Thunderbolt [Vela]

[Corvus Dravere]

"I've been worried." He says, keeping an eye on the Rodians - he wasn't sure why. Downing more of his drink, he grit his teeth for a moment and nodded to himself. He was starting to feel a bit sweaty, and that meant it was probably time to stop drinking. "I'll probably still be worried moving forward." His lips pursed, then he shook his head.

"At the very least, the whiskey's good." He smiled at that, feeling a bit awkward now that they'd gotten their conclusion. "Say, what with the war going on and interfering with your company, what's the plan going forward?"

 

[Cyern Aarseth]

Vela decided to set her glass aside too. She could feel that not so familiar dizziness whenever she moved her head, even if her thoughts were still crystal clear to her. For a moment she considering drawing another cigarette from the box but decided to pass, focusing on Corvus and his words. Meanwhile, she gently took of her leather jacket, setting it aside on the booth. After all, drinking sent a deceptive wave of warmness through ones body and she no longer felt comfortable with the garment on.

"Well, the main branches are actually located in the core. I've got people I trust looking after everything and get reports quite often." She explained, yet that didn't exactly give an answer to his question. "They are keeping the industry working, manufacturing our current designs and the like. But until I can get off this planet, we won't be able to start working on our new projects."

"So, the plan is waiting until the first opportunity to leave appears. I hope it comes soon, otherwise things will start to look grim back home." Vela said. She couldn't afford to wait much longer before going back. Still, exiting an atmosphere when there was a civil war wasn't such a simple thing to do.

[member="Corvus Dravere"]

 

[Corvus Dravere]

His eyes went to her shoulders when the jacket came off, slightly surprised - in his tipsy state - to find that it didn't have sleeves. Then again, that's what the jacket was for. Blinking, he realized he'd zoned out in that brief line of thought, and refocused his attention on her with a shift of his posture to ensure he was alert. Sitting a bit more upright, he nodded carefully. "You're right to be concerned about leaving, but they don't have much in the way of space assets, and most attempts at interdiction are met by, well, me and my men."

He smiled tightly at that, shaking his head. Of course, they still got some missiles off, and some transports were taken down, but... well, you couldn't win every battle. "I wish I could offer some solace in how long this civil war will or won't go on, but the fact of the matter is it'll just keep going until one side crushes the other, and that can be a month or... twenty years." Those mountainous shoulders of his lift into a shrug.

 

[Cyern Aarseth]

She replied in kind, a small smile pulling at her lips. Vela was careful enough to revise over her thoughts at the time being, least the augmented confidence settled in her by the drinks allowed her to speak things she'd rather keep to herself. "That is my main concern." She agreed. Not knowing exactly when this would end or at least when a good enough chance to get off-planet would appear had all her team on their toes.

If the waited-for opportunity came, they couldn't afford to lose it. Ships could only sale for so long without their captain on board, as her father used to tell her. Even if it wasn't for the company, they all had families and friends they wanted to go back to. Of course, no one complained too much. They could be in for worse stakes. But longing was longing, and after the last months everything was becoming sour. "I know. By now, I think I'd just take up any good enough chance to try to leave, my crew would too." She added, sighing. "Even if i didn't have the company to go back to, I haven't seen my nephews in a long while." The mention of the little demons brought a smile to her face. Those kids were the pride and joy of her family.

[member="Corvus Dravere"]

 

[Corvus Dravere]

He smiled at the mention of her nephews, and then chuckled softly at her smile. "I'm sure you spoil them rotten." As any good aunt would do, of course. The left corner of his mouth twitched in his own wry amusement, but he shook his head to banish the thought of speaking further on his own life. Perhaps, in time. But not now. Not with a still mostly-stranger in a cantina on a backwater world, with a civil war at the door. "You do realize that eventually you'll just have to make the call to risk it.

But only you can decide where the line is where waiting it out becomes too arduous to continue doing."

 

[Cyern Aarseth]

"I spoil them as much as I can. And drive my brother crazy while doing so, which is always a plus." She added, chuckling. It was true, those kids simply had her wrapped around their fingers, she just couldn't say no to them. Her blue-green eyes moved to rest against Corvus', "What about you? Do you have any family?" Knowing the question could be a sensitive matter for some people, she left it loose enough so that he could avoid it with a simple negative. They'd known each other for only a day, it would have been wrong of her to assume he would be willing to share personal matters with her.

Vela offered a small, one-sided smile as a first response to the pilot's next words. "Yeah, I'm ready take my chances. Probably I would already have a while ago, but my call is also my team's so I guess I'm a bit more...worried about it than I would usually be." She did not know exactly which word to choose. Her crew had made it clear that they would follow with whatever decision she took. Yet taking a decision meant taking responsibility, and that was a heavy weight to carry.

 

[Corvus Dravere]

"A daughter." He says finally, "Pursuing a medical degree on Coruscant." Which was likely where most of his money went, besides keeping his starfighters operational. There was a darkening of his brow, and his eyes dropped, and he seemed to momentarily retract into himself. A moment later, he shook himself mentally, and seemed to become more alert. That flicker of emotion had lasted no longer than a heartbeat, but it seemed to speak far more of the man than any of the smiles he'd given so far.

That blink of an eye made it easy to see where the lines around his lips had come from. "If it would..." he paused, seeming to lose his train of thought. That, clearly, was the liquor. "Sorry, uh, if it would mollify your apprehension a bit..." he poured himself another measure of whiskey, suddenly feeling the need for some, "there is no right or wrong answer when you're in command. There are just better and worse decisions based on the information available at the time."

 

[Cyern Aarseth]

"That's wonderful!" She said, remembering how she had considered going into nursing during her teenage years. She was immensely glad she hadn't had the courage to follow that thought. Vela might have had some interest in medicine and its field but she was most definitely not cut out for it and would have made a disastrous addition to the healthcare system. "I'm sure she'll get it, she has chosen a great career." The soft smile on her lips and the brightness in her slightly hazy eyes indicated that she was being honest and not just making a statement out of courtesy.

Her smile widened slightly, knowing that she was too at the risk of losing her train of thought at any given moment. "Yeah, but I would really like to make the better choice right now." Her answer was simple, but truth. Her worry wasn't solely based on the fact that there was a lot at stake, but also in that she didn't really want to recognize that she was faced with the biggest responsibility. She had never been the kind to lead willingly, never stepped up out of her own volition unless it was absolutely necessarily. Yet she kept on finding herself in that position, and sometimes she found it hard to cope with.

 

[Corvus Dravere]

He smiled softly, "She's incredibly smart, and does well. She'll make a great researcher." Raising a brow at her words, he chewed on his lower lip pensively, then ran his tongue over the front of his teeth. "Hrm." He says, "The more you think on it, the more you'll worry. Sometimes, biting the bullet really is the best option." Those shoulders heft into another shrug.

"But in the end, you know what's best for you. Perhaps speak with your people, gauge their opinions and desires, and then work from there."

 

[Cyern Aarseth]

"I'm sure she is! Not anyone can go through that career. I certainly wouldn't be able to." As the hours advanced, less and less people were left in the cantina. With the war there weren't truly off days or weekends, she knew that most -if not all- of these people would have to rise early to work the next day. Of course, the minority who didn't really care and would pull an all-nighter still existed and right now they were loudly chatting amongst themselves, still keeping the flow of drinks alive.

"Yeah, you are right about that one." She said, smiling softly. He was simply correct. Worry wouldn't simply go away. Much on the contrary, chances were it would simply increase the longer she took to make a call. She felt responsible for this whole situation, so it was only fair that she was the one to try and solve it to. For a moment Vela just looked at Corvus, as she pondered on the truth of his words.

"I'll take the next chance I get... and pray to the Maker that I don't make a terrible call." She chuckled, knowing that there was no way in which she could ever be sure.

 

[Corvus Dravere]

Wetting his lips slowly, he studied her, surprised she was managing to keep up her good cheer for this long. A brow lifted, and then he shook his head, amused. "Tell you what, so long as I'm not out on patrol, I'll see about providing overwatch until you clear atmosphere."

It was the best he could do, in case things went south out on the front. But it was better than nothing. "It would certainly be better for you than trusting the local atmospheric fighters to keep you covered. I know your boys are likely worried for their auntie, and want you home soon."

[member="Vela Kryss"]

 

[Cyern Aarseth]

Vela looked at him, surprised by his offer in the best of ways. Still, she was quick to try and decline it. "I appreciate that a lot. But I would never ask you to do that." It was risky, and that risk was not his to take so accepting that of him was something she wouldn't feel comfortable doing. Still, she felt gratitude by the simple fact that he was willing to offer such a thing.

"I mean, I know you put yourself out there daily and that your job is as dangerous as it gets..." It needed to be said. Its not like he didn't already expose himself to dangers of that kind. "but covering for a ship trying to break a closed atmosphere...I'm not even sure the side hiring you would take kindly to that."

 

[Corvus Dravere]

He snorted, then smiled, a hand waving in what could be termed dismissive indifference. It was the motion of a man saying 'don't even worry about it.' He was, by nature, a fairly generous man - violent at times, true - but generous, and kindhearted. "They'll get their panties out of a bunch sooner or later. Besides, ship escort is pretty much a cake run. Once you're outside atmosphere, I can't do much, and that's where the real danger lay since they've been doing guerilla runs up there but... if you want off bad enough, I am in a position to help."

Which was almost, almost a case of innuendo, but thankfully, he managed to get his point across without unintended sexuality.

 

[Cyern Aarseth]

Had she not spent so much time among men during her years in the military and again when studying engineering, the potential for double meaning would have escaped her. However it did not, and with a confidence fueled by the alcohol the Vilosorian placed her eyes on the man and remained silent for a second, a cheeky smile stretching her lips. Then the laughter that had been building up erupted, and she shook her head a bit. "Sorry." She said, apologizing for giving his expression what was surely an unintended innuendo.

She took a deep breath, bringing forth whatever seriousness she could muster once more. Vela wasn't hard to entertain, laughter had always gotten her quite easily. "Well, if you are up for it, it'd really mean a lot to us. We do need all the help -and the luck- we can get."

[member="Corvus Dravere"]

 

[Corvus Dravere]

When she stared at him, then laughed, his head tilted to the right. Seemingly, he didn't quite understand what was so funny, but after a few moments it clicks, and a bit of color enriches his cheeks beyond the simple blush of recently imbibed liquor. "I, uh," he frowns a bit, eyes dropping for a moment in a manner that was almost shy, "it's alright."

Working his teeth over his lower lip as she continues, he nods once. "No such thing as luck. Just percentages."

 

[Cyern Aarseth]

Even in her slightly mellow state, Vela could notice the shy expression cross Corvus' features. She found his bashfulness incredibly cute, but made the effort of 'sobering up' her mood as much as she currently could. It wasn't her intention to go into topics he didn't feel comfortable with, specially not when they were supposed to be talking serious matters.

"True." She said, nodding. It was rarely that she used the term luck. Vela was generally happy and easy-going, many were surprised to find out she was actually a firm believer in causality and logic. "So, when do you think would be a good time for our...escape mission?" Asking him seemed the best thing to do, being a pilot he had better chances of having pinpointed any pattern in the conflict above than she had here on the ground.

 

[Corvus Dravere]

A brow rose, and he shifted to sit upright. Pouring another bit of whiskey, he took a gulp and studied the sharp lines of her face for a moment or two, letting his gaze drift over her cheekbones and down along her jawline. He seemed to be thinking, but after a moment he shakes himself and manages to formulate a response. "Well, your best bet is to let me know. We aren't helping the front every day, so it's a bit off and on. I couldn't tell you what I'm doing tomorrow, but the best bet is just to get ready and then let me know, and I can get back to you."

[member="Vela Kryss"]

 

[Cyern Aarseth]

Velathri nodded, slightly biting on the corner of her lip. It was a common mannerism she displayed whenever deep in thought. She had learnt to be cautious about it, though. Since Vilosorians had their canine teeth slightly elongated and sharp, she had lost count of the many times she had cut or punctured her lower lip due to biting on it.

"Roger that." A small smile accompanied her reply. The veiled nature of the situation didn't help to put her at ease, but she reminded herself of what they had been previously discussing: at this stage in the game, there was no way of being sure of anything. It was a risk she had to take, sooner or later. "Well, I'll always be around the the hangar bay. I'll let my team know so they are ready whenever you are." Once again, her eyes fell on Corvus' gently.

 

[Corvus Dravere]

With her teeth sinking into the fullness of her lip, he let his eyes drop for a moment, the liquor blanking his mind save for an appreciation of the curve of her mouth. Processing that he was staring again, he knew that, were he sober, he would be beating himself up for being so obvious, but with the liquor loosening his inhibitions he was more or less unbothered. Nodding, he studies her blue green eyes, and then smiles in a manner that actually reaches to his eyes for once.

The lines on his face soften, and the deep brown of his eyes almost seems to turn a shade of chestnut. Reaching up, he scratches at the beard clinging to the right side of his jaw - stubble, really - and then looks down to his glass, as though by simply looking at it, he'd derive some sort of courage, or ability to be extroverted. "That sounds like as good a plan as any." He remarks, eyes lifting up to hers. "Be a shame to see you go, though."

 

[Cyern Aarseth]

Vela could notice how his expression softened and a full smile reached his lips. The sight caused a small smile of her own to be displayed in return. Corvus was a handsome man, there was not denying that, and the calmer look was even more favorable to his features. She had shifted in her sit, and was now leaning over the table, her chin resting on her hand and her eyes lightly placed on him as he spoke.

Another smile, fuller than the one to precede it, stretched her lips at his last comment. "I can stay in contact, if you'd like. Always good to have a great pilot around." It was a friendly offer, one she would be glad to keep. Vela was a sociable person, and got along well with most people. However, there were always the rarer cases of people whom with one felt most comfortable around, found it easier to talk with. Corvus happened to be included in this group, though she wouldn't hold any hard feelings against him if he couldn't say the same. After all, they had met just a few hours ago and it was strange even for her to form any degree of trust with someone in such a short period of time.