The bar set just a bit too high...

[Gabriel Sionoma]

He smiled and shook his hand dismissively. "I'm still picking at it, thank you." Watching her clear her plate, he took a sip of the mead and pulled a bit of air between pursed lips, siphoning the mead off his mustache. Rubbing his beard, he shook his head and re-positioned himself on his seat. Pressing his finger against the plate, he made small wakes through the sauce before pressing his finger against his teeth. "You don't owe me anything Spark and you aren't putting anything at risk."

He smiled warmly and gestured towards the patio. "We are at the heart of the Galactic Alliance, among farmers and lands of little strategic worth. And I likely share the interest of my brothers bounty hunters and the 30 million credits they hope it might offer." He cracked his neck and stood, scooping up the plate and approaching the trash bin. "Though I do appreciate your concern, do you think there is anywhere safer to be in the galaxy?" He wouldn't boast being the strongest fighter in the galaxy, but he could tumble with the best of them. At least, his ego told him he could. Without giving her chance to answer, he clapped his hands free of imagined debris and downed the rest of the mead. "Do me the favor of coming into town with me, tomorrow. If you aren't comfortable with it..."

He gestured towards the reflection of a planet in orbit. Or maybe it was them in orbit. Sometimes it was hard to tell either way, lunar cycles attached to the moon flip flopping. "You don't have to stay." No one was forced to live on the homestead, except maybe Destin and Armaud. But there were precious few who wouldn't be welcome, if they held the desire.

[member="Spark Finn"]​

 

[Spark Finn]

[member="The Revenant"]

"Thirty mil," sandy-brows rose, hands falling to her hips as a low whistle escaped her mouth. "It's like I'm in the presence of a celebrity. Who put the hit on you?"

Now she was curious. And her fears were calmed. A little. The slicer was used to putting herself in danger, living in the shadows and fringes of society. But when it came to adding her burden to others? She was cautious.

And a safer place in the galaxy? Blue-eyed gaze swept the courtyard, returning to the bearded man. Beneath his jovial exterior, there was a warrior. She saw it in the way he moved, balanced, and positioned himself.

Was he offering protection within his friendship?

Taking the silverware, she moved to the sink, turning on the sanisteam. Moisture washed away any of the old stains on her hands, leaving her skin new and fresh. Such a fit for a potential new chapter.

"Alright, sure. I guess I could fit it in, in my busy schedule," she winked. #sheknewhewasreallydoingherafavor #duh "As long as you know what you're getting into." Hands held up the cleaned fork for emphasis.

#aslongashedoesntaskmetochangediapers

"What time tomorrow?"

#hopefullynotearly #nightowlhere

 

[Gabriel Sionoma]

"Well, not me...Reverance. Our good friends, the Republic and Mandalorians." He smiled, scratching the back of his head. "They would probably not take the bounty, but that wouldn't stop bounty hunters from trying." He followed her into the kitchen, watching as she made good on promises of taking care of the dishes. Leaning against the island, he smirked as she confirmed going into town tomorrow. With a wink. And with a fork. He shook his head and laughed.

"You are a truly a mighty...fork wielder." He'd seen it first hand, the legends were true. Rubbing his neck, he stood and thought about the question. "Well, assuming the rain stops by then, I have a fella I need to meet in the morning over some contractor work. Duracrete for the aquifer repair. That will probably take a couple of hours...they love to haggle." He could take it or leave it, the practice. But they didn't use it for getting a price, more just a system for socializing. In that, he could respect the value of it. "And it's about a ten minute drive so I guess noonish. Give us time to meet the commissioner in the daylight."

He inhaled and pointed a finger upwards. "Rooms are upstairs. A couple are set up nicely with fresh linens. Just have to make the bed and you should be good to go. Towels are in the closet, near the bath." He gave a yawn, a bit exhausted from the day and the news it provided. And between that and finishing off the bar room, working out the field for some time, he was spent with the tasks that still needed to be done. "I'm going to head to bed. Good night Spark." He was already half way up the stairs as he gave a wave, knowing he needed to get up early for some work before doing other work. She managed to do fine during the day, she probably make her way upstairs when she was ready to.

[member="Spark Finn"]​

 

[Spark Finn]

[member="The Revenant"]

One bleary-eyed slicer padded groggily down the stairs. Blond-hair was up in a messy dew. Mouth opened wide in a yawn probably too large for someone her size to have. One converse sneaker was muddy. Gabe might even have noticed one muddy footprint in the garden along the house, next to an unfortunate lilly-petal that met its doom.

Last night had been rather eventful. After much research, she knew several things: the accounts of every Baron Head official, the holomail the Police Commissioner sent around three-o'clock - he had an addiction to the Sullust Shopping Network, and that someone named Monica spent most of her work time browsing the site, Sulon Fire Chief Weekly. #browsinghistory

But none of that went through her mind as her eyes squinted at the noon-light. Only one very important word croaked out of her mouth.

"Cafe."

#betterbefairtrade

 

[Gabriel Sionoma]

Pawing at his beard, he raked fingernails from cheek to jaw. Looking over to the contractor, he blinked steadily, the sun beating down with the moisture of dew collecting in tufts of rushes. Sprouting from the points of failure, Gabe took in the fresh air after strong rains, appreciating the moisture upon the crop fields.

"Well..." The gruff of a man spoke with a heavy accent, a predominant variety for this area.
"Well." Gabe responded in affirmation.
"Well..." The man knelt down, looking at the excavated portion and shaking his head. "Dees connections are more or less extinct. We can do so' fabricating but it's gonna cost ya extra."
"Yeah?" Honey brown eyes looked out towards the distance, squinting in response to the sun. "Can't work out some sort of deal then?"
"Ya taken to bartering already?"
"When it suits." Gabe said with a smile.
"Alright, lessee what we can do."

The contractor ushered Gabe over to an adhoc tent erected in the field, table covered in schematics and pricings. The future sheriff approached with a bit of skepticism, knowing full well that money wasn't the main form of currency on Sulon. It didn't really mean that much, galactic standard not held to something as sacred as in the core.

"Now, ya got yourself several locales that needs repairing. Thinking 'bout a hundred creds per cubic yard of duracrete. Now, thats a fair deal and I wont have no arguing over it." He looked towards Gabe with a raised eyebrow, skin tanned and wrinkled like old leather.

Gabe gave a smirk followed by a questioning expression. "So, where can we make a deal?"

The contractor stood up from the table and crossed his arms. "Well, word is ya got yourself a position over at the law enforcement group. Happens that I have a few tickets, all unjust and what not, over some misdemeanors and the like. Nothing too boisterous, just tomfoolery and the like."
"And you'd have me try and use my new influence to smooth some things out? That about right?"
"Aye, that's about it."
"And how much would it cost for the fabrication without such influence."
"10,000 creds for time and materials. Plus labor and admin work."
"I'll get you the credits. Send me the estimate with cubic yards added in."

The man scoffed, putting his hand over his chest. "Ya sure about that? 10,000 credits is a lot of money."
Gabe approached, sniffing, as he looked out towards the distance. "Ask me something like that again and a few counts of tomfoolery wont even scratch the surface. For now, we'll just pretend you didn't even bring it up." He smiled and patted the man on the shoulder. "It was good to see you this morning. Tell the family I said hello. Take some bupse fruits with you, for the wife."

~​

​

Making his way back to the homestead, he entered in through the breezeway and cut on the caf maker. It steamed with fervor as pushed through filter and beans. Filling two to-go cups, he entered into the kitchen where he found Spark still finding herself, it seemed. Placing one cup in front of her, he took a sip and smiled. "You ready to go?"

​

[member="Spark Finn"]​

 

[Spark Finn]

[member="The Revenant"]

"Too many early. Smiles," grunt left her groggy-face as her thin-fingers, clearly meant for datapad typing, clutched the caf cup Gabe handed over like a lifeline. Shuffling out the door, she managed a nod and risked a gulp of what she called the elixir of life. Blue-eyes squinted in the noon sun, like a garhoon who wasn't allowed to go out in the daylight.

Mmmm. Hot. Strong. #goodcaf

Squish. Squish. Squish. Looking down, she saw the mud on one of her converse. #ohno

Before getting into the speeder? She assumed they were taking that, the almost awake blonde dragged one foot along the grass. Now she resembled a pale and petite zombie whose equivalent of brains was caf.

Sliding into the speeder, speckled-gaze regarded Gabe. "Ready?"

#cheeky

She took another sip of caf. And another. And another.