Sometimes I get a good feeling

[Kaia Starchaser]

She really wasn't sure what she was doing. Wandering, really. The city scape was something she'd not seen before. Sure, she'd seen images on holos, and the occasional guided field trip away from the Dawn Treader. Granted all she was seeing were blind spots and sniper locations. Where to watch for, and where the thermal detonators and rocket troopers would be hiding. Which area to light up for strafing runs. Wow, her family was really... dangerous, or disturbed, or both. Still, she'd seen footage of her father, pre-cryo-nap, and even he held his own. Granted, he was an executive office of the Wing, and only certain times did he serve as a soldier.

Typically if he was on the ground he was hunting supplies. A trait she didn't seem to have the skill for. Sure, she could sense danger, and feel the Force, the way it flowed, around her, almost like she was seeing it in colors, the auras and how people extended it. What colors it was for certain feelings, and when people were being devious. That was the Starchaser way.

Sensing the ebbs and flows of the Force, putting that mental energy to use for the world around them, and then some seemed to be gifted in controlling the Force around their bodies, or altering the world around them. Even her cousin Marek seemed to only be able to alter, but not control it, from what reports gave. Then there was that Token chick, her other cousin, she wasn't even very strong in the Force, maybe that was why she could control a bit and alter a bit.

Her brother Jared, though, he could sense, and meld, and then shield himself. And Cole, well he only was out there to figure out the galaxy, alchemize it all.

Her family was a lot bigger than she was lead to believe.

But right now? They were lightyears away. She was safely in the Republic space. As safe as that was, according to her father. But she wasn't quite in the Republic space, more exploring the galaxy. What world was she on, anyhow? City scape, bright lights, a storm in the distance... She had heard it earlier.

And now it was raining on her. She flinched at the first close flash of lightning, and crack of thunder, but then, when she realized she wasn't getting strafed by X-Wings, those clunky fighters that were better off melted down. She looked up at the rain, and wearing a leather jacket, it was beading on the hide. Under that her black-and-teal flannel and was getting wet, even her denim pants were feeling the water. She'd never experienced this before. She smiled, almost giggling and spun around.

So, this was what it felt like? To be in the rain, and be free? No one giving her hours of when to be asleep, or in simulators? She could get used to this!

[member="Jacen Shadow"]

 

[Judah Lesan]

Jacen was somewhere in Republic space, and not sure why. Yeah he had been told the Jedi were where he belonged if he wanted to change his ways, but the spacer and scoundrel had not a clue whether what he was don't was actually right or not. The man was looking for things in life, searching for the answer to one very important question, why? Why had he been orphaned? Why had he been orphaned a second time? Why had he survived all this time when the universe seemed to take his parents away from him no matter what form they came in. He was afraid of the answer, afraid that he might actually find out why.

It was funny he was asking a question he didn't really want the answer to. Funny he was searching for answers wherever he could. His world was one that was falling apart, and for once he just wanted something to go right. Then it started raining.

"Great, just great," he called out to no one in particular as he looked up to the sky.

Why did he do that? It wasn't like there was some omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent divinity up there, or was there? Yet another question he had. The sheer fact he even asked why was proof he believed in the existence of something, whether he wanted to admit or not. The very question of why or meaning assumed purpose, and purpose was intentional. There was no room for random intentionality in his mind. No, there was some deity looking on him, making his life a miserable, living, hell.

He turned his head slightly to see as a young woman stood out in the rain enjoying it. Her joy caught him off guard. How was it she could enjoy getting soaked? Was he really still in that deep of a mourning for the family he just lost that he could not find the simple pleasure of being in the rain. Something pulled him to the dark haired woman. She was pretty. Jacen certainky appreciated that. He remembered some of the marks his parents had put him on when they ran some major con schemes. They were not pretty at all. Things one did for credits.

Steps carried him to her. His tale, strong frame stopped in front of her, just as she spun around. His blue eyes locked with hers. The expression on his face begged the question which was about to come out of his mouth. Though he froze for a moment. Jacen couldn't believe the words were not coming. He had duped and swayed so many women during his run with crime, yet his tongue failed him now. Finally it came. The question that had been haunting him for some time.

"Why?"

He stood there in the rain, a denim jacket getting soaked. His black t-shirt, and denim skinny jeans as well. The black boots on his feet were the only things which did not allow the water to soak through to his skin. They would both get cold. Quickly removing his jacket, he found his manners again, and held it over her head.

"Quick, there's a cafe over there, we need to get you out of this rain before you get a cold."

[member="Kaia Starchaser"]

 

[Kaia Starchaser]

The rain was so wonderful. The air was so muggy and warm, almost like she could drink it, but the rain? That was cool, refreshing, and not the type of rain she saw in some holos, not that Coronet City rain that was damp and made everyone hurry out of the way. This was an entirely new situation for her. She was experiencing it all. And that was something she wanted to do. Maybe even with the Jedi she didn't need to fight, she could just learn and travel and help others out? Run a school, learn science, travel, take holos, love, hell, maybe even fight if it was part of her experience.

She didn't pay much attention to the looks people were giving her. From her mother's teachings, men were pigs, and everyone enjoyed seeing someone happy, even if they didn't understand why.

That was when the rain was taken from her. She looked shocked, and maybe that translated into a huge burst of shock, confusion, maybe even anger in her aura. She was enjoying the moment, and then this... She looked up at the taller man and took a step back. “Cold? But its just rain! Can't you feel it!” It felt so good!

Maybe this was what Token meant when she did run into the blonde cousin of hers. That life was always beautiful.

[member="Jacen Shadow"]

 

[Judah Lesan]

Feel it, yes he could feel it. The cold, wet, drops had soaked through his shirt, and caused the fabric to cling to his muscular frame. His jeans were soaked, his jacket, and yet this girl stepped back from under the protection of it and back into the rain. Was she crazy? Jacen just shook his head and put his wet jacket back on. He sighed.

"What should I be feeling besides the wet," he asked with a grin.

He turned to look at the cafe. The warmth of the environment and the hot caf called to him, but this woman was interesting. Why was she so... happy? Jacen had to know. He decided to stick around. Looking around, he saw a ledge, a duracrete ledge and jumped on it. Looking at he he motioned.

"Don't let me stop your fun. I've just been going through some stuff lately."

[member="Kaia Starchaser"]

 

[Kaia Starchaser]

For once, Kaia wasn't worried about another person being around her. She was so... used to the sounds of people she knew aboard the ship. Living on an aging Star Destroyer, sooner or later, you tended to learn everyone's name, not their life, but their name in an acquaintance sense. Enough to say hi, and to check in on the person. Right now? Right now Kaia was focused inward, and outward, but not out to other people, she couldn't tell anyhow how [member="Jacen Shadow"] was feeling, because she wasn't caring.

Poor situational awareness, at the moment.

When he removed the jacket, she smiled, looking up at the sky again, feeling the cool drops on her face, in her hair. His next comment hit her ears but she didn't know how to respond. “Its... refreshing!” Unlike the recycled air aboard her ship. The Treader, not her freighter. That ship was hers, and awesome.

Was she supposed to feel bad here? She didn't know this man from anyone. And yet he was trying to be helpful, but, the rain! Really, social skills weren't something she was taught, sadly. “The rain will help! Trust me!” Because apparently now the water coming from the sky had healing powers. Okay, Kaia, we'll run with that.

 

[Judah Lesan]

Help? Getting a bunch of cool water dropping on his face and hair was supposed to help wash away whatever he was feeling. It was a naive sentiment, but she seemed very convinced of it. Reluctantly he hopped off the ledge and stepped out into the rain again. He was standing in a puddle. Looking down he splashed it a bit with a tap of his foot. A small smile tried to pull at his mouth. How long had it been since he just took the time to splash in a puddle. It was childish, but maybe he needed a good dose of that.

Children were so carefree. As long as their basic needs were met, they were pretty happy. They had the skill to find fun in just about anything. Jacen just let it all go, and threw his arms up and started spinning. The rain washed through his hair, soaked through his shirt. His boots were even starting to soak through. He didn't care anymore. The rain was refreshing. Earlier the day had been so muggy, a sticky hot, but the rain broke all of that up and cooled him off. Though he still wanted the caf.

"Okay, so you're probably on to something, but if we stay out too long we will catch a cold. I'm Jacen by the way. Let's grab some caf, I'll pay. I'm starting to get squishy boots."

Suddenly a bout of mischief came over the tall man. He splashed enough to send water flying at the girl, with a deep, fun, laugh. She knew how to have fun it seemed. You just had to not care about what was going on around you. Maybe it really was time for Jacen to accept the fact he had been forced to move on in life, and actually move on. He was heading to the Jedi after all. Kian Karr was supposed to be his new Master, whatever that all meant. Jacen was still adjusting to the lingo.

[member="Kaia Starchaser"]

 

[Kaia Starchaser]

Of course it would help! Rain was all sorts of symbolic, and if you looked at it in the Force, from a metaphysical standpoint, it was new water. Sort of. The water cycle and all that. That worked in Star Wars, right? It should, was what she learned in 'world science' class aboard the Star Destroyer. Learned everything she could, this one, but seeing it in action? That was all sorts of new! Had she known that [member="Jacen Shadow"] was calling her childish, she wouldn't know how to handle that.

Sure, a bit naive. When it wasn't coming to military measures, but this? This was just learning. She'd seen the holos!

“Its fun! I mean, where I'm from this never happened!” And she wasn't given the advanced training, just fair weather teachings on military science. And then she was being splashed. An embarrassingly shocked squeal came out. “Hey!”

She jumped, booted feet into a puddle. “I never been able to do this!”

Right, names. What were those?

 

[Judah Lesan]

What did she mean by never got to do this? Was she some kind of spacer?

"Did you grow up without the rain or something," Jacen asked as water from her splashing hit him in the face.

Okay seriously a water fight was in order. Sure it was raining, but what the hell, this was going to be a blast. He was already wet so it didn't matter. Jacen splashed even more water at the girl. He didn't even know her name, but he was playing around like some kid again, and all of a sudden the cares he was carrying with him were gone. The blonde even managed a laugh as he finally smiled. Forget life worries, he had to have more fun.

"I need to do this more often," Jacen said with a sigh.

[member="Kaia Starchaser"]

 

[Kaia Starchaser]

Some kind of spacer. Something like that. Her upbringing was very... structured and safe. So long as they didn't crash into a star or something. Should probably try to move the Wing to an interdictor ship some time. To make sure they could get away from threats. Or hold them still. She'd have to suggest that to her home. Surely her brother would consider it, right? Of course he... might.

Then he started asking questions. “Yeah, I guess I did.” Can't miss something you didn't have, right? That was what she was told. But the other thing was to not always give full answers. Or anything that could identify her. And least of all, not share her last name, more rules of guidance for anyone who left the Treader, regardless of their surname. When he spoke a second time, she nodded.

“What did I tell you?” Because Kaia was wise in the ways of the world, space-born and raised.

[member="Jacen Shadow"]

 

[Judah Lesan]

"Nah, you were right. My additude is bit downcast on life right now. I've been through some terrible loss recently and still dealing with it apparently."

The truth about loss was initial grief took about one to two years to get through, and the after shocks, or secondary grief, took anywhere from three to five years beyond that. Jacen would still be dealing with what he had lost, and the emotions which came along with it, for some time to come.

The two were seriously drenched as the rain began to subside. Now the truly would get cold if they did not get somewhere to dry off. Jacen's head bobbed back to the cafe as the sun began to peek through the clouds, or tried to anyway.

"The fire is warm in their, and you seriously will catch a cold if you don't dry off. I'd hate to see your happiness ruined by a bunch of sniffles and sneezes. I insist. My treat?"

[member="Kaia Starchaser"]

 

[Kaia Starchaser]

Unlike her cousin, who sort of fried her parents on an accident with the Force, Kaia hadn’t seen much in the way of strife. Her brother and father survived the rapture, and her mother… she was lost. She wasn’t sure if her mother was passed on, or if she was trapped somewhere. And Kaia did intend to find out. She knew her father wasn’t taking it well, but she couldn’t do anything for him. She was at the age to do her own journey, and she could find word on her mother on her own. Right? Absolutely.

“I’m sorry!” She actually meant it, though she really didn’t know what she could do to help him. He was being nice, but… All Kaia really knew was to adventure and how to shoot people from over 100 meters with a rifle. Oh, and fly. And the rain was starting to slow.

Maybe he was right? “Yeah, getting sick wouldn’t be that fun.” She bit her lip. “Alright, where to?”

 

[Judah Lesan]

Wait!? Just like that? Jacen never thought this one would ever agree to actually taking him up on his offer, but he still had to ask. The former con artist knew one thing, if you didn't ask, you didn't get. It was really the number one rule in any con. The way someone got on the inside usually began with an ask. Not that Jacen was running a con job here, because he wasn't. He just remembered the rule. Where to? How tempting was it to just say his ship wasn't that far, but the fire place in the cafe was cozy, and very inviting at the moment. Well... it didn't hurt to let her choose.

"Well that fire over there is thirty steps away. The caf is great, unless you're a tea person, then forget I mentioned caf. The hot tea is pretty good too. I'm more interested in that fire to dry off a bit before heading back to my ship to get out of these damp clothes entirely. Nothing like the feeling of wet cloth clinging to every bit of your flesh."

So Jacen was half way joking. The shirt he had been wearing was clinging to his very toned upper body, and giving everyone a preview of what the cloth was hiding. That wasn't really an issue, except for the fact Jacen didn't care for the feeling that came with clinging, wet fabric. For whatever reason he offered Kaia his arm. Spectators to their antics already shot quizzical looks at them, they might as well garner more by walking into the cafe arm in arm. For the first time, in a long time, Jacen was fun, and it was all because Kaia decided to prance about in the rain. The irony of it all made him smile and chuckle to himself.

Getting the door for Kaia, Jacen allowed her to walk in front of him. When they reached the counter he pulled out his soaked credit wallet and pointed to the menu which was written on a chalkboard hanging above the cashier.

"Ladies first, whatever you want. Like I said, my treat."

[member="Kaia Starchaser"]

 

[Kaia Starchaser]

There was a fine line between pestering and just being obnoxious, and really, Kaia knew she wasn’t being too helpful, constantly trying to parry the offer. But if the rain was stopping? Well, they could explore and maybe she could make a friend out of the deal, depending if he was going to try to eat her, she heard there were cannibals in space all sorts of dark side, or if he wasn’t. She’d prefer the latter, but her whole family claimed that the darkness was a bit stronger. And it was probably true.

The foreshadow event here would be that Kaia will probably play rough and hard with the Force.

She wasn’t really experienced in the ways of the galaxy, not in the least. Cons would definitely trick her, at least once, probably three or four times, but she figured it was the learning cycle. Aboard her home-ship, everything was covered for her, everyone had their tasks. But the one thing she was good at was understanding people, well, at least when they started speaking and if they were broadcasting in the Force. But he was tripping over her words, and the dark haired girl ran a hand through her matted mane before looking at him. “You’re hyper.” She said, tipping her head. “I’ll probably have caf.” She nodded.
“And I dunno, being wet is kind of nice, I like it.” She smiled, still making to move her jacket from her shoulders and picking at the shirt that was stuck to her torso. Pants, well, they’d just dry and feel that crusty-sticky that they got when they were wet-then-dry. She grabbed his arm as it was offered and smiled as he opened the door, stepping inside, in a very less-than-elegant fashion.

Typical for Kaia.

“How strong is the caf here?” She looked over her shoulder at him. The Dawn Treader had weak caf, well, unless you snuck into the Aerie before the pilots had watch-change.

[member="Jacen Shadow"]