Roots

[Trextan Voidstalker]

[member="Choli Vyn"]

"Got it. Mouth off near the wrong crowd and I end up a slave. A slave with one arm again."

His voice drifted off as his attention drifted to their surroundings. He had visited Espa several times as a child. He recognised cracked done on their left, but Espa was an organic city that changed quickly. It had changed a great deal, but then so had he.

Trextan looked down at his right arm. It did look rather advanced compared to the tech on show which was limited to rusted speeders and robust looking blasters.

"It's just around here," he announced suddenly. He could hear the familiar bustle of the market now. It reminded him that sleeping at his Great Uncle's place involved being woken early by either the sun or the early market haggling.

There was an infectious grin on his face as he waited to turn the corner and see the familiar shop front. He gave Choli's hand a squeeze as he increased his pace.

 

[Choli Vyn]

[member="Trextan Voidstalker"]


"Somewhere along those lines..." choli replied, keeping a wary eye out. What manner of scare he might have had left as Trextan's pace quickened at the sight of the familiar ground. His smile was infectious and seeing it made Choli slightly forgive his over-eager approach to doing what was right.

It's just that he wasn't used to it, to this, the girl told herself, being led along with Arr-Four towards the shop. Mos Espa was a large city, and even Choli wouldn't know every nook and cranny of it. So his great uncle's shop would be a new experience.

There was a rather tall man standing in front of it, dark weathered skin like tanned leather and dressed in the desert layers of a man well used to the local heat. He was having a small conversation with a patron, the usual busy bodying of the morn.

Now it was all up to Trextan, and Choli could feel the change in him as the trio drew near.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

[member="Choli Vyn"]

Kellan looked towards them at their approach. His eyes quickly shifted back to the human he was talking to. A heartbeat later and he looked back. This time his eyes landed on Trextan and narrowed. Every line on his face deepened as he broke into a smile.

Kellan placed a hand on the other man's shoulder briefly to excuse himself as he turned towards the trio. Trextan reluctantly slipped his hand from Choli's as they drew near.

"Trex?" Kellan called. He had the look of a man who had once been very large. His shoulder were still broad, but his limbs now long and thin. Trextan's expression confirmed it. The lad came to a halt and was about to introduce Choli when his Great Uncle closed the gap and wrapped him in a hug.

He smelled of fried food and a smattering of other decidedly Espa scents. Trextan felt a little awkward at the gesture but it didn't last long.

"Heeran," Kellan turned back to his patron. "This is my nephew I was talking about." The man spared Trextan little more than a glance but gave them all a friendly nod. "You got big lad. And stupid long hair like Jacen used to wear. And this is your guide..."

"It's good to see you," Trextan replied with a broad grin. "And yes this is Choli. Choli, my Great Uncle Kellan."

"Do we have to do the great part?"

 

[Choli Vyn]

[member="Trextan Voidstalker"]


Choli stood to the side for a moment, Arr-Four swiveling to a stop about a foot from her. His rounded top gave a through inspection, the singular ocular taking in Kellan and Trextan as they spoke. An inquisitive beep, boop suggested a family relation that was confirmed at the introduction.

Amusement grew within the Rogue's hazel eyes, coloring them a hint of green. She held out her hand, intending to shake it.

"Choli Vyn, Alliance pilot but grew up here." pretty down to earth and coated in a slight business tone that suggested the typical candor found about these parts. The light was so bright out that she was squinting her eyes, hair moving now and then at a free gust of wind. From up close she could gather the familiar similarities between the two. Although, and likely Trextan would like it, but she saw more of him in his father than an uncle, but the bloodlines ran strong there. How curious to have blood relatives.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

[member="Choli Vyn"]

"A pleasure," Kellan replied. He gave a good shake of the hand. Another military type it seemed. His two brothers had taken different paths. One brother had taken the military life with the Republic and it seemed he'd passed it onto their nephew, Jacen and now Trextan. Still, she was local.

"I'll catch you later Kellan," Heeran said before turning away. Kellan gave him a nod. Still, interesting to see Trextan holding hands with a local girl.

"You've beaten the dinner rush. Well, what passes for that these days. So why don't you both come get out of the sun and have some food? I've made both the spare rooms upstairs." He turned and them paused, giving them a second glance. "It was two rooms right?"

This time colour came to Trextan's face. His mouth held open before he managed to say: "Yes, two," in a slightly strained voice. That painted a mental image that wouldn't be shaken off easily. He found he couldn't meet Choli's gaze right now.

 

[Choli Vyn]

[member="Trextan Voidstalker"]


The rising color that crept up Choli's neck and onto her olive face had nothing to do with any potential sunburn. Embarrassment went washing over her, the pointed inquiry a little more apt to strike a chord considering that while she did share a cabin with other females, deliberately sharing one with Trextan was.. well. Well, that brought a whole new measure of thoughts that had her shifting on her feet.

Arr-Four, of course, gave a singular distinct low whistle, as if keen to pick up on their discomfort. Oh, it was a riot.

"Two is fine." Choli added, shifting the straps of her bag on her back, "I'll be happy to take whatever food you might be able to offer -- Trextan here promised food tributes." Okay, that was a safe topic, right? All the while, Choli gave a bonk on top of the droid's dome head.

"Shush!"

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

"Food tributes?" Kellan asked. From within his worn face, there was a youthful twinkle in his eyes. It spoke of an understanding of the situation that Trextan would never believe. Old people didn't understand all the problems that people his age had to deal with of course.

"Yes, I'll pay," Trextan said with a smile. "For services as a guide, I have to make sure she's fed and watered well." Trextan was in agreement that this was a safer topic.

"No, no," Kellan said, dismissing the notion of payment. "Come on in out of the sun. I'll get something for you both. You know it's good to see you packing light. Your mother used to pack the biggest cases for you for just a weekend."

Trextan gave a quiet "heh" as they stepped into the shade. The inside of the domed building was stark white. Most of the tables and chairs on brown flagstones were unoccupied. There was was doorway into Kellan's home, one into the kitchen and one into the trade room full of brick-a-brack.

"Oh. Sorry about your mother again. Grab a table." Looking slightly uneasy the old man headed for the kitchen.

 

[Choli Vyn]

[member="Trextan Voidstalker"]


Choli was no Lorrdian, so she wasn't able to quickly discern just exactly what was going on behind Kellan's eye on the situation at hand. No, instead the girl's focus was more in tune with their surroundings and keeping their items safe from any skilled hands -and okay, maybe trying to push away her embarrassment at the suggestion that Trextan and she would be sharing a room -- not that it really mattered anyways. In hindsight, there weren't going to be separate rooms out in the desert.

Actually, they would be sharing the same tent.

Anxiety from where she had never once would have even thought about it arose. Oh damn.

Thankfully, Trextan's great uncle led the pair inside. It was a lot brighter than Choli expected. The air a bit cleaner. Was he using a filtration system? Immediately the mechanic in Choli was intrigued.

"Big cases for a weekend trip?" her chime was said so as to hide both of their embarrassments by the focus of another.

"Thank you for inviting me into your shop." Choli followed on a little louder towards Kellan.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

"Not to worry. It's nice to have visitors actually. It's been..." He stopped on his way to the kitchen. He looked towards a patch on the ceiling thoughtfully. "Six, seven years Trextan?"

Trextan nodded slowly. "Got to be about that yes."

Kellan gave a slightly forced a smile. The lad had looked quite happy when he'd arrived. Holding hands with his 'guide' as well. Now he'd brought up his dead mother and pointed his mind towards the time she'd left his father.

"Grab a table, I have a promise to keep on your behalf it seems," he chuckled. He saw Trextan glance out of the corner of his eyes at Choli. Awkward teenagers were silly. "Can I get you both a drink?"

 

[Choli Vyn]

[member="Trextan Voidstalker"]

[SIZE=9pt]"Moisture farm water is fine," Choli replied, eyes color shifting into a curious green-gray hue as she cast her attention over at Trextan. He was a bit more solemn now. Likely having to do with his mother. A thought came to try and cheer him up, but Choli wasn't certain how. This was all still very awkward.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]A bonk from Arr-Four along her calf, however, drew her from those thoughts. He gave a loud hoot, then went on to a chain of binary to show his indignation at not being introduced.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]"Okay, okay! " came the half laugh and a roll of her eyes. "And this is Arr-Four -- he's my astromech droid and constant companion." a swivel of his dome towards Kellan and then a tut.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Finding a chair, Choli pulled I out and sat herself down. A sling of her bag and she kept it nicely secured between her legs on the floor -- old habits die hard here.[/SIZE]

 

[Asmus Janes]

.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

[member="Choli Vyn"]

In this regard, Trextan's life experience had instilled similar values to Choli. Theft of valuables was something any city child learned to be wary of. She might notice him slip his leg into the strap of his bag as he sat down. He had mostly lived in nice areas of Coruscant, but there were plenty of bad spots even on the upper levels. War had brought poverty to large swatches of the city planet.

"Pleased to meet you! Aren't you a shiny thing?" Kellan shouted back. He wasn't sure how to shift the subject easily either. He'd never like the lad's mother. She had been pretty, but simple. Jacen's rebound wife after a hard time in the Jedi Order. "Some dustcrepes and sausages for the guests?" he asked his cooking droid.

[Of course] the droid, out of sight of the teenagers replied.

Trextan was feeling relatively calm if a little confused. There was a nostalgia in coming back here. A reminder of easier times when both his parents had seemed happy. He recalled Jacen playing games with him on the shuttle ride to the world to keep him entertained. There was comfort here, but it was also slightly troubling for him.

 

[Choli Vyn]

[member="Trextan Voidstalker"]

[SIZE=9pt]It was an overall nice setup and comforting atmosphere. Choli could see why Trextan's great uncle had a nice little cafe here. Food always was a commodity, and it was a form of guaranteed credit flow.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]"Nice place,." She began, looking over towards Trextan. His hair was flopped over his brow again, a little shagger than when she had first met him. No time for personal care; for either of them. The Rogue couldn't say much considering how she'd been hospitalized for a few weeks after Mustafar.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]She did notice how he'd slipped his leg in between the hoop of the strap of his bag. The corner of her mouth gave an amused but knowing twitch. So maybe he wasn't as green as goblin moss about things.[/SIZE]

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

[member="Choli Vyn"]

"Yeah," Trextan said. He took a moment to twist and turn in his chair and look around. It seemed Kellan had been talking to about the last of his customers for now. There was just an elderly couple in the corner sipping blue milk. "He used to let me take the odd little trinket from the room next door," he said with a fond smile.

Kellan returned with two glasses of water. "Got you the good stuff," he announced. Trextan canted his head slightly. The notion of 'good' water was a little lost on him. A lot of shops would sell water in grades here. Low quality, un-purified water was cheap and slightly unpleasant but for the most part safe. It was also cheap.

"Thank you," Trextan replied. He took a sip. It tasted like water to him. His attitudes would be adjusted in the coming days.

"So how long are you both staying?" Kellan asked. "Spoke to your old man and he said something about a bit of a...Jedi quest." Kellan brought his voice down to a conspiratorial hush.

 

[Choli Vyn]

[member="Trextan Voidstalker"]



The good stuff? Well, color Choli honored and impressed. That was evident enough as it dawned upon her that Trextan's uncle had given them the rather expensive grade of water. It was to no surprise that Choli replied with sincere gratitude, "Thank you, " it also manages to rub the part of her that wasn't to keen on indisposing herself on anyone, least of all the man's livelihood. Glasses of this grade of water would sell for a substantial credit on Tatooine, where the water well outweighs the price of other valuable materials.

"Something like that," not that Choli was trying to be rude, but they were still out in the open. Saying aloud that they would be searching for the valuable durendfire gems was enough to pick up someone willing to take it out of their hands after all the hard work.

"But first rather hear about any local news? Anything of particular attention?"

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

[member="Choli Vyn"]

There was quite obviously more to water than Trextan had realised. Choli seemed rather thankful for what seemed to be a simple glass of the stuff. Good filtered water must have been expensive.

“Let’s see…I get plenty but what you might want to hear is probably a fraction,” Kellen chuckled. “Lots of raider activity in the dunes to the east. Folk have been taking long detours to avoid it. “Nilla the Hutt is a new face. It didn’t bother me until there was a big fight in Dinnew’s bar last month. Two dead. Apparently her lot clashed with another Hutt’s lot. She’s young and uppity, by Hutt standards anyway.

Trextan looked around. There was still just the old couple in the corner. “We’ve got a good tank of reasonable quality water on the ship we came on. As long as the next trip isn’t too far we can probably leave half of it with you if you’d like?”

“No, no, think nothing of it,” Kellan replied with a shake of his head. Trextan left it alone for now, but decided to return to it later. Instead he noticed the light changing as two large figures entered the doorway.

“Excuse me a moment,” Kellan said as he headed away. “Get you both a drink?” There was a low murmur in return. “No it’s fine. He’s family even,” came a jovial response from Kellan.

“Put our bags upstairs and go looking around the market for gear after food?” Trextan asked Choli.

 

[Choli Vyn]

[member="Trextan Voidstalker"]
[SIZE=9pt]So there were several factors to consider. With Tusken Raider activity and two Hutt clans at each others' throats, it would make it a bit harder to go into the Waste. Not to mention, who knew which Raider tribes were actively raiding. Not all were the same, as much as prejudice would liken them so. Her own that raised her was still out there somewhere, and at this season, likely near the Wound.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]That would make things even more troublesome.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]"Hmm? Oh, yeah." Honestly, Choli didn't want to leave her bag out of sight. It was best to always have her gear around, especially on Tatooine. One could see the shift of her expression that she's as a bit hesitant about that. However, it was likely Trextan wanted to drop his own stuff off.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]"You know the way?" As Kellen was busy attending to patrons, he would be too busy to show them where they would be sleeping. Brows drew together somewhat, furrowing in contemplation.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]"If two Hutt clans are fighting, that means the city might feel the weight of that soon. I wonder of Arceneau will get involved. " Typically did once it turned into arguments among the more civilized parts of Tatooine -- Mos Espa, Anchorhead, Mos Eisley, all felt the sway of Arceneau one way or another. Within city limits one would generally behave, outside of it... well, they called Jundland, 'No Man's Land' for a reason.[/SIZE]

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

“Yeah,” he replied. As he pushed himself back from the table and stood up he thought about the glass of water in front of him. Was that too valuable to leave sat on the table? It seemed so. He slung his bag over one shoulder, took the glass and headed for the archway that had a door in it. It had a “staff only” sign on it.

Turning back he caught Kellan’s eye, who gave him a nod. “Two on the left at the top,” he called out before returning to his customers. One of the humans in front of him looked as if he had been moulded into a vaguely human shape out of clay. All muscle, fat and gristle. He gave Trextan an appraising look up and down. They looked like tough bastards to Trextan, but perhaps he was just a soft city boy. He didn’t feel like one. Not after being kept underground in the Valley in the dark for months on end, or after all the injuries he’d since taken in battle.

He pushed open the door and turned into a tightly wound set of stares. Each was smooth stone, worn slightly in the middle.

“Oh!” he said suddenly. “Got to use the other features on the arm since I saw you last.” It has just occurred to him that she’d wanted to see them. Had been more interested in the arm than him in fact. It hadn’t seemed that way when they had been together at a hospital for a second time. “Pick which room you’d like,” he offered, standing aside in the narrow corridor to let her through.

 

[Choli Vyn]

[member="Trextan Voidstalker"]

[SIZE=9pt]Shifting her satchel on her shoulder, Choli gave a small peek inside. Both rooms were small but clean. Bare essentials and quite honestly, more than she expected. When one lived a Bedouin lifestyle from campsite to campsite and then into double bunk cabins, having your own room was a luxury. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]"This is fine." It was the closest to the door, a small porthole up at the top. Not large enough for anyone to come in to steal. The distance to the front door meant she could hear the sounds of the kitchen and the cafe, but also meant she could be kept aware if anything should escalate at the sign of trouble. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Trextan was right, the mention of the other features of his arm had piqued her curiosity anew. Not that her interest was now solely on his arm ... anyways. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]"Oh? Finally got the shield to work?" That had been one of the features he hadn't been able to use back on the ship when she'd first met him, the girl not knowing that the Justicar in training had already deployed it back on Skor. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]"Actually, come in, rather you not show off your goodies so that anyone may want to yank your arm off." There was humor in her eyes, a quick nod of her head beckoning to follow her into the room. Granted, it had been said first before she really thought it out. Inviting him to the room. Good thing her head had turned towards the small table in the room, her cheeks were once again tinted a red hue as she told herself what an idiot she was.[/SIZE]

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

[member="Choli Vyn"]

“Yeah,” Trextan chuckled and followed her into the room. It was only when he shut the door that he realized the situation they were now in. He told himself to stay calm and collected about this. His cowl now hung down about his shoulders, his hair falling forwards as he dropped his bag at the foot of her bed. Before showing off his arm he took a few things from it. He took the water canteen, the local credit chits and his saber and stashed them on his person.

“I’ll put the bag in my room in a second,” he said quickly, almost stumbling over his words. He didn’t want her to think he was assuming his was moving in. He turned towards her as he pulled the loose fabric away from his right arm. With his fist clenched he focused and the shield snapped into life. It made a hum similar to a saber, but the field was a semi-transparent disc. “See?” he said with an enthusiastic smile. She had been quite right about the arm. Or rather she had been quite right about him.