The Property Of A Lady

[Connor Harrison]

Galactic City; North Landing Pad
Coruscant, Coruscant System

Set 3hrs after http://starwarsrp.net/topic/47397-from-coruscant-with-love-republic-pre-sith-invasion/ ​

Established and thankfully now integrated with the Republic, ready for operations, Fixx Kearney stepped out of the Army HQ building and slipped on his dark sunglasses to shield the low lying sun. It had been 3 hours since entering but it felt like 1. Still, his credentials had been checked, his history with the CSF and intelligence operations verified. Meeting a few new faces also, it had been a good start to a new career.

With plenty to think on, including the formation of a new intelligence unit, Fixx didn’t wait long for a cab to arrive in the docking station. Throwing his bag in the plush back seats, the agent stepped in.

”Galactic City North Landing Pad.”

The human pilot nodded and waited for the queue to disperse before moving out into the evening traffic.

Fixx went for his jacket pocket and straight to the small card there. With his other hand, he pulled out his PAC20 comlink, free of the wrist strap, and entered the frequency in to reach Tyven Heavy Industries. He looked around the city as a voice answered a few seconds later.

”Tyven Heavy Industries, Meredith speaking.”

”Good afternoon, Meredith. My name is Fixx Kearney, Arlington Industries. Could I speak to Lieutenant Kayleigh Tyven please.”

”I’m sorry, Mr Kearney, Lieutenant Tyven is away on duty. May I take a message?”

He smiled. ”No. Thank you, you’ve been very helpful.”

”No problem. Thank you for calling Tyven Heavy Industries.”

Pocketing the com, Fixx started to think about what and how he should say if the girl was on the landing pad still. Looking into the distance, he noted Tyven’s mighty assault ship still docked, looming ahead and dwarfing other ships around it.

It didn’t take long for the cab to circle the ship and come down gently to the landing pad, where credits and thanks were exchanged, and Fixx stepped out with his bag and looked around for his target.


[member="Kayleigh Tyven"]

 

[Mariya Pyne]

[member="Fixx Kearney"]

Kayleigh sat on a crate on the dock skimming through her datapad of required equipment to have repaired, replaced, or restocked. Power cells, check, gas canisters, check. Air filters, check. Nav computer calibrated. Transfer circuit replaced.

The ship was just about complete with maintenance and restocking. The ship's droid crew were also to undergo maintenance. That would consume the largest portion of their afternoon, as the crew were limited in engineers who understood the inner workings of droids. Kayleigh was one of them, so she knew she would be receiving a batch to work on any minute.

A few astromech droids were on the agenda, along with security and medical droids.

"CPO, please send the droids on this manifest to the landing pad, I would like to work on them with more open quarters, and with some damn sunlight."

A few hours into the repairs and she was just about finished when a cab pulled up nearby and circled around, stopping a ways away from the pad. A man got out and began looking around. It was the same gentleman she had met earlier in the day, Fixx. She placed her wire strippers on the crate she had been using as a makeshift workbench and wandered toward him, waving.

"Hey there, I see you survived your meeting. I hope they didn't trick you into enlisting!" She laughed, extending her hand to shake his before noticing that she was covered all over in dirt, oil, and grime from the droids and repairs. "Oh...Er....I'm sorry. I'm kind of a mess. I don't want to ruin your clothes."

She motioned him to follow the short walk back to where she was working so that she could finish working on the last of the security droids before calling it a day.

 

[Connor Harrison]

Fixx smiled to himself as the cheery blonde waved and came over to him. Decorated in oil and grease, she certainly made it look good.

”Surprisingly, they did.”

Ignoring her coyness, he shook her hand gently.

”I’ll be working a little more with the Republic now. Looks like we may bump into each other often in future.”

Glancing to her ship, he let Kayleigh lead the way and he noted the amount of stock and equipment and droids taking up a good section of the pad. The ship was enormous in scale, and it was a beast. Funny to think sweetness and smiles commanded something that could wipe out a city if it wanted.

”So what have you been doing here? Looks like your building an army.”

He tossed the bag over his shoulder and enjoyed the casual walk as the city thrived around them.

[member="Kayleigh Tyven"]

 

[Mariya Pyne]

[member="Fixx Kearney"]

Kayleigh's eyes widened a bit as he announced that he had, in fact, joined the Republic's military. "You...You joined? Really? Oh wow...They must have offered you some real sweet signing bonus then." She laughed, still partially in shock.

As she walked with him back to her work area, or, rather, pile of parts and droids, she gestured with her arms open wide "Welcome to Droid hell! Kidding, of course. I'm repairing and doing some maintanence on the ship's droid crew. Command wants the ship in tip-top shape before the next mission, and there are only three engineers certified to work on droids aboard, one being myself." She shrugged her shoulders, "I'm not one to let my crew do all the work while I sit in an office and drink coffee, and I also prefer the natural outdoors when I can get it."

 

[Connor Harrison]

Fixx walked under a section of the hull, craning his neck back to look at the intricate detailing and engineering. He wasn't an expert on the ship development side of things, but good design was easily recognisable. He talked as he looked.

"No bonus, but there's room to develop certain areas in the military side of things."

He turned to Kayleigh.

"Not closing departments I mean, don't worry. Expansion, maybe. Re-designing."

Stop talking, man.

Walking around the other side of the pilot, Fixx gave her his attention and looked at the wide variety of mechanics around them both. He was impressed, clearly she had both Bs. Beauty and brains.

"Will you join me for a drink, after you're done here? Just one. I'd like to know a bit more about what you really do. What the Republic does. All without getting oil and grease everywhere."

Fixx took a moment before looking at her, playing it casual, but keeping it honest.


[member="Kayleigh Tyven"]

 

[Mariya Pyne]

[member="Fixx Kearney"]

"I see. So they want you to spruce up the sectors of the military with something new? Interesting. The Navy hasn't changed a thing in....Well...Since i've been in it over 7 years now."

Kayleigh let out a soft moment of laughter at Fixx's proposal. "I'd like that. I should be finished here in about fifteen minutes. I just need to get this last security droid up to speed here." She sat back down on the pad and began stripping the wires from the panel behind the droid's back, re-wrapping them and fusing the new wire with the old to prevent shortage. "If you don't mind waiting, I'd like to shower first. If you'd like, you are welcome to wait aboard the ship while I freshen up a bit."

 

[Connor Harrison]

"Sounds good to me. I've nothing else planned so take your time."

While Kayleigh busied herself with the droids, Fixx took out his com from his left jacket pocket and inputted some data with his fingers. Namely, TYVEN, KAYLEIGH. With a few swipes and taps, Fixx downloaded what he could on the girl and her associated involvement with the Republic for the last...what did she say - 7 years.

Slipping the com into his pocket again. Fixx slowly walked around the droids and inspected the intricate detail of how they were assembled. With great care and attention. She certainly had a lot to her name for someone who looked young.

"7 years and you've got all this property under your command? If that's not working under pressure I don't know what is."

Heading to the large loading ramp that was down from the ship, Fixx casually strolled inside the expansive hold. He was genuinely fascinated by such ships, and hadn't been able to investigate them for a long time at his leisure. Hands behind his back, Fixx took his time and turned to where Kayleigh was sat just outside.

"Just shout when you're ready, Miss Tyven."


[member="Kayleigh Tyven"]

 

[Mariya Pyne]

[member="Fixx Kearney"]

While Fixx marveled at the ship's design and aesthetics, she overheard his comment regarding her time served with the military, and what she had under her command. "Well, to be fair, this isn't exactly my ship. I am a temporary fill-in. Generally, lieutenants do not have their own ship of anything this size. The previous Captain however, fell ill and required a medical discharge. Until they find a replacement, I am the stand-in." The girl smiled, before returning back to the droid at hand. "Will do!"

Roughly ten minutes later she finished, reactivating the droid and running through a series of checklists with her datapad. "Everything looks good, SD-643. Report back to your post." With that, she headed up the ramp to the inside of the ship and motioned to Fixx. "I will only be about twenty minutes, I just need to freshen up. You are welcome to grab a bite to eat in the mess, otherwise if you'd like to wander and talk with the crew feel free. If all else, you're welcome to wait in my quarters closest to the bridge. I will try and hurry so I don't hold you up from anything else you have going on today."

 

[Connor Harrison]

Listening to her talk, it should have been obvious to him this wasn't her ship, but regardless of rank, she came over highly professional and focussed on duty which was admirable and just what was needed.

As she joined him, boots ringing out over the durasteel ship, the agent nodded."Thank you. Like I said, I've nothing else on now for the next few days until I decide to integrate myself with the Republic. Take your time."

Watching her leave, he took off his sunglasses and slipped him into his pocket. He followed her at a distance for a few moments, casually looking into various holds and quarters, passing droids and officers who regarded him with a polite, if curious, look. An unknown an in civilian clothing walking around a Republic ship wasn't something you saw everyday.

He followed Kayleigh to her quarters, ambling along casually, leaning into her doorway. He coughed gently.

"Excuse me - I was looking for the mess and...seem to have lost my way."


[member="Kayleigh Tyven"]

 

[Mariya Pyne]

[member="Fixx Kearney"]

Kayleigh turned as she heard Fixx's voice in the entryway, her hands holding a bit of clothing to bring with her to the showers. "Oh...That's right. Some directions to the mess would be helpful, huh? I apologize. I'm a scatter brain sometimes. At any given time there's 300 things running through my head and I tend to space out. If you continue on down the hall here, take your second left and head past the engineering crew's quarters, the mess is the first left. If anyone gives you a hard time just tell them to see me. That should hush them up. They are a good bunch, but sometimes a bit hot-headed."

She looked down at the clothes she had gathered. The girl was 25 and never really went on anything even remotely similar to a date. She wasn't even familiar with the concept. She ran her hands through her hair for a moment before lifting up her two options. "I have this dress I've never worn." It was an elegant, form-fitting A-Line black dress, with a thin white accent belt around the waist. "Or I can keep it simple and throw on a clean uniform. So since you're here, preference?"

 

[Connor Harrison]

The agent nodded as he remembered the directions - but guaranteed he would get lost. Either way, he would grant the pilot time to refresh and make the most of seeing the inside of a Republic ship and also the way of the crew.

"If I'm not back in 30 minutes, send out a search party. Thank you Miss Tyven."

He smiled and left the door way.

A couple of seconds later, his hand appeared as he pulled himself back, head peering around again. He inclined his head to the dress.

"The dress, of course. I think you deserve to let your hair down."

Fixx gave her a small, warm smile and left the doorway again, moving down in the direction she said, her voice clear as anything in his head. The sound and smells of the ship became rich, loud and vibrant. He hadn't felt more alive in months without facing down the barrel of a blaster.

[member="Kayleigh Tyven"]

 

[Mariya Pyne]

Kayleigh laughed as [member="Fixx Kearney"] popped his head back in to offer his opinion of attire. "The dress it is then. Oh, and I will be sure to send out the search and rescue."

As he exited the room she shook her head, her smile cracked towards the right side, swelling her cheek a bit. She pressed the button alongside the hatch on her quarters to close the door. The girl then proceeded into the bathroom to wash the day's muck and grime from her body. It didn't bother her, she was a grease monkey, it was part of who she was, but that's not to say she didn't appreciate the "lady look" now and then. Typically she only wore dresses to very formal things, such as banquets or weddings. Even at THI she generally wore nothing more than a pair of pants and an appropriate shirt. Meredith would wonder who had abducted the girl and replaced her with a clone should she ever come to work dressed up like that.

Once she finished, she turned off the water, wiped the steam away from the mirror, and began getting dressed and applying some aesthetically pleasing makeup. She wasn't a heavy makeup wearer, but a touch of eye-shadow and mascara never hurt, right?

 

[Connor Harrison]

Fixx held the black bag tight as he walked down the expansive corridor, taking a left and noting there was seating against the wall. Checking his surroundings, he took a seat and placed the bag next to him. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his com and activated it, a faint green glow illuminating his face.

He waited for some information coming through on Kayleigh, but decided not to look at it. There was no need as he’d find out what he wanted soon enough. Checking his messages, it was an empty page. Killing the transmission, he pocketed the com and sighed.

Going to his bag, he unzipped it and took out a little pouch and took out a couple of round mints that he ate quickly with a crunch. Dropping the pouch back in, he noted the Republic documentation about his new line of work. He reached down and pulled it out, opening it and beginning to read it.

The sounds of engineers talking and droids passing by didn’t distract him, blue eyes glancing over words, names, locations. It was now that Fixx started to feel self-conscious of his suited attire – it really wasn’t the best look to try and fit in amongst the Republic, especially on a ship such as this.

As a tannoy crackled into life overhead, it brought Fixx back to reality, unaware how much time had passed. With a sigh, he tucked his documents into the bag and closed it. Taking it in hand, he got up and headed back down to Kayleigh’s quarters. He peered around the archway of the door and was about to knock, when he saw movement in the frosted door ahead.

He hesitated for a second.

He knocked gently.

”Last call for Miss Tyven.”


[member="Kayleigh Tyven"]

 

[Mariya Pyne]

[member="Fixx Kearney"]

Kayleigh adjusted the small white belt on the dress so that it was no longer loose. Drying her long dirty-blonde hair quickly, resulting in her signature curly waves, she heard the knocking on the door followed by Fixx's voice. "Coming!"

She finished getting dressed, stepping into a simple pair of black 2" heels to slightly mediate their height difference before stepping back out into the main room of her quarters. Kayleigh smiled, nodding to him. "I apologize for the delay. I occasionally lose track of time and require a nudge to get moving."

 

[Connor Harrison]

As she came back out from her back room, Fixx couldn’t help but smile at two things. One; how different she looked out of a uniform and grease and oil, and two; how pretty she was.

”Please don’t apologise.”

Waiting for her to get her attire just perfect, and her hand-held belongings, Fixx stood back as she walked out of her quarters. And noticed he wasn’t the only one giving her attention; the crew passing by and finishing up out on the landing pad certainly were pleased to see her.

He looked over and chuckled softly. ”Must be a rare thing for them, seeing you off duty.”

Leading her out towards the loading bay, he stopped.

”I don’t know how long you have before you move out, so it’s up to you. Do you want to stay on ship, which I can’t for one imagine you would in a perfect world, or do you have time to accompany me to a wonderful little place just on the outskirts of the city. Takes minutes to get to, it’s not far.”

[member="Kayleigh Tyven"]

 

[Mariya Pyne]

[member="Fixx Kearney"]

"They have never actually seen me this off duty." She giggled, As they continued down toward the pad, she thought on his question, "We haven't been given a departure notice yet, so I should have enough time to go off the reservation a bit. Worst case they call me back I suppose, but I think we should be okay. I'd be happy to get out of here a for a bit."

She glanced back toward the inside of the ship, "Besides, if I stay here any longer, the crew won't get anything done. So I am open to going wherever you had in mind."

 

[Connor Harrison]

"Perfect. Come with me."

Fixx held his arm out for her to take, still carrying the bag in his left hand, as he took her out of ship feeling very much alive, heading to the docking station to call a cab.

- - - - - - - - - -




Skysitter Restaurant
Galactic City, Coruscant ​

The cab had taken 4 minutes from the landing pad to reach the Skysitter, an exclusive restaurant and bar just on the edge of the Senate District. It towered high above the city and offered one of the most awe-inspiring and picturesque views of the entire planet as far as the eye could see.

Fixx probably bored Kayleigh with some useless information about the city they were in as they arrived and stepped out onto the golden staircase. Diners and those out for a drink passed by as he led her up the stairs, the light casting over them both in a warm glow.

On entering, it didn't take long for him to get a comfortable table by the edge of the bar, looking down on the city. Decorated in plush leather sofas, stools and paved with muted neon lighting with a singing Zabrak providing soulful entertainment, it was a very cosy and relaxing place to be.

Fixx extended his arm for her to take a seat in either sofa opposite the low glass table.

"Welcome to the Skysitter. So Miss Tyven, what do you drink off duty?"

[member="Kayleigh Tyven"]

 

[Mariya Pyne]

"Woah. I've never been here. Hell, I've never even heard of this place. You do have an eye for fancy things, huh?" She smiled, the right side of her cheek puffing out as she took her seat.

The city looked magnificent from here, as well as the interior of the restaurant. This was a very ritzy establishment. The chandeliers made of fine crystal dangled about the ceilings in perfect rows. The glasstop tables sparkled underneath the light provided. The bar was heavily stocked, and the stage was substantial, enough for an entire band to play and a lavish dance floor accompanied it, though at the moment it was relatively empty, save for a pair of elderly humans likely celebrating some landmark of their relationship or birthday.

"I've always been partial to Cassandran Brandy, though most places I've found do not stock it. And you? What is a man of your stature fond of?"

[member="Fixx Kearney"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Pulling up the holopad built into the table, Fixx rubbed his hands together as he looked over the various drinks from all corners of the galaxy; Rodian spice liquor, Corellian rum – ah! There it was. He tapped two choices and looked over to the bar, pre-empting the courteous glance as the order went through.

”Shesharilian vodka for me. Neat, over ice.”

Sitting back, he looked around the establishment and back to Kayliegh, beaming in the illuminated light.

”Forgive me, but I’m interested to know - what’s the biggest operation you’ve had command under? You seem to know your way around a ship and electronics.”

An astromech droid wheeled over with a tray, beeping to signal their drinks had arrived. Taking both glasses, both short with gently frosting, Fixx handed the brandy to Kayeligh and raised his glass.

”To the Republic. And those fighting for her.”

He smiled and took a small sip of the drink, letting it warm him instantly.

[member="Kayleigh Tyven"]

 

[Mariya Pyne]

[member="Fixx Kearney"]

Kayleigh placed a finger over her lips, lightly tapping in thought. "The biggest operation? Nothing of particular extravagance, honestly. I've ran a number of scouting parties, some planetary defense and patrols, but nothing particularly noteworthy yet. Waiting on a promotion in the Republic is like trying to pull teeth from a Rancor."

She giggled softly, shrugging her shoulders as the drinks arrived, and Fixx raised his drink for a toast. "To the Republic, and to new friends." The taste of the brandy was almost heavenly. It had been a very long time since she simply sat and enjoyed a drink. "So, do you typically land at starports and pick up women? Or did something catch your eye this time Mr. Kearney?" She smirked, leaning back into the comfortable seat, her glass resting in her hands on the top of her knee.