Shooting Stars

[Allyson Locke]

Sitting in the hanger, Allyson swung her feet absentmindedly. She had been given free reign of the area which meant [member="Ember Rekali"] was busy doing something she wasn't privy too or he was sleeping somewhere. Allyson tilted her head as she listened to the music playing from the riged up player. Her ears were covered by massive headphones which blocked out any and all sound around her. Still, Ember calling her always seemed to get through. It was probably because of that thing called the Force. She was in touch with it, but beyond that she didn't know much.

Looking over her shoulders she watched as ships left the hanger. The girl had access to the rest of the world they were on, but she'd rather sit here and watch the beasts that soared the stars arrive and leave the hanger. There was something of beauty for the machines, she wondered if it was because of where she grew up or what she watched outside her window every morning. There was just something that drew her to the workings of Ships along with other forms of machinery.

The heavy mechanical beat blasted through her ears, it reminded her of sounds she heard when working on Ember's ship. Everything was a song while she worked. Puckering her lips together she wondered if this made her weird or odd, either way she liked what she did. Standing from the bench, she leaned against the railing that hung over one of the docking bays. Peering down she made a search for Ember's mop of ragged hair. The man was so unkempt sometimes.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Allyson Locke"]

The Coronet's docking bays held little more than half a squadron of fighters and a handful of shuttles, plus Ember's latest baby -- the Baktoid-built XR-07 Naga he'd bought with the proceeds of never-you-mind. Faster than just about anything, the XR-07 packed a full line fighter loadout with interceptor speed and then some.

It was perfect. And thus, Ember was stripped to the waist, covered in oil, wielding dual hydrospanners, and elbow-deep in the guts of the beast, because if anyone could improve on perfect, it was a Mandalorian.

He felt Allyson's eyes on him after a bit and straightened up, peering into the gantries. A rare lopsided grin broke out as he spotted her. "C'mon down, Locke, you need to hear this critter purr."

 

[Allyson Locke]

Critter? Jeez he needs better vocabulary...oh well he's a Mando. Probably too many blaster bolts to the head. Allyson thought quietly to herself as she read his lips. A hand went to the headphones and pulled them off her head. Shoving them into the small knapsack, she climbed down the ladder that lead to where Ember was working. She dropped her sack against one of the crates that were stacked nearby and she stood beside the Mando.

The girl sniffed the air and smiled. “Beskar and I know this one...durasteel...and um” Allyson leaned closer to the nearest part of the ship and took another whiff of the material. Something else was in the ships creation she just couldn't put her finger on it. Deciding to buy herself some time she looked at [member="Ember Rekali"]. “So boss man, how did you get this beauty?”

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Allyson Locke"]

"Bought her factory clean, first time in my life I haven't bought pre-owned -- or just reclaimed some old hunk of junk." He gestured around at the Coronet's beskar-reinforced interior. "Like so."

He tapped the starfighter's canopy, glancing around at the handful of nearby interceptors. "But this little beauty...oh, she's fast, Locke, she's faster than meltwater in sunshine. Top of the line, hits like a haymaker, quicker than anything but an Aleph or a Sharyd, even faster than the rest of these Cutters. When the boys come sniffing around, this is what I'll be cleaning. Even got me a set of killcount stencils, make a nice little line under the cockpit. Figured I'd treat myself. Now I could find it in my heart to get you a nice little ship..."

 

[Allyson Locke]

“Oh Ember when do you have a heart?” Allyson chuckled, she knew the man had something there but she enjoyed poking fun at him. To be honest she’d rather just tag along instead of owning her own ship, there as too many responsibilities that went along with owning a ship. Always better to fix someone else’s then pay for your own. She listened intently and every word that fell from the Mando’s lips she slipped further in love with the Coronet. Her hands raised to her chest and her fingers wiggled with anticipation. There was one place she wanted to go and [member="Ember Rekali"] knew all well where she needed to be.

“Engine room?! Can we see the engine room?! Then I’m going to ask you where the hell you got the credits to get this baby girl. But first to the engine room!”

Like a child, she turned and grabbed Ember’s arm and shook it. She wanted to go see the heart and soul of the ship. There is where she made her magic, no no not like the last time with the other mechanic not that sort of magic though she’s pretty good, the magic of making this ship run. “You know I could probably make her fast Ember you know this.”

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Allyson Locke"]

He let himself get dragged along to the engine room. "I, ah, pirated. Nothing huge -- well, yes, something huge -- bottom line, I didn't kill anyone that didn't need killing. I tackled a heavy cruiser solo over Dromund Kaas, managed to force an evacuation and make a jump. Sold it back to the manufacturer for enough to refit this beauty and keep her running for the next few years at least. Not my favorite way to make money, but-"

The turbolift hissed open, spilling them out into the hum of the powerful engines. "It's plenty fast, fast as a little freighter, but you've done a good job for me so far, better than good, and yes. You get to make this ship go faster. She's all yours. The Contruum can't hold a candle to her, and the Coronet's got less than half the crew, upkeep, everything. Which means I got to pick and choose my crew from the best of the last lot.

"What say you, Chief Engineer Locke?'

 

[Allyson Locke]

All she heard out of Ember's mouth was Fast, yours, and chief. Of course all of them made enough sense for the girl to figure what he was trying to say. Her little digits wiggled with excitement. Honestly Allyson couldn’t care less on how Ember ended up getting enough credits to buy this beauty, it was part of their job line. Messy jobs were given to people like her and Ember, of course if her parents ever found out what she did for a living or really how she had ended up in Ember's company – she would probably lose whatever loose ties she had with them.

She had a home to return to, but that was just a temporary place. Her home was the stars. Walking towards the Engine Room, she looked over her shoulder to see Ember. The man was probably curious on how she knew her way about the ship without ever being in one. A little grin swept across her face as she spoke out loud answering her partner's assumed question. “I download prints and study them, just all sticks up in my head and I'm pretty good at recalling it. Other than that I can't memorize poodoo.” Continuing around the corner she paused for a moment and then looked at Ember.

“No one is going to come looking for you for what you had to do to get this ship? I mean for some time right? I get some quality time with my new girlfriend right?” The brunette crossed her arms and swayed her hip slightly trying her best to look somewhat judgmental to the old man.

[member="Ember Rekali"]