Private Rosemary

[Morrow]

Nothing she said helped. Nothing she said would have helped. The truth was, Morrow didn't need Talin to explain herself. Instead, he was hoping that somehow, she could explain his feelings for him. Unable to ask for help, he projected it onto her. It didn't work. He remained unable to navigate the renewed storm in his head.

"No!" he snapped in response. "I don't!"

That desire she declared was mutual. He had wanted to see her too, but yet again he'd never avow. Morrow might have been happy to see her, were he not drowning in turmoil.

"I don't know how to do this... whatever this is." It was the only confession she'd get out of him. It came suddenly, Morrow hardly realizing he was revealing anything at all. For once, all of the hatred and anger he exuded would part to reveal the true master. Fear.

 

[Talin Treicolt]

Immediate recognition flickered across Talin’s face. It was the same kinda feelin’ you got droppin’ into a bantha chute. Every instinct would scream to tense, to fight it, to subdue the wild creature by any means necessary. You couldn’t, ‘less you wanted to eat a face fulla dirt and be trampled under hoof. Control only came in the form of self - releasin’ your arms, flowin’ with each buck, findin’ balance amidst unnatural chaos.

“Hey, hey,” Talin took him by the hand, guiding him to a chair. A light shove insisted he sit back down. Her weight hovered between one leg and the corner of the table beside him. “It’s okay. You just gotta go with it. You don’t think about it. You just… track someone from Nar Shaddaa to Corellia and take a long ride to Ryloth, I guess.”

A lazy grin appeared, slightly forced, attempting to diffuse whatever this was with a little humor.

 

[Morrow]

Morrow didn't resist her maneuvers, plopping almost limply into the chair. Once more, he couldn't derive any comfort from her response. Maybe she didn't know what she was doing, either? Denon had him guess to the contrary, though. This couldn't have been her first rodeo.

"Don't think about it," he echoed contentiously. "Easy for you to say." His response was more telling than he'd intended. The implication of his mind dwelling on this, on her, was easily gleaned. If it weren't for stress keeping him from realizing what he was letting on, he would have thrown up on the spot.

A morose stare rose to meet her humorous grin.

 

[Talin Treicolt]

A tougher shell tonight than ever there had been. Resorting to the big guns, Talin eased her way down from her perch upon the table to settle sideways across his lap. When she laid her head into the crook of his neck, his pulse beat against her chin with increased pressure. An idle hand met his forearm and started tracing patterns.

"I don't mean like that." She insisted. "You just..."

Surrender yourself- but she couldn't say that, or she had a feeling they'd be back to square one.

"Go with it. Whatever feels right."

That one worked last time.

"Even if it's scary. I've got ya."

 

[Morrow]

She was upon him again, but this time it didn't elicit the same effect as it had moments ago. He felt his heart speed up from proximity alone, but that inexplicable calm was nowhere to be found.

Whatever feels right. At first, what felt right was pulling that blaster. Then, putting away felt right. Now, he wasn't sure what felt right. It changed like a Dantooine wind. If he could pin it down, none of this would be happening. She'd either be dead or in his cabin right now. In this tide of uncertainty, neither of those things had happened.

"I don't know what feels right," he muttered.

 

[Talin Treicolt]

Her eyes were concealed, buried into his collarbone, but they coulda rolled into the next star system. They were gettin' nowhere fast, and she was runnin' outta ammo. She moved to stand, fingers droppin' to his thigh before they lost contact entirely, and stretch. Distraction was the last resort.

"Well, I do. I want ya to show me around this damn ship. Y'know, I always wanted one of these. Me and Su would beg mama every time they were upgradin'."

She'd never even let them tour it at the showport.

"I mean, y'know you're gonna have to let me fly it, right? Oh, I bet she's just so smooth."

Talin spoke to the wall as if the ship was listenin'.

 

[Morrow]

Morrow stood, following her, brow furrowed as he watched her begin obsessing over the ship. Show her around? Was she expecting that the ship was hiding something unexpected? Once you've seen one ship, you've seen them all. If she's an enthusiast, she wouldn't find him worthy of any interchange. He couldn't give a real name to half the rooms in this thing.

He walked across the common area, motioning her to follow with a turn of his head. Into the main cooridor, he turned toward the cockpit access. "Cabins," he mentioned flatly with a wave of his hand in the opposite direction, indicating the doors opposite their path. A very enthusiastic tour already.

Something snagged his leg, causing him to skip several steps. The black pup from earlier had his pant leg locked in its teeth. "Hey!" Morrow shouted with dismay. He tugged back, eventually flinging the creature a few feet forward. It landed on its feet, hind-end in the air and tail wagging, ready to play. "No! Get out of here!" Morrow was unamused. The creature obliged, disappearing around the bend of the circular cooridor.

Morrow groaned, stomped impatiently through the access hallway into the cockpit.

 

[Talin Treicolt]

"Heeeeyyy!" Talin protested at the mistreatment of her canine friend. "He just likes ya!"

On brand, though.

The incident was quickly forgotten as she followed him in through the entry way. It was just like the holoads. Seats of the finest leather - and not the synth stuff - lined the seats in white, with gold thread trimming. Talin sat down carefully. The pilot's seat felt like a throne. Eyes big as barn doors, filled with wonder, surveyed buttons and screens as she acquainted herself with the steed. A hand floated over the dash, not touchin', before all good sense fell outta her head and she started flippin' switches. The engines came alive with a satisfying roar.

"Ohmyword," She said on an inhale, finally remembering to breathe. "There could not be a better place than Ryloth for this!"

Taking the yoke by both hands, the ship lifted into a soft hover, then blasted forward without regard. Inertia pinned her to the seat.

 

[Morrow]

A dismissive grunt acknowledged Talin's protest. Eventually, that mutt would pick a different favorite. At least, Morrow hoped.

"Hey, wait, what the hell are you doing!?" A protest of his own came when she started flipping switches. He moved to stop her physically, but she brought On The Mauve off the ground just in time to throw him off balance. He fell backward into the co-pilot's seat with a surprised gasp. Before he could protest again, inertia threw him backward deeper into the chair. Legs splayed, his feet pressed against the bottom of the console, likewise his arms braced backward, hands squeezing the armrests in panic.

If anyone found out about this, he was likely in very deep poodoo.

 

[Talin Treicolt]

Laughter rolled freely as they gained altitude. First a few feet, then more, then they were barely lungin' over the wall of the spaceport and breakin' free of all constraint. Buildin's below shrunk and shrunk, 'till they disappeared altogether behind them. The open sky greeted her as an old friend. For just a moment, she slowed the ship, takin' it all in. How long had it been since she was behind the controls and not dodgin' certain death? Before the drop. Coastin' brought about a peace she hadn't known in weeks. Lookin' over to Morrow, she grinned, ear to ear.

"Y'know, mama always warned me 'bout pretty boys with fast ships." The smile grew as she turned back to the viewport. "Yer gonna wanna buckle up, buttercup."

They surged again, rock formations comin' into view - fast. Talin dodged one, then curved around another. The move brought them face to face with a narrow canyon only a few feet ahead. Arms movin' fast as lightning, the yoke flew to the side. Them and the entire ship followed, violent motion flowing them around. Their angle contradicted safe entry.

"Come... on... honey..."

Teeth gritted, she pushed it as hard as she could, and only barely made it in between the walls without impact.

 

[Morrow]

Morrow, breathing heavily and wide-eyed, scrambled to buckle his constraints. "You're insane!" he admonished. "I'm n- Whoa!" Her maneuvers silenced his objections. Still gripping the armrests, he winced, conflicted between watching the viewport and closing his eyes and waiting for it to be over.

Morrow squirmed as they sped toward the small gap in the rocks. "Talin!?" They kept getting closer. "Talin, pull up!" Still closer. Morrow snapped. "R4, spike the controls!" Nothing changed; impact seemed imminent. "R4!" Morrow shouted again, louder than he'd ever shouted in his life, perhaps.

Then, just as he thought they were dead, they narrowly slipped through the gap unscathed. Morrow was practically hyperventilating.

"Wh- Wh- What the HELL!?"

 

[Talin Treicolt]

A victorious whoop rose outta her chest. Morrow's doubt made it all the more thrilling. Wherever that droid he was callin' for was, she was sure glad it hadn't answered. Bolts for brains woulda never been able to manage that. It was smooth sailing down the length, openin' up to eventually spit them out into clear terrain again - spires lining the horizon.

"It's like ya don't even have faith in me." Talin teased. "I only come from the best damn pilots the Alliance ever did see."

She had grown up in a cockpit. The day she got her first starfighter was amongst the best day of her life. Flyin' was in her blood - that stunt proved it.

"Not even a scratch."

They were takin' the long way back, weaving through the Rylothian landscape lazily.

"Y'know how to pilot? I could teach ya."

 

[Morrow]

"I don't know your life's story," he replied. How was he supposed to know she could fly like that?

Eventually, Morrow caught his breath. His hands released the armrests, leaving the indents of his fingers behind and the leathers to slowly reform. His mind dwelled on the trouble this would cause. How would he explain that he brought a woman on, didn't tell anyone, and she took On The Mauve for a spin? Worse yet, the attention this could have drawn with their bounties still on every board from Denon to the Mara Cooridor.

"No. No, I don't fly," he replied weakly.

Then, the controls went dead. Unresponsive to any of Talin's inputs. R4 had finally taken over. Damn droid, just wanted to hear me scream.

 

[Talin Treicolt]

"Ugh!" Talin exclaimed as the ship was commandeered.

Buildins were rolling into view, anyways, but a part of her craved another lap. Whatever. She wouldn't let it ruin her good mood. She was buzzed now - all jumpy and squealy like. Lookin' over to Morrow, she bit her lip.

"Hope ya don't get in trouble later." That was all he was gettin'. Not like an apology would do good, anyways.

 

[Morrow]

"If R4 doesn't rat me out, I might get away with it," he replied. Displeasure lingered in his voice. It was unlikely the droid wouldn't tell Damien. It wasn't like Morrow to be hopeful, either. Not that he had any choice. Can't trust droids. "I didn't tell anyone you were coming... and I don't know when they're coming back, either." First mistake, last mistake. Yet another example of Talin tripping him up.

Morrow unbuckled the restraints and took a huge breath, telegraphing relief. Worst case scenario, someone would be waiting for the ship when they returned. It'd be impossible to explain that away.

"Warn me next time before you do something crazy."

 

[Talin Treicolt]

An insolent smiled rolled across her face just as they landed. She'd have to remember to power down that droid later - wouldn't be no harm, then. She had more important business to attend to just this minute. Standin' up, she grabbed his hand from the arm rest and hauled him outta the cockpit.

"Now where's the fun in that?" Makin' her way down the corridor he pointed out earlier, she tossed a knowing glance over her shoulder. "I gotta keep ya on your toes."

 

[Morrow]

"Fun for you, maybe," he contended, half-scowling.

In hindsight, he should have expected something like this when she was nearly talking to the ship. She had a history of being rash and sudden, as evidenced endeavor against that COMPNOR safe-house weeks ago. Though he was uncertain if he'd ever be able to rein her in should something like this happen again.

Morrow looked around as they moved out of the access and back down the main cooridor. Several steps later he realized she couldn't be taking him anywhere. She'd just asked for the tour, seemed oblivious.

"I thought I was showing you around?" He feared she had another reckless idea, just itching to see it through.

 

[Talin Treicolt]

"Mmmm."

Talin believed he had to be bluffin'. There was no way someone flew ya around like that and it wasn't fun. The only thing better was sittin' behind the wheel. She'd chase that again, later, too - teachin' him to fly. What would he had done if Damien hadn't been there to fly him off world after he had made that Rasmeer guy mad? Internal rambling ceased as she came to the four doors. Spinnin' on her heels, she guided him towards her with the hand she already had hold of. Their bodies molded together as her voice dropped all low and husky.

"Show me right to your quarters, then, sir."

 

[Morrow]

So it was this again? Earlier, she had denied coming all the way to Ryoth just for that. Morrow had long wondered if it meant anything last time. Asked himself if it was just the adrenaline. Now, the joyride preceding this made him think he was right all along. Then again, she hadn't run away when faced with the business end of a blaster. Which was it? Something or nothing?

"Wait." He separated from her halfway, meeting her with a dour expression. The next words that were coming, he could almost taste them before they escaped. They were rancid, nauseating even, but he needed to know. "You-?" He hesitated, rethinking how he'd word it. "Will you stay this time?"

His stomach twisted, threatening bile into the back of his throat. The shakes from nearly dying in the cockpit weren't helping. She'd gotten more out of him than anyone had ever any business.

 

[Talin Treicolt]

"Wait."

An eternity hung on that edge. Shoulders tensed, she braced for rejection. It didn't follow. What did evoked that same sense of shame all over again, much greater than before. It was an ocean, threatenin' to drown her, as she realized how bad she musta actually hurt him. It was worse than when she killed that cartel leader, worse than Tansu learnin' about. Blue eyes locked, she nodded.

"I promise."