun territory. Maybe even make some credits."

Klar set the datapad aside, giving him a thoughtful look. "I think the second is our best bet. Less Sith, more cities. I think we're better equipped to handle that sort of thing." She explained.

 

[Xuko Pagoi]

Xuko was a little surprised when Klar chose the route near Nar Shadda, given her history with Hutts. Still, her logic made sense, even if he wasn't certain how they might make credits on the way. His own journey, from nomad to the Jedi Order, didn't exactly leave him with a wealth of in-demand skills, and manual labor in Hutt space wasn't always safe. As far as their ship went, however, it was definitely the right decision; even if he and Klar could fight off an attempted boarding by pirates, they couldn't risk further damage to their ship. Lastly, he trusted Klar's insight. "Slow and steady it is" Xuko agreed.

Xuko frowned slightly as something shifted in the rhythm of the ship, and it took him a moment to realize that the heating system had kicked in once again; apparently, 9RS had been successful at installing the condenser they'd... obtained... earlier. Given the size of the ship it would be a while before it was sufficiently heated, but it was a start- and a reminder that leaving was actually an option now,

Xuko checked his lightsaber, ensuring that it was concealed form casual observation beneath his robes but accessible enough should the need arise. He hoped he was wrong about the two would-be hustlers wanting revenge, but part of him almost wanted them to try something; but only tonight, when he was around to do something about it. Leaving the Perkins' without some form of closure would weigh on his conscience, he realized.

Reluctantly, Xuko stood; the sun was setting, and with it meant a cold walk to the homestead. He'd have preferred to spend it cozy in bed with Klar again, but after all the Perkins' had done for them a night watching over their home was the least he could do.

"I shall see you in the morning, Klar" he said, hoping that she'd choose rest. Although the Codru-Ji had seemingly handled the days' excitement just fine, Xuko was definitely feeling the consequences now... he could only imagine how Klar felt. "Please keep the bed warm for me."

Klar

 

[Klar]

"And let you go out there alone to face thugs, cold, or Mr. Perkins? Alone?" Klar asked incredulously. "Like fun! Not happening." The Codru-Ji responded in a slightly heated tone, standing from the tiny kitchen table. "Give me a mo' to put my shoes on, and I'm coming with. Won't hear a bloody word elsewise." It was, maybe, the closest thing to an angry word - or a profanity - Xuko had heard out of the blonde, even if she didn't sound too terribly upset.

She was still sore and still injured, but so was Xuko. Really, there was no excuse but chivalry for her to stay in while he went out, and he should know by now how she felt about that sort of thing. While she absolutely wanted to fall into bed and let a mixture of painkillers, warmth, and stress pull her under into a deep obliviating slumber there was no way she'd be able to rest knowing he was out there. Literally cold and alone and in danger.

Mindful of her broken arm, Klar pulled her shoes on while tying her hair up. The latter was a bit of a trick using mostly one hand - but then, she didn't mind a loose tail for midnight watch. "Besideswhich! Missus Perkins might have a mind to bring us something warm while we're standing valiant guard, and I'm not going to miss out on more pie. Grab a quilt, would you?" She chuckled. It was close to a laugh. Nature was healing. Slowly. Klar continued chattering as she bustled about, making an extra effort to be perky and cheerful in spite of her condition. Pouring the rest of the tea into one of the thermoses the Perkins' had lent them, pulling on her coat, slipping a lightsaber into the pocket for safe keeping, draping a scarf over her shoulder, tucking a datapad under her arm.

"Also! I doubt they're going to make a move at all. The Hutt wouldn't want to risk letting those morons turn the town against his profit here, for two people clearly leaving." Klar explained. "Which means that we're PROBABLY going to spend all night sitting on the porch in the cold, bundled up and watching holofilms under a blanket and watching the snow fall." She rambled, shaking her datapad to demonstrate where the films were going to be coming from. "And that sounds insanely romantic, even if I'm horribly worried about you learning how many times a day I quote cheesy action flicks."

 

[Xuko Pagoi]

Xuko opened his mouth to protest, and promptly snapped it shut. It wasn't worth it to argue with Klar over this, especially as he realized the foolishness of his idea. Solitary guard duty in the cold for an entire night? The Zabrak simply nodded in acceptance that Klar would be joining, and grabbed a couple quilts.. Her company was welcome and her body heat was as well. Besides, Xuko knew that if their positions had been reversed that he'd have reacted much in the same way that Klar had; with something approaching indignation. Xuko chewed his bottom lip for a moment as he thought through this.

"I am sorry" he said. "I think I am struggling to balance my concern for your wellbeing with my understanding of what you are capable of." He wasn't certain that he'd explained his thoughts well, but it was as close as he could get in the moment. His instructors back at the Jedi temple had gone to great lengths to teach Xuko that just because you can, doesn't mean you should. Of course, that had been in the context of Xuko testing his pain tolerance with the training lightsabers on one of his first days as an initiate, but that was beside the point. If he was worried about Klar, at least this way he could keep an eye on the Codru-Ji.

And, Xuko begrudgingly admitted, she could keep an eye on him. Since to the episode with the training sabers, Xuko had come to realize that he oftentimes pushed himself too far... and also that he rarely noticed until it was too late. The buddy system that had served them so well since Coruscant would be employed again tonight.

For one long moment, Xuko considered calling off the entire thing. He and Klar could stay here, enjoying the warmth of the Pathfinder and each other's company, watching films until one or both of them drifted off to sleep. But try as he might, Xuko couldn't share Klar's optimism regarding the two thugs. "I do not think I will be able to concentrate on a holofilm" he admitted, "since I want to stay alert tonight." The two of them had survived too much to be surprised by a couple of would-be criminals, assuming Roppei and the Nikto even made a move at all.

"But I would welcome watching the snow fall with you" he added, not wanting to kick sand on her romantic evening.

Klar

 

[Klar]

"My experience with night watch is that a if a movie helps you stay awake, it's a net gain on your alertness." Klar pointed out cheerfully, taking one of Xuko's free arms with two of her good ones. "But! It's all noble aspiration and empty words until three thirty rolls around and we might, possibly, somehow run out of things to talk about." Klar pointed out with a challenging grin.

A quick burst of laughter. "Like THAT would ever happen!" The Codru-Ji chirped, releasing her boyfriend's arm. The idea that she could ever get bored of talking to Xuko was as ridiculous as the idea that she might get bored of hot drinks or breathing. These things simply took up too large a portion of her day, were too critical to her day-to-day existence that they'd require a substantial sea change just to be on the table. Barely worth considering. Klar bounded over to the entrance of the ship after taking a couple of painkillers for her broken arm, then climbed down the step-ladder they'd been using to get in and out of the ship since this morning.

Another favor from the Perkins'. Really, they could hardly thank those two enough.

The cool winter sky was an expansive black velvet ceiling far above. Thick, wispy clouds could not hide countless shimmering stars, and the light of the moon meant that every detail of the snow-covered field was as clearly visible almost as if it were daytime. The frost and snow crunched under Klar's boots as she hit the ground and rocked on her heels while waiting for Xuko. Her warmth created little clouds with each breath. Klar rubbed her hands together for warmth, her grin visible in the crisp evening air. The Perkins' farmhouse was a dark shadow at the edge of the field, lit from within by soft firelight. An old sodium-vapor floodlight on the barn threw long, exciting shadows across the snowy field. Devar-Tet Whai glimmered even more distantly, noticable only because she knew where it was and the broadcast tower in town hovered a few hundred feet above as a slowly blinking red light.

As though in anticipation of the coming snow, nature was nearly silent. No birds, no bugs, no distant roar of traffic and hum of humanity - a jarring silence for the girl from Coruscant, at least at first. She'd adjusted a bit by now. It was even a little nice, to hear nothing under such a wide and expansive sky but the noises she and Xuko made. It turned the endless sky into an intimate thing, as though the entire universe held its breath, and had stopped time for just the two of them.

"Let's walk, shall we?" The blonde proposed, gesturing grandly as though to escort Xuko across the frosty sprout field the way one might lead onto a dance floor.

 

[Xuko Pagoi]

A smile tugged at the corner of Xuko's mouth as the ever-irrepressible Klar practically bounced down the stepladder ahead of him. Not for the first time, he admired her spirit and optimism, and credited the Codru-Ji with being responsible for endearing the two of them to the Perkins'. That alone was a tall order, considering how Xuko had maintained a stoic demeanor around Jed and Miriam. If he'd been by himself Xuko realized that he probably would not have received the same warm welcome from the Perkins', even taking into account their sense of hospitality.

A vague sense of unease washed over Xuko as he and Klar made their way towards the farmhouse, boots softly crunching across the snow. It took him a moment to realize that it was because the freshly-fallen snow had a dampening effect on sound- to say nothing of their rural location. The whole world was quiet, save for him and Klar. Hopefully that meant that the tappy-tap-tap of his hearts was also muffled as he took one of her hands in his.

He had been stupid to even consider this without Klar.

Xuko held his silence as they walked to the farmhouse, hardly daring to break the spell while also grappling with his thoughts. There was so much that he didn't know: if 9R's repairs would work, whether or not his actions earlier today would endanger the Perkins', what the next part of their journey together would entail, and how long it would be before he could truly let his guard down again. Klar helped with that last one, of course, but it was as if their harrowing ordeal leaving Coruscant had sent his survival instincts into overdrive. Every emotion was heightened, which was dangerous for a species often described as "intense". And it was also draining.

Thank goodness 9R could fly the Pathfinder tomorrow; Xuko could it was going to be a long night with his thoughts. Sleep- for him, at least- was unlikely. All the more reason to take advantage of Klar's innate ability to yap. Conversation with the Codru-Ji never disappointed.

Upon reaching the house, Xuko brushed snow off of the wooden porch swing before working with Klar to cocoon themselves properly; striking a balance between maximum coziness with the Codru-Ji and also allowing his lightsaber arm to be free at a moment's notice if needed.

"So" Xuko said when they had finally settled in, "is there a planet that you have always wanted to be able to visit?"

Klar

 

[Klar]

Klar was all too happy to accept the spot cleared for her, tucking her legs beneath herself to keep her bottom off of the still-slightly-snowy-and-therefore-potentially-damp porch swing. Only once settled comfortably in did she help Xuko drape the quilt over them and snuggle in. It was a still night, which meant that the leeching chill of the wind was almost nullified, but it was still cold out. Klar could meditate and maybe even manage tapas to better endure it, or she could curl up with her two-hearted boyfriend and his delicious surplus of body heat. "Not especially - I'm a bit of a homebody!" She confided sheepishly.

"It's a little sad to think about right now, but. I've always loved Coruscant. I never wanted to live anywhere else." The Codru-Ji continued, pulling one of Xuko's arms around her waist. "You could spend your whole life exploring it and barely see a glimpse! I kind of love that. There's still so many places I want to show you, too. The Royal Icqui Aquaria, Holodive arcade, Big DiGordo's Cafetorium. I was hoping I'd get to see the District 17-CC Carvers opening up Limmie season at Womble Stadium while we were there - just a couple of days after we arrived." Klar explained, waving her hands slightly. "...I guess that would have been today. Or yesterday, if it's after midnight." She flashed a weak smile, the color rising in her cheeks. "They sell these big sausages with all the fixings - relish, cheese, onions, beans, kraut. It's so messy. Awful for you. No way to eat it and keep any dignity. I wanted to split one with you. Maybe have a beer and laugh at the mascots gallivanting. Sounds dumb, but it's kind of a dream date of mine."

The blonde huffed quietly, her brow furrowed. "...Limmie season seems a little less important right now, though. I hope all those people and places are alright." Klar murmured, wiping the corner of an eye with her thumb. "Who knows if I'll ever see them again? If they still exist?"

A deep and shuddering breath. She hadn't meant to cry, but it'd snuck up on her a little bit. She'd spent so much of their time on this backwater nowhere trying very hard to not think about Coruscant. "I had all of these things I wanted to do with you. Plans. Schemes. Dates. Now..." Klar shrugged weakly. "Now I have no idea where we'll be in a week from now. Three days from now, even. Are we gonna be okay, Xuko?"

 

[Xuko Pagoi]

Too late, Xuko realized that his attempt to draw Klar's thoughts away from Coruscant had only resulted in the opposite effect. He allowed Klar to fasten his arm comfortably around her waist, trying to ignore the gentle uptick in his hearts' rhythms and instead focusing on the words coming out of her mouth as she gazed into the past in order to imagine a future that might never come. From some of their prior conversations Xuko had internally wondered how close Klar felt to Coruscant, given her captivity there and the circumstances surrounding her reassignment to Tython, but it was obvious that the planet and its peoples held a place in her heart.

A place that she'd wanted to share with him. Big, messy, and somehow beautiful- much like the sausages sold at Womble Stadium.

Xuko gently squeezed his girlfriend tighter as Klar grieved; a quiet reminder that she could feel whatever she needed to feel in the moment and that he wouldn't judge. Even he was feeling a little misty-eyed, although he wouldn't admit to it with a blaster to his head. The way Klar described wanting to bring him into places and activities that were important to her, combined with the knowledge and proximity of her grief, tugged at both of his hearts.

Are we going to be ok? The all-too-familiar question echoed in Xuko's mind, where it joined the louder chorus that had been repeating that same question ever since word came that the temple was under attack. Xuko drew a deep breath, aware that he didn't- couldn't- give the answer Klar was looking for. Like her, there were too many things that he simply didn't know.

"We make a good team" he finally said. It wasn't an answer to her question, but it was the best he could do. It was also one of the few things that he himself could hold onto amidst their scrabbling to survive.

"There is no one else who I would rather be drifting around the galaxy with." That, at least, he could say with absolute certainty.

Klar