Private Rosemary

[Morrow]

Kala'uun Starport - On The Mauve du Vain
Our minds set free to roam...
Talin Treicolt
​

"Get the hell away!" Morrow's voice could be heard well beyond the On The Mauve's boarding ramps. The black Lothwolf pup he shouted at lowered its front half, back half in the air with tail wagging. Further irritated by the playful gesture, Morrow shouted again, "Delta, you mutt!" He picked up the metal cup the wolf had knocked over just a moment earlier, threw it hard in the creature's direction. Metal clinked loudly and clattered right beside the beast's head, spooking it, and sent it running down the main cooridor.

Morrow huffed indignantly, gathered up what was left of his half-dog-eaten food, and tossed it in the trash. Then, he took a rag to mop up what was left of his drink spread across the passenger lounge table. That creature hadn't given him more than a few moments of peace since they'd taken this ship. If he could have, he would have jettisoned the thing out of the airlock already. Such a thing wasn't likely to go over well with the rest of the crew. They'd all grown fond of the two beasts that came with the ship. Morrow was the exception.

With a sigh, he plopped into one of the lound seats, rubbing his hands over his face. That was the only food left on the ship until Davik Haize came back from his incursion into the city. Morrow gave him a fistful of credits and practically begged him to bring back something familiar and not whatever alien slop Ryloth had to offer. His stomach growled with umbrage. He'd long thought there couldn't possibly be much worse than the nutrient sticks on Denon, until he was forced to eat on Tatooine. Now each new world felt like playing gastronomic roulette. Every night spent rolling in his crew quarters with a stomachache made Razmir Tezhyn 's Black Crown offer that much more appealing.

For what was probably the third time today, Morrow pulled out his datapad and stared at his messages.

rodeostar001xx 1 day ago

can we meet
please? :/


976EVIL 1 day ago

>[ENCRYPTED LOCATION SENT]<


rodeostar001xx 1 day ago

im omw
dont go anywhere

Talin hadn't mentioned where she was coming from, or how long it would take. Probably for her own safety, though, as a result, there was no telling when she'd make it. It'd been thirty hours since the messages had been sent, one day on Ryloth. Morrow couldn't agree not to go anywhere. If another bounty hunter showed up, they were gone. If Damien, Haize, and the other returned ready to go, they were gone. He wouldn't plead a case to stay longer because he was waiting for a woman. No one else even knew she was coming. Morrow was the only one who needed to know. He stayed on the ship as security, a role he was unanimously granted given the unspoken understanding that he was the most willing out of any of them to put a blaster bolt through someone's skull.

Clicking the power button with his thumb, he turned off the screen and put the compact pad back into his pocket. Starting at non-distinct spot on the floor, he tried not to think about it. Tried not to think about her. Tried not to think about those vorzyd sliders that damn dog ruined.

 

[Talin Treicolt]

Naboo to Ryloth. An easy enough journey - gettin' away was the difficult part. She was still healin', and Talin knew Kyr would make a fuss. Pullin' what was growin' to be a signature act, she slipped away from the temple after he turned in for the night, and caught the first shuttle out. She'd at least left a note, lyin' that she had gone to Denon to visit his sister. Kyla would cover, she knew.

On The Mauve was hard to miss. Pretty as her namesake, Talin let out a low whistle as she made her way up the boarding ramp. An envious hand trailed against the wall as she weaved her way through halls, lookin' for Morrow. Cornbreaker could never compare to this. Finally, she heard noise, and went towards it. Walls broke to an open passenger lounge. As she turned the corner, a low growl rolled...

And out came a puppy dancin' round her boots, barkin' and beggin' to play.

"Oh my woooord." Talin oozed, melting to the floor. "Ain'tchu a cute lil' thing?"

Scoopin' the thing up, she stood again, and walked all the way into the room. Her grin grew when her gaze flickered from the dog to Morrow. Some part of her hadn't been able to fully believe he made it unscathed until she saw him with his own eyes. Butterflies flittered about her stomach.

"Hey stranger. When did you get a dog?"

As relief wore off, the rest of the feelings caught up with her. Her boot flicked across the floor hesitantly.

"I'm erm.. really sorry. For leavin' you high and dry - oh, and for punchin' you."

 

[Morrow]

Morrow heard Talin's drawling long before she came around the curve of the ship's cooridor. Her words were unintelligible from a distance, but the sound was distinctly her. Someone must have come back. Perhaps Haize caught her in the hall, wondering who the hell she was and why she was here. Just before he could get up and start down the corridor, she appeared with that beast in her arms.

"That thing isn't mine," Morrow asserted emphatically.

He shrugged, expression grim and unamused. The fact that she came in holding the recent bane of his existence didn't help. "Until I heard from you, I thought you were content to leave it at connect-disconnect." Sharing that vision wouldn't have made a lot of sense if that was truly the case, but what else could one think after two weeks of nothing? Saving her life back in that warehouse almost felt foolish. As far as he knew at that time, they might as well have gone back to not knowing each other. Why he acted the way he did still bothered him, and brooding over it had only made it fester.

"Unless that's all you're here for now?" he inquired, an insult laced into the suggestion. He was still ignoring her apology.

 

[Talin Treicolt]

Gasping outrage grew with every word. First, when he referred to the thing, and Talin had to coo a hedontmeanthat and offer a head scratch. Bigger, with the insinuation that she was that kinda girl - well, maybe sometimes she was, but he shoulda known better with the way things had went down. And most of all, that she had tracked halfway across the galaxy again for it, like she couldn't walk into any bar and manage.

"Ya sure are full of yerself if you think I'd come all the way t' Ryloth for that."

Crouching, Talin set the dog down, making sure to give him a lil' extra love to make up for Morrow's words. Action didn't free him of the glower or attitude that seeped from her defense.

"I just needed time to think." Didn't he get it? He had been as freaked out as her. "I thought you might, too."

 

[Morrow]

There had been plenty of time to think. Very little of it had been productive. Largely, it had only served to sow even more ambivalence and frustration. Morrow had thought about Talin every day since he woke up to that quiet, empty safehouse. Of course, he wasn't going to tell her that. He'd sooner pull out his blaster and blow his own head off before he would ever admit that out loud. That vision, however, he'd forced himself not to think about. It was perhaps a bit more obvious than had occurred to him previously that she meant to think about that dream in question.

"You could have just said that," he contended. "You could have said anything."

A loose fist supported his cheek, elbow propped on the arm of the chair.

"Now what?"

 

[Talin Treicolt]

Shruggin' at the response, she got up and walked to sit across from him. Couldn't defend that. She probably should have said somethin' but she was too busy tryin' to quiet the noise in her head. It was also kinda hard to condense "hey, that wasn't totally the same thing as what I saw in my dreams - and I'm really kinda scared of what it means - and also, you drive me crazy in all every kinda way, and also also, I have important Jedi business" down into the Avcord character count.

"Ya accept my apology and lemme make it up to you? And let me... explain a little more?"

A rumbling noise sent her lookin' for the dog again, who was nowhere to be found. Her eyes turned back to Morrow and realized he was the source.

"Was that... your stomach?" Confusion warped her features. He did look a little sharper 'round the cheekbones, like he wasn't eatin' well. "What happened to those black sun credits? Did ya spend 'em all on this thing?"

Those black sun credits dripped with disdain. Working. She was still annoyed by the text. Of all the people to get wrapped up with - but they were at least supposed to pay well.

 

[Morrow]

Reaching into his pocket, Morrow blew vexation out his nose. "We didn't get paid," he revealed dully. Holding up the compact datapad, he showed her the result of his endeavors on Sarko IV. "Razmir is nerve nerve-burning rat. We... requisitioned this ship to get back at him."

Morrow leaned backward, crossed his arms indignantly. "Not that it's done us any good." His upper lip threatened to curl away from his teeth, brow furrowing in an equal display of frustration. "If I have to eat another plate of unspiced spacer slop, I think I might run this ship into an asteroid."

Maybe he'd take out an insurance policy the next time he got ahold of some cred.

 

[Talin Treicolt]

"I'd sure rather ya didn't. She's a beaut." Talin's face was a teensy bit smug. Man, he really shoulda known better. It dropped again upon seeing the bounty, and her name there for a contact. "Mother-"

A colorful string of words drifted outta her mouth. This was a lot bigger than a lil' imperial remnant, and they'd had enough trouble with that. There would be an entire galaxy's worth of bounty hunters out there lookin' for him - and her, too. She gulped, weighing options.

"You think we could get to him?" Her voice had dropped, suddenly intense.

Havin' his back wasn't even a question.

 

[Morrow]

"No." That one word sounded infinitely more inflexible than anything he'd argued before she'd convinced him to undertake that strike on Denon.

"Even if we did, it'd just create more problems; he's a vigo. Take him down, and we're pissing off the entirety of Black Sun. Right now, it's just him and his gonks that are cross with us."

The pad's holoscreen turned off with a click. Morrow shoved the device back into his pocket.

"They saw me tackle you out of the way of that salvo. It was all downhill from there." It felt deeply wrong to confess that he'd done that deliberately. It felt nearly as virulent as the action itself. Just thinking about it made him bite his tongue with self-odium.

No one, not Damien, not anyone, had blamed him for their situation. Despite that, Morrow felt that he was largely at fault. Even if Raz was the way he was, it could have all been avoided. It all came back to the woman across from him, in a way. He almost wanted to blame her. For making him act unlike himself. It made him secretly irate, fire burning in the mind. Now that she was here, he didn't have half the nerve to shout and berate that he imagined he would. That was even more vexing.

 

[Talin Treicolt]

Irritated, Talin tapped metal fingers against the table. Morrow was right. Wasn't so easy to shoot their way outta this one. With his explanation, a sudden wave of guilt sent her stomach churning. An eighteen hour journey sure was a lotta time to think about how things had went down. In the moment, she'd been so confused, not knowing who he was - but hindsight was twenty-twenty. After playin' it back a half a hundred times, she kept arriving at the same conclusions. Those blaster shots woulda killed her. That aqualish tasted his plasma for darin' to try. He'd been so insistent he didn't owe her nothin' back on Nar Shaddaa, and now...

"You saved my life."

No question, only gratitude.

"I'm real sorry for all the trouble it's causin'."

 

[Morrow]

Again, he didn't acknowledge the apology. His silence made the moment drag on.

"I think that makes us even," he muttered, breaking eye contact. She'd taken a vibroblade that was meant for his throat, he didn't forget. Even if he owed her in some capacity, it still threatened to make him sick to his already roiling stomach.

Blue eyes widened ever-so-slightly when they noticed the fingers tapping on the table. Morrow slowly double-taked between her and the cybernetic digits. "What the hell happened?" he asked, his tone forced into neutral. Was she like that on Sarko IV? He's sure he would have remembered that. Then again, some of those punches did feel particularly solid.

 

[Talin Treicolt]

"Oh,"

Suddenly very self conscious of her hand, Talin drew it into her chest, cradlin' it with the authentic twin. Right. He probably wouldna have caught it before, with everything going on. Shuckin' her jacket away revealed the full extent. Metal from elbow down, with a large gash still healin' across the bicep - just under the one she’d earned while savin’ him, now scarred over.

"Uhm. That's part of why it took me so long to message you. I was workin' with some Jedi on Atrisia, for a bit."

Honestly, she had gone in search of Tansu - who had disappeared before she arrived. The excitement - and tryin' to turn the new part of her dream around - had kept her there longer than intended.

"I'll probably go back in a few days. Core's real bad right now. The Empire took over Balmorra, and we tried to raid one of their weapons factories. Dark sider was waitin' on me. It was this or gettin' pushed off a roof." A shrug feigned nonchalance. "This seemed the better option."

Bitin' her lip, she considered the fact it probably made her real ugly.

"Don't worry - they got synthskin comin' and it'll look normal. Won't be able to tell. Just hurts some, sometimes, where it should be."

 

[Morrow]

"It looks..." He trailed off, goggling at the border where flesh became metal.

Teeth began to grind together behind a blank, million-light-year stare. Morrow was frozen, grappling with discrepancies in his head. Usually, when he saw someone get hurt, it evoked disgust and resentment for their weakness. Dispassion would come quickly afterward. But now, staring at that connection between flesh and metal, he felt concern. There was anger as well, but it was vicarious, pointed toward an unknown perpetrator responsible for what he was looking at. This wasn't normal. This wasn't him.

Morrow squeezed his eyes shut, hands rubbing aggressively over his eyes and down his face. "Get out of my head!" he hissed, words muffling into his hands.

 

[Talin Treicolt]

Through the force, a tidal wave of intensity surged, threatenin’ to bulldoze right through her. Concern, then rage. The same pattern which had elicited his actions back in that warehouse. It was enough to give her an aura of smugness - she was gettin’ under his skin, too. Emotional whiplash struck with his demand, confusion warping her features.

“What the hell are you talkin’ about? I can’t make you stop thinkin’ about me.”

 

[Morrow]

Morrow interpreted Talin's retort as bedeviling. He sprang out of his seat, nearly flipping the table on his way up. Even quicker, his blaster went from hip to hand, staring Talin down barrel-first. "You know exactly what the hell I'm talking about!" he exploded. "You and your- your- Jedi mind tricks!" His weapon indicated with almost every syllable, shaking in front of her face and pointing to the apex of his reach over and over.

"I'm not supposed to give a chit about any of this! I don't save people! But- I- Ever since you put those thoughts in my head- I see you hurt and I- I don't-!?" Exasperated, both hands came up to grip into stygian locks, blaster barrel pointing over the top of his head. Then, frantic, they let go, and the weapon returned to its sentinel between Talin's eyebrows.

"What did you do to me!?"

 

[Talin Treicolt]

He was gettin' to have a signature move, too, apparently. Hands flyin' up, Talin leaned into her seat, wishin' she could burrow inside. Since leavin' Concord Dawn, she had been held up way more than any reasonable person should. A little bluffin' and fearlessness usually kept her alive. Yet, standin' here, watching Morrow melt into madness, she was certain if she tried to call his hand, he would not fold.

"I - No, y-"

Tryin' to stutter out a reply, some part of her wondered if sharin' those memories did have more effect than intended.

"I swear, Morrow. I wouldn't do that to you." Talin met his gaze, blue eyes beggin' for him to see reason. "And it's goin' both ways. You were the one I messaged when I thought there was a chance of dyin'. I'm still stuck dreamin' of ya every night, losin' sleep over it."

Pleading had shifted into passion, words gathering tempo.

"Hell, I dragged myself halfways 'cross the rim because I needed to make sure you were okay with my own eyes. Y'know how stupid that makes me feel? I done woulda made it stop if I could. It'd be easier for both of us."

 

[Morrow]

Several huffs later, bearing down on her crazy-eyed, Morrow conceded begrudgingly. Just as he was tensed up, pulling the trigger, appearing certain, he growled and swiped the gun away. He paced in a short patrol alongside the table, shaking his head.

"I'm not supposed to be like this!" he asserted loudly. "I see someone get hurt, I feel nothing! I think: They were weak, should've been smarter, serves them right..!" Empathy was as foreign an output as it had been an input throughout his life thus far. This new feeling, especially as it seemed to come against his will, was maddening.

He stopped, back turned, blaster still in his hand. "Why should I care that someone cut your arm off? That's your fault! I shouldn't give a shit!" A few heavy breaths filled the pause that followed. His hand fidgeted dangerously with the blaster.

"But I-" Morrow bit his tongue, seething. Yet another thing he'd never admit out loud.

 

[Talin Treicolt]

For a moment, she was sure that was it. Acceptance of her fate bred thoughts of her loved ones. Would Su survive, without her? Would Talsin say I told ya so? Then just as quick, the barrel turned away, and he was on the move. Blue eyes flickered between his face and hand, watching for a decision that would send her springin' into action.

"But I-"

Do.

Wordlessly, Talin rose, and covered the short distance between them. Guilt grew with every step, thinkin' back to that damn dream again. Would it be any different if she hadn'ta shown him? This struggle they endured was a far cry from the ethereal promise. They might've been bound and magnetized, but it wasn't suppos'ta be this hard.

She didn't have many more words. They couldn't convey everything she felt, anyways. Slowly, she reached to grab his shoulder and guide him back around, the other hand drifted to his face as he pivoted. A soft kiss communicated everything she couldn't. When they broke, she stayed close, forehead to forehead.

"I'm sorry." Talin whispered.

 

[Morrow]

For a moment, everything stopped when she came to him. Was this another trick? Despite how much he wanted to, Morrow couldn't bring himself to break away immediately. He was silent. Unyielding grip on the blaster slackened, his hand hesitantly placing it back in the holster. Then, a moment later, his face pulled away, followed shortly by the rest of him.

Just as quickly as she'd soothed him, the discord returned. There was a beat in the air, like he was going to say something. Yet, he remained quiet. Fingers rubbed over his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose tightly. He was trying to regain any semblance of composure. A deep breath heralded his hand to drop back to his side.

"Why did you come all this way, really?" he asked, finally turning back to face her. Not for another staredown with the barrel of an SE-14r, clearly. Her last reason didn't sit well. She knew he was fine, seeing it wouldn't make a difference. Maybe if it was put into words, and not left to ambiguous feelings and unspoken understandings, he could convince himself it wasn't Jedi trickery. That she wasn't here to beguile and destroy him.

 

[Talin Treicolt]

The question summoned up a ghost of that earlier indignance. Talin's eyes narrowed, displeasure obvious in her scowl. She thought that speech at blaster point had been pretty good. She hadn't come out and said it, but she'd given more than Morrow could. Hell, he'd had a damn conniption even for feelin' it. Crossin' her arms, a booted foot tapped impatience with the act.

"Ya really don't get it?" Tone was softer than body language, a betrayal of empathy. "I was worried about you, and maybe, as crazy as it seems, I wanted to see ya."

Considerin' they were five for five on meetings involving some form of violence, Talin thought maybe she should consider what that meant about her.