This Is Who We Are

[Lief]

Nar Shaddaa​

​

They had risen with the sun.

Lay there as she was, facing the breathtaking views, she could not help but feel awe. Nar Shaddaa had never looked to beautiful, in fact she had always thought it would be impossible to look that way, and yet with the lights still flashing, and dawn casting an odd hue over the moon, she could not help but smile.

She had slipped from the bed without waking [member='Ar'ekk'], and made her way through the apartment into the kitchen. He didn't have much in the way of a pantry, but there was enough to work with, so she set about making some panna cakes, hoping he wouldn't awaken in the meantime.

It took her a while to find all of the necessary things, this wasn't her home after all, and the placement of objects was foreign to her. Still, when all was said and done breakfast was ready, and settling two plates onto a tray she brought it back through to the bedroom and glanced to where they had been sleeping.

They had a busy day ahead of them, she knew, Ar'ekk had promised to take her out to the bazaars and who knew what they would find there.

Still, it didn't make sense to rush out without breakfast. The question was, was Ar'ekk even awake yet?

 

[Arekk]

Ar'ekk had spent weeks without being able to sleep and the night before it had taken its final toll. The streaks of weak light coming through the blinds touched his eyes, waking him up a few minutes after Jyn had returned with breakfast to their bed. What a feeling it was, to have her here alongside him without anything to worry about.

All the moments they had spent together so far consisted of running away without stopping yet here they were; time seemed to had stopped and it was finally time they would cherish entirely. Just peace.

The apartment's automatic system had opened the blinds in every room and the morning dawn was breathtaking for anyone to witness. The day couldn't be any more beautiful, with the Smuggler's Moon still active as ever with people moving in all directions.

Looking at his side stood the most beautiful thing he had in life, his hand holding hers tightly in appreciation.

"I see you've made breakfast." he took a moment before continuing, "But I don't think I had much in the refrigerator to offer, right?"

He hadn't lost his sense of humor despite everything that had occured. Always looking at the bright side of things, how ironic. Life had a funny way of telling you things. He tried not to look at things, for now.

A warm smile formed upon his face when their eyes met once again, during that delightful morning. He sat on his bed to comfortably eat alongside Jyn, the sheets that were covering the lower part of his body were moved away because the temperature was hot enough and it annoyed him.

He had a preference of sleeping shirtless so if she were to look closely, she would notice the scars present in his back and torso from the many battles he had taken part of through the years, a constant reminder everywhere he went at any given time.

"Did you sleep well?"

But none of that mattered anymore. The present and the future was the only thing he cared about the most.

Her.

[member="Jyn Sol"]

 

[Lief]

Settling down onto the bed beside him, Jyn could only smile at his question.

The tray was placed between them, and when he settled his hand in hers she brought both up to kiss the back of his hand, meeting his gaze levelly.

"It doesn't matter how empty a pantry might be, there's always something which can be made from nothing." That spoke for more than just breakfast, too. Look at how far they had come, from the very edge of the abyss, they had nearly splintered apart and yet somehow they had held on to what must have been the tiniest of strands.

Shuffling up the bed so that she was actually sat and not simply perched, she settled her back against the headboard and let out a small sigh, watching the view through the window before turning her attention to breakfast.

Panna cakes were far from her favourite, but they would fill both of them up and give more than enough energy for the day ahead. She took a few bites, before glancing across to Ar'ekk to ensure he was enjoying his own.

Her eyes lingered on the scars, and though she was no stranger to such, bearing more than her fair share upon her own skin, she reached out to trace a few, with a soft frown. What she wouldn't give to take away all the hardship he had faced. Alas she knew it was not so simple.

"I slept well, thanks to you," she whispered, a smile replacing the frown as her cheeks turned to a light blush and her attention returned back to breakfast in order to hide that fact. Soon they'd be done eating, and the mysteries of the bazaar would be opened to them.

[member='Ar'ekk']

 

[Arekk]

The delightful smell of the panna cakes invaded his senses, his mouth drooling over the exquisite look they had on the plate.

Reaching out to caress her cheek after Jyn released her grip, his hand moved towards one of the cakes and carefully took a bite in an attempt avoid letting crumbles fall on his chest. With a grin upon his face and a stomach no longer grumbling, you could tell the breakfast was a success.

"That's a perfect way to say it." He said back in acknowledgement, understanding the deep meaning of her words. Overcoming so many hardships had turned them into stronger people, bonded by common occurances. They had each other's back for whatever was to come, no matter how big the abyss looked like from inside.

He noticed the blushing on her cheeks as they turned into a slight crimson, smiling from ear-to-ear. Feeling energetic that morning, they would be ready to head out into the bazaar of Nar Shaddaa. Its many venues and vendors would offer them a plethora of things to enjoy and look through, making hours feel like days should they walk through each single one of these places of business that were designed for that very same purpose.

"I couldn't say no last night, otherwise you'd have me by the ear."

The morning sunshine was beautiful and would leave anyone in awe, the two of them were lucky enough to admire it from that high above the sky. Soon enough, they'd be going outside to enjoy the warmth of the sun and continue their path in life.

What life had in store for them? You couldn't say. But one thing was certain; Their future was theirs to forge.

[member="Jyn Sol"]

 

[Lief]

The morning went by rather quickly, with the pair sat happily eating and relishing one another's presence.

Alas, it could not be another day full of relaxation for them, as they had made plans to visit the streets of Nar Shaddaa! More specifically the wonderful Bazaars which were held within. After a quick trip to the refresher, to wash off the grime of the day before, Jyn cheekily borrowed one of Ar'ekk's shirts and dressed in appropriate attire, something more civilian than she typically wore.

She didn't have her ship directly with her, so she had to make do with what she had. Still she ended up looking mostly put together.

Once the two were ready they vacated the apartment and ventured all the way down into the lobby. It was quite the descent, but thankfully turbolifts made light work of it.

Soon enough they were stepping out into the bright day which had dawned, and instinctively Jyn reached for Ar'ekk's hand without much thought. It was surprisingly chilly, apparently autumn was falling upon Nar Shaddaa, at least it felt that way. Did moons have seasons? Who knew.

"Where to first, Master of the Bazaars?" she inquired, with a coy grin plastered on her lips.

She was excited to live a little.

[member='Ar'ekk']

 

[Arekk]

His wardrobe didn't offer much regarding a style that was appealing to the public eye, just good enough to look good in front of the masses. Picking out one shirt and the rest was the easiest task for a man like Ar'ekk and the trip to the refresher would only take less than ten minutes. Yet, the last few moments were spent starting at the shaving mirror in what seemed to be lost thoughts.

There was no need to make use of a speeder to reach the Bazaars, these ones being just a few blocks away from the apartment complex where Ar'ekk lived. Everyone knew who he was due to the sole reason that the young half masked warrior spent most of the time mingling with the business men in this area, most of them working legal fronts to sustain their family's lives which he felt compelled to contribute with by offering certain deals that would benefit them both. However, everything was left behind and assigned to others due to obvious reasons.

Once they stepped out of the lobby, the chilly wind touched their faces and the bright sun faded away momentarily. Jyn reached to grab his hand and he held to hers tightly too, not giving much thought either. The Smuggler's Moon had much to offer and the young man was the host for today's walk.

"We should visit Ravik's shop. Ask for the most difficult piece to find in the Galaxy and that Duros will have it or know where to find such thing."

The way to the bazaars would only take a few minutes if they picked up the pace. It was bound to be a busy day.

[member="Jyn Sol"]

 

[Lief]

Her fingers laced with his as they began their venture out into the cold.

She was regretting not having a jacket, and though she knew the Force could stave off the tepid temperature she wasn't one to use it so mindlessly... The night before not counting. Goosebumps rose along her skin, but she didn't seem to notice or care, quite happy to simply be in his presence on this walk through life.

Or Nar Shaddaa... Either of them.

"Ravik sounds intriguing, wherever you think is best, Querido..."

Offering him a very happy smile she practically skipped along the path, a few block was nothing - back on Aurum she took daily hikes through the jungles, sometimes opting to jog or sprint, and after so long cooped up on a ship traveling here... It was nice to stretch her legs.

"Are you looking for anything in particular, or are we window shopping?"

Thankfully Jyn hadn't left everything on her ship. She could feel a stack of credit chips weighing down her trouser pockets, not the best of methods - there were cards, after all - but Jyn had never bothered to apply for a bank.

After all, until more recently she hadn't exactly had a home to reference.

[member='Ar'ekk']

 

[Arekk]

NAR SHADDAA​

The Bazaars, Lower Promenade​

​

They reached the main entrance to the Bazaars in less than a minute during their walk, most of the paviment path sheltered by transparent metallic roof panels. Its shops were lit up by neon advertisement and obnoxious sellers trying to sell you their wares, expected if you ever decided to set foot here. Most of the people here recognized Ar'ekk by just looking at him, saying a plethora of good words as he walked along. Respect, he had earned it due to giving these hard working individuals a helping hand when they needed it.

"I was thinking we could do a little window shopping, guess it doesn't hurt. There's a bunch of places we can visit, the block is almost endless."

His wealth had increased through the course of the last few months but that didn't mean he was filthy rich when it came to credits, that's why he kept most of the cash stashed away in secure safehouses instead of carrying a hefty sum in his pockets. Most of the things he bought from these vendors were put on a tab he would pay after in the commodity of his own apartment.

"Do you want anything in specific, though?"

The deeper you ventured within the block, the brighter all the lights became. Those who spent most of their day here could tell you a thousand stories how they can't tell if it's day or night due to the apparent lack of sunlight coming into the most profound parts of this commercial area.

[member="Jyn Sol"]

 

[Lief]

It was bright.

Brighter than she had anticipated.

She blinked as she took it all in, stepping through the archway into the mayhem. Jyn could not help but press closer to Ar'ekk... So many people, so many feelings to channel away from herself, to keep from overwhelming her. It was almost too much. Her hand squeezed his, acting as an anchor and providing her with a much needed distraction. Her skin was already beginning to heat up, though it hadn't turned ashen so that was a good sign.

With a small intake of breath she got her mind under wraps, and smiled across at him.

"I haven't window shopped since I was a child on Kaas... This ought to be fun."

Surprise ran through her as countless merchants called out for Ar'ekk specifically, some even by name, it seems he had built up quite the community here on Nar Shaddaa... A community she was dragging him away from. A pang of guilt rose, and she looked away from him in a brief moment of shame.

She wasn't doing it to hurt him. She just wanted to help... Stave off the darkness which had taken a grasp within him. Neutralize it a little... What he did then was on him, and if he wanted to return then so be it, she wasn't going to stop him.

"I don't know, I've grown accustomed to not owning much. Every time I get my hands on something it seems to break or disappear."

One stall in particular, however, caught her eye. It was full of cages and reptile terrariums, exotic creatures just lay there for the world to see. And through her innate senses when it came to animals, remnant of a bygone era with her baby Fuz, she knew their distressed state.

Indignation rose within her then, and without much thought she began to pull in that direction, her hand still firmly held within [member='Ar'ekk']'s.

 

[Arekk]

The warmth of her grip against his hand was palpable and he noticed right away, clashing glances with Jyn to make sure everything was alright. It was just a matter of taking a brief pause and moving on, staying relaxed and keeping your mind straight. A visit to the bazaars was nothing to be taken lightly because you'd be laying eyes on so many things you'll probably lose track of time.

"It's fun when you find things that you like, of course. I never really ventured through these places except for specific reasons."

Truth be told, everyone who approached and called Ar'ekk by his first name were friendly individuals, hardworking people who invested their time and wealth on his person to reach certain goals or status that wouldn't have been possible without his assistance. All in all, his organization went beyond being mere criminals and offered a helping hand to those who really deserved it such as your regular merchants, single mothers/widowers and else. The scum of the Smuggler's Moon and their relationship with the young warrior was needed if he wanted to operate within their territory which he eventually took over, but that's just something that comes with the life led.

He knew that once Jyn crossed that door ar The Hawk's Den, the criminal life he had been living was over for good. Not a single decision would be taken by himself and no relationship whatsoever with the people he had associated with was meant to continue by having delegated such tasks to his personal bodyguard and now acting leader of The Hawk's Circle, Scourge.

Jyn's interested peaked and was drawned towards an exotic animals stall owned by a female Rodian called Veeda. She was a trader and owned a shop on the Smugglers' Moon while working as a spy for a local Hutt cartel. Ar'ekk had spoken a handful of times with the alien after having trouble with local shoplifters, the first given the mission to "take care" of the issue, therefore being owed a favor for the near future which could prove useful now should the situation require it.

"What's wrong?"

Ar'ekk found himself grabbing her hand tightly, being dragged away towards the shop, unclear of the reason for such reaction initially.

[member="Jyn Sol"]

 

[Lief]

Everything else melted away.

The lights, the people, the shouting of wares, none of it mattered to her in that instance.

Even as anger rose within her, the sights of one particular creature crammed into a cage far too small for it drew her attention and brought tears to her eyes. Her skin noticeably turned ashen, and in his hand her own felt very warm, almost uncomfortably so.

There, perched with its head hiding as best it could, was a little fat monkey.

She looked upon it with an uncontainable fondness, one solitary word leaving her lips. "Fuz..."

But it was not her darling companion, the coat wasn't even the same. Just another of his kin'. That didn't matter, though, she knew those creatures, she had seen them in the wild, in their own habitat, and this was cruel.

All of it was cruel.

"This isn't right" she said, directly to [member='Ar'ekk'], her eyes falling over each and every cage, "They're suffering. They aren't happy."

She could feel it, and where she had been able to ignore the emotions of the various sentients around them, this was different. If she didn't calm herself down soon her skin would turn to fire, and that wasn't something anyone needed to see.

 

[Arekk]

It hurt seeing her like this. Her feelings afflicted in the most agobiating manner possible, tears going down her cheeks as a profound sensation of sadness invaded her, remembrances of a loved companion that passed away. Jyn called him Fuz, apparently a little fat monkey that she seemed to care about the most. Ar'ekk understood what this meant and acknowledged her words with a simple nod, him walking towards the female Rodian in charge of the stall.

"I will speak with Veeda. See if I can convince her to release them from their cage, one way or the other."

Deep in his heart, the young warrior knew he had to stay calm in order to reach an amicable solution with this shopkeeper but also knew that she wouldn't give in so easily. It was her only way of earning and taking away from her would only end in the nastiest of ways, he had to be careful when speaking.

"Greetings, Veeda. I see your business is going great after your problem was handled by The Hawk's Circle. Tell me, are you selling these little animals?"

A brief silence took over the conversation but the female Rodian eventually answered,

"Alquono deg apprefaron, Greeata. Prog mnete enyaz ftt sove shuss."

A sly smirk was broadened by the half masked man when the price was mentioned since it was a little over the board as any of the other wares sold here in the bazaar. However, money wasn't an issue for the man himself yet this would take a little more than that.

"Four thousand credits? I hope you are not thinking of selling these to me. I'm here to pull that favor you owe me. I want them released, unhurt."

The Rodian laughed at Ar'ekk's pitiful attempt at dissuading her to release the little caged animals and instead refused to do so, raising his voice ever so highly yet not enough for anyone to hear.

"Fna ho koru gep. Kras ka noota. Ka noota! Grot pleno ka Gorba spulta?"

He laughed faintly at her intimidation attempt and moved forward, grabbing her by the neck and going inside her little shop as her feet stopped touching the ground.

"You're going to release them one way or the other. Don't dare to threaten me."

Close call to losing control. He realized quickly that Jyn was watching the entire ordeal so he released his grip from the alien's neck, who promptly went ahead and opened all the small cages that contained several exotic animals that also included the little fat monkey.

"T-te jacta, skrek grulla woska!"

Everything was done in a rushed manner since the shopkeeper was scared to death due to Ar'ekk's physical intervention, the latter walking back to Jyn as he waited for her next move.

All the animals were finally free, as she desired. It was the right thing to do.

[member="Jyn Sol"]

 

[Lief]

Before the cages could be opened, Jyn stepped in.

It all happened so quickly that she was glad she had managed to catch it when she did, Ar'ekk had gone from calm and amicable to raging in a heartbeat, and while it spooked her somewhat the thing that bothered her more was the thought of so many exotic creatures so far from home.

"Wait," she breathed, reaching for the Rodian's hand before she could open each of the cages, then glancing over to Ar'ekk.

"Four thousand for all of them?" she asked him, not speaking the language which had been uttered. She knew some, but there were so many in the Galaxy that it was hard to keep tabs.

"I don't want you in poor standing with these people, Querido... And these creatures aren't native to Nar Shaddaa, they won't survive. If... If I'm going to order something done about it, then I'll at least compensate the woman in some way," She definitely didn't have four thousand credits to her name though, "And I'll release them back to their homes. Which means we need them in their cages just a little while longer."

Guilt ran rampant within her, and her skin gained flecks of molten lava beneath the surface, just enough that [member='Ar'ekk'] might begin to notice.

"Do you trust me, Querido?" she asked, genuinely concerned about losing him again.

 

[Arekk]

His hand ran through her exposed cheek briefly, nodding to her commands. If there was something certain it was that she wouldn't lose Ar'ekk at all, not now and never. He managed to control the urge of snapping the Rodian's neck and instead backed off, a clear improvement over the last few months.

"You're right. The least I want is to make a fuss here in the Bazaars, not good for business." Ar'ekk said back to Jyn as he looked at Veeda with bloodshot eyes, removing a credit chip from his belt and slapping it on her hand. It was more than she could ever ask for every single animal trapped within these cages, enough to live a comfortable life and stay away from these type of shady dealings. No more animals would be hurt after this, that was a fact.

"We'll take them home with us. The price for them has been paid."

The dirty money was put to a good use after all, the road to "redemption" getting shorter by the minute.

"I trust you with my life."

[member="Jyn Sol"]

 

[Lief]

That one simple gesture was all she needed to ease up.

In an instance the ashen skin turned a pale pink, then somewhat tanned as the colour returned, and the overheated sensation of her hand lessened back to a comfortable level. She turned into his touch for a moment, lost in the feel of his hand on her cheek, in the way it made her feel so soothed, and then she stepped back, allowing him to do his thing.

She had no idea what it was he handed the woman. It was a credit chip of course but... She hadn't seen anything like it before. Genuinely she was curious, but she did not ask, now was not the time for such.

As she stood there, glancing over the creatures, she realized rather grimly that most had likely been bred in captivity. There was something about their mannerisms, the sense she got from them, that made them seem a little too placid, as though they'd never truly been wild in the first place.

That made her sad.

It also made her realize that releasing them into the wild might do them more harm than good.

When he mentioned keeping them, taking them home to Aurum, she could feel her chest lighten further, and her heart swelled with joy.

"Yes... Aurum. We'll take them to Aurum, and we'll care for them, and give them as much space as they need. Could you ask the Rodian for a list of species? I would like to do more research. These creatures are not wild, they were bred in captivity... Releasing them would be wrong, but Aurum? Aurum has plenty of unused space..."

It would be quite the undertaking, something that would take months of hard work, but in the end it would be worth it to see them happy.

She reached out, gently taking his hand in hers again before leaning up to press her lips to his cheek.

"And you mine" she whispered.

Her attention was torn by the little fat monkey, and again her heart ached for the loss she had sustained all those years ago. Without thinking she stepped to the cage which housed it and, despite the fact she had been adamant against doing the same to the others, opened it calmly.

The little creature stared at the opening, until Jyn reached inside and gently brought it out.

"Hey there, little one," she breathed, taking her hand from [member='Ar'ekk'] momentarily to stroke behind the creature's ear. Fuz had always loved that, and it seemed the sentiment was shared by his brethren. Through the Force she carefully eased it up, keeping it from becoming spooked and running off, yet it seemed as though there was little need for that.

The monkey wrapped one arm around her neck, the way Fuz always had, and nestled in close to her face, crawling up to perch on her shoulder while chittering away in a very happy fashion.

Tears fell then, most sincere, and she looked to Ar'ekk in utter adoration.

"You brought him back to me" she whispered, voice breaking, "I love you..." It was out there before she could contemplate what had been said, and while many would wish they had not, that they had held back for a more appropriate time, she felt no need to relinquish that and pretend it hadn't been said.

None at all.

 

[Arekk]

Before he could ask the Rodian about the list that Jyn requested, she had already brought in a datapad with all the necessary information regarding these creatures. It was theirs to keep, a gift from the alien herself that despite being held by the throat a shy five minutes ago. He felt really bad about that and apologized profusely for the outburst to which Veeda agreed with entirely.

The joy about this reunion with the little cute fat monkey brought nothing but happiness to his heart, a sensation that faded away over time and thought he could never experience again. This was different, a honest sensation seized their body and minds completely. Her tears and excitement when speaking and interacting with this wonderful being had the young warrior lost for words, feeling he had done something that meant the world to Jyn and that was something that gave him peace.

"I love you more, darling."

Sincere love. That's all they had to share for each other and holding back these true feelings would do more harm than good, nothing else mattered in that instant. It was them and the little monkey against the world, a strong bond forged by love and sincerity. More powerful than the Force or an ancient weapon, indeed. Capable of overcoming the ugliest of hardships and walking above mountains, reaching impossible places. That's what they had built until that point and much more awaited them.

The little monkey was now attracted to Ar'ekk and swiftly moved away from her to gently rest on his shoulder and leaning his fat arms against his head. It was a strange sensation but definitely a happy one as well, he enjoyed the moment they had together. His arm wrapped around Jyn's shoulders and brought her closer for a lovely embrace and a kiss in the temple, the little monkey hugging both right in the middle.

Life was good.

[member="Jyn Sol"]

 

[Lief]

While Ar'ekk had tended to the Rodian, and taken hold of the datapad which contained all of the relevant information, Jyn's attention was locked upon the fat monkey which had just as readily imprinted on her as Fuz had.

Perhaps it was her connection to the Force, the way she had a natural knack for knowing what an animal was feeling, what it needed, what it liked, or perhaps this fat monkey had a natural disposition toward human contact. Who knew the lives they'd led until this point.

It wasn't until her beloved [member='Ar'ekk'] spoke that her attention was drawn away from the cuddle butt on her shoulder to the man who had secured his release, and a most sincere smile played upon her lips. A deep crimson blush settling over her cheeks which had only recently returned to a normal colour.

She was going to dispute it, this claim he made, but her heart was doing backflips, her stomach filled with butterflies, and as quickly as the fat monkey took to his shoulder the trio were embraced in one large motion.

Hope flowed by the bucket load, hope for the future, hope for now, hope for a smidgen of normality, hope that they could make this work.

All of it. Their love, their plans back on Aurum, in the Force and where the creatures were concerned.

Of course... Now they had a lot of work to do. Even before they could return to the apartment and enjoy one another's company in solace as she so much wished to do. She was exhausted, and they hadn't been outside for particularly long. Dealing with rampant emotions was tiring, and she all but collapsed into his embrace, happy to simply stand there for a while.

 

[Arekk]

"We'll need a bigger ship to transport them all. Probably can squeeze the smallest ones in the Ebon Hawk's cargo hold but the rest will have to go in a bigger transport, something I can arrange just fine."

All the logistic had to be planned and executed perfectly if they wanted to take these exotic animals out of Nar Shaddaa safely and without triggering any alarms, that's why the freighter owned by Ar'ekk was the perfect choice to smuggle these poor things in captivity out of the Smuggler's Moon. Underworld contacts were something that the young warrior had by the thousands and arranging the transport of the bigger animals wasn't a complication, so neither should worry about that matter.

The little monkey decided it was time to cuddle with Jyn and carefully made his way from Ar'ekk's shoulder towards her, gently gripping to her head. It was a cute thing to see and that melted his heart somehow, an overload of happy emotions being spread out. Shortly, he turned towards Veeda and spoke to the Rodian once again.

"Appreciate the business, Veeda. And once again, apologies for that." Pointing at her sore neck, a sorry smile broadened upon his face.

All the animals remained calm and quiet inside their cages despite being locked up for a considerate amount of time, at least that's what he thought. The day was still young and there were a bunch of other things to do left since after all this was the planet of merchants and avoiding good deals were almost a sin.

Their embrace was joyful, full of love and care and each other showed the same amount of happiness in their faces. Turning to her face and gently stroking her hand he spoke: "What's the next move?"

[member="Jyn Sol"]

 

[Lief]

She was beginning to feel remarkably better now that the situation had righted itself, with just a tiny gnawing bit of anxiety remaining in her chest.

Jyn willingly took hold of the fat monkey as it rested on her shoulder, giving it all manner of fussings. Then she looked to the cage, far too small for a creature such as it, one she had first hand experience raising. Her gaze shifted up to [member='Ar'ekk'], before she let out a tiny frown. "I can't bring myself to put it back in that cage" she whispered, trying not to offend the Rodian but being sincere in her words, "Do you mind... If it stays with us?"

While she had told him about Fuz before, she didn't exactly know if he remembered and so very quickly, before he could be skeptical, she added, "I know how to care for one, he won't be any bother unless he spies a tasty treat..."

She was grateful that he was taking charge where the shipment of the creatures was concerned. She ought to send a message to the Je'daii Council to inform them of what was happening, hopefully in the week or so it took them to get back to Aurum they could have at least a crude perimeter set up, or at the very least secured a less used building to house the cages in until such was completed.

Cages.

How Jyn despised them.

 

[Arekk]

The apparent sincere bond between Jyn and the little monkey and his understanding of a previous loss couldn't bring him to say no to her about what was requested. Even if the monkey could try to do something like stealing some food or just being overall silly, Ar'ekk knew that she could take care of him just fine.

"I don't think there's any need to put him back in the cage. We can keep the little monkey, if that's what you wish. He seems to like me too a bit."

An ear-to-ear grin broadened on his face, his eyes lit up as the little monkey waved its little hand at the young warrior in an apparent gesture of appreciation or at least that's what seemed he was doing. The Jed'aii Council would be promptly informed of the incoming "shipment" and the matter would be taken care of without hassle, the transport heading to Jed'aii territory being able to go through several space stations without raising any flags.

"The people I know will take care of this, I've sent them a message through a secure network. We can continue checking the Bazaar or do something else. What do you think?"

His hand rested on her shoulder as he inquired, Ar'ekk's eyes lost on her sapphire blue ones.

[member="Jyn Sol"]