Private Unknown Territory

[Sabine Galen]

Curled up in the co-pilot's seat—her seat—Sabine watched as the planet came into view. It was a marbled blue orb, dotted with sparse browns and greens and wide expanses of tawny brown desert. She glanced sidelong at Cassius Droma in the pilot's chair.

The two of them had faced death (at least twice), they'd completed missions, and the two Knights had even been traveling and exploring side by side for over a year now. But this trip was a different sort of exploration entirely, because they were together.

While there had been no confessions of love or outpourings of affection, there was something of an unspoken understanding between them now. The force was quite telling. However, this was unknown territory for Sabine—and Cassius, too—and the young Knight couldn't help but feel bashful. Hadn't Cassius already seen her without makeup? And hadn't she walked around the ship with messy hair and baggy t-shirts before? Of course, but they hadn't been... a couple then.

She'd grown up at the side of her father. Sabine had spent her formative years training dilligently and doing missions. There just hadn't been time to date. And few boys even dared to look at her when Master Galen was around, let alone ask her out. Now, she was left to navigate this strange part of life... but she was thankful that Cassius was by her side.

As she looked at him, a small smile curled her lips—she couldn't help it. But she would divert her gaze to the planet (hopefully) before he noticed she'd been staring. They'd visited Commenor most recently—and her father, Yves Galen. He'd spent the entire visit with a rather cheeky grin on his face. And he'd instructed them to "put work to the side," for a time and just do something relaxing for a change. And so, they were here to heed his sage advice.

“So,” she started. “Uh, this should be fun, right?” Sabine inwardly cringed, her voice had come out a bit squeakier than she'd anticipated. She turned and cleared her throat. “I mean, it'll be fun just going somewhere to have fun.” Oh gosh, how many more times could she have used the word fun?

 

[Cassius Droma]

Like with most things, Cassius had almost over-prepared for this by making sure they had everything they needed, from food, clothes, fuel, or any tiny insignificant thing. Eventually, he had to tell himself to relax, and that literally the whole point of this trip was to relax. Plus, they had enough credits between the two of them to cover any sort of expense they might need to take care of.

Cassius just didn’t know what to do in these types of situations. He was an excellent fighter pilot, an intrepid explorer, a skilled Jedi Knight… and yet, he’d never really been in… a relationship before. Not one as serious as this one could be, anyways. There were so many dangerous situations where he felt completely fine, in tune with the Force, but this was different. When he had started to feel things for Sabine, and felt it was reciprocated through their bond, he wasn’t sure what it was at first. As time went on, though, it just became this unspoken thing.

Perhaps this was why he was so nervous about it… what if it became spoken? Would anything change? Could things get better, or perhaps worse?

Either way, Cassius tried to feel at peace. He’d left T-4D4 behind, and it was truly just the two of them. They could probably learn things about each other that didn’t have to do with archaeology or Jedi affairs. Going to a resort world and just being normal for once could be nice.

Or, as Sabine had just said… ‘fun’.

He cracked a small smile as he felt her awkwardness, keeping his eye on the instruments as they made their approach. “Yeah… fun.”

“I think the last time I went on a vacation was…” his mind went back to Naboo, when he’d met the queen and helped retrieve her lightsaber from a thief, “a very long time ago, that’s for sure.” He tapped in a few buttons as he sent off the ship’s transponder codes.

They broke atmosphere, and they were met with a seemingly endless sea of deep blue water, spotted with various white sandy islands. He navigated the Spectre Melody to one of the larger resorts on the planet. “You’ve got the reservations, right?” he asked, just as his transponder codes were accepted and he was given a designated landing pad.

Even as he sat the ship down in their hangar bay, he could see just how clean and pristine the facility was. It instantly gave him a sense of security – that no one would touch his precious ship here.

“Well,” he said, powering down the engines, “we’re here.”

Sabine Galen

 

[Sabine Galen]

A brow arched curiously as Cassius briefly mentioned his last vacation. For some reason, she couldn't quite picture him just lounging about. But perhaps this trip would change that; she hoped so. Sabine nodded when he asked about the reservations and reached into her backpack for her datapad. “Yep, right here.”

After a moment of scrolling, she located the confirmation and angled the screen to show him a holo-image. It was a beach-side bungalow. According to the details, it was close to the resort—without being in the center of the bustle—and within walking distance to many attractions and nightlife. From what she'd read, there was a morning market that looked rather interesting. And of course, it was right on the beach.

Reaching to the side, she lifted her backpack and put it on her shoulders. With datapad still in hand and her eyes on the screen, she stood. “So, what do you want to do—” she asked, but stopped short when her hand brushed against his as the two moved at the same time. Sabine blinked and thought to let him pass first.

But something possessed her to boldly go...

And she clasped his hand gently in hers.

Cassius Droma

 

[Cassius Droma]

He stood from his pilot’s seat, flicking some switches above him to power down other systems while activating security measures – better safe than sorry. Usually, T-4D4 would stay on the ship to ensure that no one screwed around with it or worse, stole it, so Cassius was sure to be extra careful. He slung a backpack over his shoulder and also grabbed a duffel bag – clothes and other items they might need. Sabine was asking him something, and as he turned to address her, their hands touched.

There was a moment of dead air as the two froze and looked at each other. In a burst of confidence that seemed usual for her, Sabine had grasped his hand. He welcomed the touch, reciprocated, even. His eyes softened as he looked at her, and a smile quirked at the right edge of his lips. He absentmindedly stroked her knuckle with his thumb.

“Well,” he began, answering her interrupted question, “I guess we’ll get settled, and… we’ll see from there.”

The spaceport was much less crowded and hectic than perhaps any sort of port of call he had ever been to. There was a sense of peace and serenity that couldn’t be found in many places in the galaxy. Some of that was probably by design – the company running the resort probably made sure there were no obvious machines about, and had calming water features and flora sprinkled throughout the main visitor center, itself a rather open floorplan with large windows to let in as much light as possible. At the same time, everyone here just seemed… at ease. The innumerous conflicts that plagued the galaxy were far, far away.

Just past the visitor’s center was the beach, and a boardwalk that would eventually lead to their reserved bungalow.

“I can only imagine we’ll want to try every single restaurant before we leave,” Cassius said as they passed by the various establishments on their way down the boardwalk.

Sabine Galen

 

[Sabine Galen]

As they left the Spectre Melody in the hangar and ventured out, Sabine couldn't help but beam—especially when she glanced to the side at Cassius. Walking side by side, hand in hand, Sabine could feel the flow of force energy between them. It lit a spark within her that radiated warmth. And as she turned her gaze towards the vast coast that opened up for them, it felt a little bit like this place existed just for the two of them.

It was silly; she thought to herself. But she felt positively giddy. Was this that 'teenage feeling' that people talked about? Maybe she'd missed out before, but... it was worth the wait.

“Of course,” Sabine said, nodding and smiling wide at Cassius.

There were street vendors, too. And probably some good hole-in-the-wall restaurants that only the locals knew about. Maybe they'd discover some when they went out exploring. But for now, they needed to get settled, to stash their bags at the very least. Sabine drew in a deep breath of the fresh air that was laced with ocean salt, it was refreshing.

Coming up to the bungalows that lined the boardwalk, she glanced at her data-pad once more. “Alright, this is it,” she said, nodding towards the second one. But then, she glanced down.. there was something red on the ground. Moving her boot, she squinted down at... a petal?

Then, she saw that there was actually a trail of red petals leading towards the door.

“Erm.” Sabine let go of his hand as she stepped up onto the porch and entered the security code provided to them. “At least, I think this is it.” Click. The door unlocked. Sure enough... this was it.

Cassius Droma

 

[Cassius Droma]

Cassius was also confused by the scattered floral remains across the stairs and walkway to their bungalow. Brow furrowed in curiosity, he peeked over at the neighboring house – was this perhaps some sort of local custom? Nope, the petals were just on their doorstep, it seemed. He slowly walked up the stairs, wondering just what this could be. Maybe it was a custom, and they were just here for arriving guests?

As Sabine punched in the security code and the door slid open, things became suddenly clearer. The entire floor had these red petals everywhere. They were immediately in a living area, with some couches situated around a circular holoprojector to the left, and a small kitchenette to the right. Just beyond that was a large, sliding glass door that led to a balcony/dock where they could swim or take out what looked like a small hovercraft.

Further to the left was the bedroom… singular. Cassius stepped inside the doorway, noticing that the balcony area stretched the length of the entire bungalow, and another glass door allowed them to go straight from the bedroom to the dock. The room was similarly decorated, with the trail of petals leading directly to… the bed. Again, singular. One bed? He was under the impression there would be two…

Before he could speak to ask just what was going on, a hologram of a bubbly-looking woman popped up over the holoprojector, playing a pre-recorded message:

“Welcome to Sandy Dreams resort! We hope you enjoy all of the amenities our honeymoon suite has to offer!” Cassius stole a glance over to Sabine. “Our suites give you unmatched comfort and luxury, with elegant furnishings, spa-style refreshers, exquisite scenic views, and soundproofing for privacy!” His eyes grew slightly wide as he looked over to Sabine once more. Soundproofing? “Delight in the all-inclusive restaurants and activities our resort provides, or stay right here with high-fidelity holographic programming, a fully-stocked kitchen, and a tranquility sonic soaking tub for two!” Various holographic representations of the amenities would be displayed next to the woman as she spoke. “For our special honeymoon guests, we provide a bottle of chilled Merenzane Gold for your first night, and chef-cooked breakfast for every morning of your stay! Do not hesitate to contact our offices for further service. Enjoy your stay!”

The hologram ended, and Cassius merely stood there in shocked curiosity. There had to be some sort of confusion, right? “Huh,” he intoned, putting a hand on his hip. “I wonder if they mixed up our reservation with someone else’s. Although, your father helped set this up…” Just as he said it, the last few words drifted off. Oh. “Your father…” Cassius repeated, looking to Sabine.

Now everything made sense.

Sabine Galen

 

[Sabine Galen]

Stepping inside the bungalow, Sabine's mouth dropped open. The room itself was actually quite inviting, but she had a hard time focusing on that fact. Instead, she walked the trail of rose petals until she could see inside the bedroom. Oh, force help her—there was only one bed. It was a rather enormous bed and there seemed to be a rose blossom on each pillow... and a box of chocolate-covered strawberries waiting in the middle of the lush comforter.

She spun towards Cassius, but found no words. And just as well because at that moment, a holo-message played. Staring incredulously at the chipper hologram, she listened to the many honeymoon suite amenities, most notably the... soundproofing. As her eyes met his, a bright blush painted its way across her face. A sonic soaking tub? Merenzane Gold? It was all very... romantic. But at the moment, the two of them might have been more comfortable locked inside an ancient tomb.

When the holo went dark, Sabine covered her face as Cassius mentioned her father. “Oh my gosh,” she murmured into her hands, voice muffled. A palm slid down her face and pressed against her lips for a moment. What could she possibly say?

As she took a second look at the room, she breathed out a sigh.

Her father only wanted the best for her—for both of them. This place was pretty great. And the two of them had lived in close quarters for the last year. Okay, so they hadn't shared a bed before... but could they? They didn't need to do anything.

The thought only made Sabine's blush rosier.

“Well,” she started, finally making eye contact with Cassius again. “If he's paying for all of this... we might as well take advantage, right?” she asked. And stepping closer, a mischievous glint would shine in her eyes.

"Let's order all the room-service we want," she whispered, laughing softly.

Cassius Droma

 

[Cassius Droma]

Master Galen had certainly thrown them into the fire together. It was rather unusual, given the stereotype of the overprotective father – especially that of a Jedi. However, Cassius felt that Yves regarded him as a good Jedi, and a steadfast archaeologist, someone who ‘fit right into the family’, so he would say.

He smiled warmly at Sabine, already feeling the awkward tension melting away. “Yeah, I guess if we’re not footing the bill… we should enjoy ourselves.” He stepped forward in answer to her movement. With his free hand, he placed it on her hip and pulled her even closer, planting a soft kiss on her forehead. There would be time for more intimacy… but at the moment, Cassius was still holding a duffel bag, with another strapped over his shoulder.

Stepping into the bedroom, he said, “Look around - there should be a datapad around here somewhere that we can use to order services.” He set down the bags in a corner of the room, and then looked around at the rose petals. He mumbled, “These are definitely gonna have to go.”

Raising his hands, a small breeze moved through the room, and all of the red petals began to move towards the door. Activating the sliding door, it opened just in time for the petals to all spill out to the covered balcony, and finally to the crystal blue water. They would have wilted away within no time, and then they’d be stepping on brownish-red leaves… gross.

The Merenzane Gold was on a small stand, sitting in a bucket of ice. Two glasses sat on a small table next to it – of course. Like Sabine said, might as well. Picking up the bottle, he popped the cork, using the Force to make sure it didn’t spill all over the floor. As he poured the golden liquid into the two glasses, he looked up at the bed.

“So uh… which side of the bed do you want?” he asked, handing her a glass. Figured they should get that out of the way as soon as possible.

Sabine Galen

 

[Sabine Galen]

Sabine smiled when Cassius pulled her towards him. The rosy hue was still very present on her face as he placed a kiss on her forehead, a tender action that left her a bit breathless. Mingling so close, she smiled fondly up at him. Maybe it was the ocean air, but she felt more at ease now.

They were making progress towards an official change in relationship status.

Sabine finally took a breath when he asked her to look around for the services datapad, while he very smartly took care of the romantic mess. “Good call,” she said, grinning as she, too, stepped into the bedroom. Walking to the nightstand, she spotted the datapad waiting—and displaying the text 'we're here for you!' As she scrolled through the offerings, a bold-letter message popped up advertising a special 'couple's massage.' Goodness. This place really went all out. There was an impressive and almost overwhelming number of menu options, but the spice braised bantha cooked in a tajine looked interesting. And the salads looked light and refreshing. With so many options, she didn't know just what she felt in the mood for yet.

She tossed the datapad onto the bed as she kicked off her boots. She climbed up onto the bed and settled her head against the cloud-like pillows. Her shoulders relaxed, and she might have looked at risk of sinking into the blankets and getting lost forever. She opened her eyes at the sound of Cassius asking about which side of the bed she preferred, and looked to see him holding out a sparkling glass of Merenzane Gold, which she accepted. After a dainty sip of the bubbly liquid, she grinned.

“This one,” Sabine said, giving her current spot on the left a pat. “It's comfy, you really ought to try it.”

After another sip, she set the flute down on the nightstand next to the bed and traded it for a chocolate-covered strawberry. “Mmm,” her eyes fluttered closed again. Sabine finished her strawberry and then lifted another, which she held out to Cassius.

“Want one?” she asked with a giggle.

Cassius Droma

 

[Cassius Droma]

Sabine had chosen her side of the bed simply by laying down on it. He’d handed her the glass as he took a sip himself – luckily, this seemed to not have a lot of alcohol content. Either that, or it was masked heavily by the sweet taste. Cassius didn’t drink much at all – he usually had to be the responsible ones for his squadron buddies on space stations out in Wild Space all those years ago. That being said, they’d certainly have to pace themselves with this – who knew what might happened if the both of them were boozed up.

At the offer of trying out the bed himself, he quirked an eyebrow and froze for a moment. This had been Galen’s plan all along, it seemed. Slipping off his boots, he steadily sat down on the other side of the bed, placing his glass of Gold on the nightstand. He laid down, his head and neck hitting the pillows. Whatever the material was made of, it was soft enough to completely relax, but firm enough that he didn’t just go right through to the mattress. He couldn’t help but let out a soft sigh.

“Wow, you weren’t wrong,” Cassius said. “And it’s definitely big enough for two people…” He craned his neck to look over to her – still about two feet away at this point. His baser instincts wanted to close the gap at that very moment… but he had taught himself to be patient before, and he could be patient now. Despite the somewhat lingering fear that Sabine was close enough to him emotionally that she could clearly sense most of what he was feeling, he knew she felt similarly.

Picking up the datapad, he lightly scrolled through some of the options – all-inclusive indeed. Almost any activity or sport one would expect in a tropical place like this was offered, from food to entertainment to more specialized services.

He was offered one of the candy-coated pieces of fruit. Shifting over a bit and rolling onto his side, he propped himself up with an elbow. “Oh, thanks,” he said nonchalantly before snatching the strawberry from her fingers with his teeth, smiling at her as he bit down.

Chewing, Cassius looked back down at the datapad. “You know, we are explorers after all,” he said after swallowing. “We should just head out into the resort and look around, see what tickles our fancy. I’m sure we’ll be able to find a nice restaurant by sunset.”

If anything, they could relieve some of the tension between them by being out in public for a bit.

Sabine Galen

 

[Sabine Galen]

Sabine laughed when Cassius bit the strawberry. This playful side was a new discovery, and she wondered what else she was bound to learn about him. Her brows arched thoughtfully. “You're right,” she started, turning to lift her flute of Gold for one more sip. “We can walk the beach on the way back. Then maybe go for a quick swim.”

The crystal waters were calling, and the calm waves were literally right outside their balcony after all. And she had purchased a new swimsuit before the trip. Speaking of which, her eyes flickered over towards their bags. “Just give me a sec,” she said, setting the glass down again and sliding off the bed. “Gonna get changed first.”

After a moment of rummaging, she took a few items into the rather spacious master refresher. Closing the door gently behind her, she marveled at the sonic soaking tub. Wow, maybe they needed to install one on the Spectre Melody. Sabine shed her traveling clothes and changed into the sleek black bikini she'd picked out. But she wasn't going out like this, so she added a white shirt-dress cover-up over the top to make herself a bit more presentable while also fitting the relaxed island vibe. Taking a moment to check her reflection, she noted the change in her appearance.

This beachy ensemble was pretty feminine. Especially compared to the khaki trousers and loose-fitting tops and boots that she normally wore out exploring.

Slipping on a pair of sandals, she gathered her clothing and opened the door again. “Okay, I'm ready.”

Cassius Droma

 

[Cassius Droma]

“Sounds good to me,” Cassius agreed to the plan, his gaze moving past the sliding glass door and out to the water. It seemed endless from this perspective, and there was plenty of space allocated just for them, as there was a good thirty meters of space between them and the neighboring beach houses. For a moment, he wondered what they would be doing right now, if it weren’t for this trip. Perhaps they’d be pouring over some data they’d collected, or exploring a tomb…

Whatever the scenario, this current one was much nicer, no doubt.

As Sabine said she needed to go change, Cassius nodded. “Alright,” he said, realizing she was probably going to put on swimwear for their walk back. He figured he should do the same, and went to grab the shorts he’d bought – the first pair of recreational swimwear he’d ever owned. There weren’t exactly any beaches on Rinn, and almost every time he went in the water after he left, it was in a diving suit.

He also put on a loose-fitting white tunic, clasping down at his side. While not ashamed of his body by any stretch of the imagination, he wasn’t about to just walk around shirtless, either. Also in his bag was his lightsaber. He felt the cold steel in his palm for a moment, rubbing the etched symbols with his thumb. No need for this, right? The likelihood of needing it here, of all places, was pretty low. Plus, he was fairly capable without it.

The door to the refresher opened back up, and Cassius looked over as Sabine indicated she was ready. His eyebrows went up – he’d never seen her like this before. Hardly an hour into this trip, and they were already learning new things about each other. Luckily, he liked what he saw.

Snapping himself out of it, Cassius finally breathed out, “Yeah, okay – let’s get going.” He made sure the sliding glass door was closed and properly locked before walking through the bedroom, living room, and out the front door. Going down a few of the steps, he offered his hand out to Sabine, like a prince out of a fairytale.

Sabine Galen

 

[Sabine Galen]

As Cassius locked up, she grabbed an empty canvas tote bag out of her backpack and made sure she had the essentials (minus her lightsaber). She took a few steps, and then ducked back into the bedroom to grab her datapad, just in case. As she walked through the bungalow and out the door, she put the tote securely on her shoulder. And she found Cassius waiting on the stairs, his hand outstretched.

Placing her palm in his, her lashes (and heart) fluttered.

It was all starting to set in now; Cassius was her boyfriend. As they started down the walk, they passed others walking hand-in-hand, gazing fondly at one another. We're just like them, Sabine thought with a smile. For once, they could blend in with the crowd and leave their Jedi responsibilities behind. It was going to be a lot of fun just doing... couple stuff.

Along with the restaurants, casual diners to fancy sit-downs, there were stands set up along the boardwalk. And it looked like they had a little bit of everything. Sabine squinted, there was an Atrisian place that offered noodle bowls and rice rolls. The scent of ginger was in the air as they passed by. It had a big line, so the food must've been decent. But, Sabine had a particular craving that she was looking to satisfy.

“I'm in the mood for something spicy,” she said, glancing at Cassius. And she pointed at a stand that had a rather large cut of bantha spinning slowly on a vertical rotisserie. The chef was hand-cutting thin slices right off the spit and sliding the heavily spiced meat into little tortillas with fresh salsa, onions, cilantro and bits of tropical fruit.

“That looks sooo good,” she said, and canted her head. “What about you? See anything you like?”

Cassius Droma

 

[Cassius Droma]

Walking down the boardwalk, hand-in-hand, things began to feel… right. Cassius had no idea how much the unspoken nature of their relationship had given him anxiety until it was no longer unspoken. Did she feel the same way about him? Was he just into her because of the proximity? There was no doubt about those things anymore. Now they were a unit – they could more freely express their feelings for each other. Perhaps not in words, but in how they communicated through their emotional bond, and how they looked at each other.

With the sun getting lower on the horizon, the boardwalk was becoming more and more lively. Food stands were opening up, and a cacophony of different smells wafted about, from sweet, savory, to spicy. The sizzle of meat, the slapping of knives on cutting boards… there was an energy that still seemed peaceful, somehow. Everyone here was at ease, and enjoying themselves.

There was a food stand that Sabine seemed keenly interested in. When asked if anything caught his eye, Cassius almost responded that nearly everything looked good. It felt like it had been so long since he had eaten anything that he didn’t prepare on the Spectre, or had just stopped in a quick restaurant while on a mission. Reminding himself that there would be plenty of time to try most of the establishments during their time here, Cassius finally responded:

“It’s been awhile since I’ve had bantha.”

Soon, they were sitting at a small two-person table next to the water, paper boxes of food in hand. Cassius looked out over the water, which was reflecting the setting sun with brilliant oranges and purples. “You know, I hope we don’t get used to this,” he jokingly said, smiling, “we might not want to go back to archaeology if we stay too long.”

Sabine Galen

 

[Sabine Galen]

Sabine breathed a content sigh as they sat by the water. And a soft smile tugged the corners of her lips as she looked out towards the waves. Even though the sun was dipping behind the water, the island was still warm, and the light ocean breeze made it just right. Now, that most of the awkwardness had dissolved between them, Sabine felt at ease—she sensed that Cassius did, too.

The two of them had seen many sunsets together, but never basked in it like this. It was a day for many firsts, after all. Her gaze shifted across the table. The light played nicely in Cassius' golden hair, and it highlighted his handsome features in a way that made her blush again. No doubt, the swell of affection was clearly communicated through their bond, even if not in words. Sabine laughed, and her smile remained when she responded to his jest.

“I guess we'll just have to plan some more missions like this,” she said with a nod. “I mean, there are a ton of research opportunities. Like, finding the best taco place.”

Opening a small container of blazing red salsa, she drizzled some on her first bantha taco and took a bite. It was hot. So hot that her eyes immediately started to water, and she fanned herself with a napkin. After a little sip of her iced-tea, she continued.

“And like any mission, we do need to document our findings properly, don't we?”

She took the datapad out of her tote and snapped a picture of her food. Then, she moved her chair next to Cassius and held the datapad up to snap a selfie. Holding the datapad up to a pleasing angle, and she leaned in close to Cassius to arrange the frame with them in it and their island backdrop.

Cassius Droma

 

[Cassius Droma]

She seemed to, in a joking way, liken their trip to another type of mission all together, with objectives such as finding the best taco place. He couldn’t help but smile at that – he supposed that he was the first to refer to their time here as exploration. As she took a bite of her taco, he did his as well, giving a small groan of satisfaction as the spices right his taste buds in just the right way.

“Oh, wow,” he said while chewing, holding the back of his hand up to his mouth. After swallowing, he said, “I’d say mission accomplished. I don’t know if any of the other stands would be able to top that.” He took a sip of water to help wash away the heat, and poised himself or another bite. Sabine began to take a picture of her food, and he couldn’t help but roll his eyes a little, but still smiling.

She scooted closer to him, and Cassius was slightly apprehensive. He wasn’t much for taking holos of himself – the only times it ever happened was when the scanning droids would accidentally pick him up while recording a site. Always able to think on his feet, however, he knew just how to alleviate his little bit of embarrassment.

As Sabine leaned in close, he turned to her and kissed her cheek right as she snapped the holo – able to hide at least half his face and still make it look cute.

“If I see that anywhere on the HoloNet, I’m gonna make you live in the shuttle for a week,” he laughed before taking another bite of his food.

It was then that he realized how comfortable he was, and how there was a lightness about him – almost literally. He was so used to having his belt weighed down with gear, or at the very least his lightsaber, that not having it on at the moment was so freeing. Was this what it was like to be normal? He could hardly remember a time when it felt to be like this. For the longest time, he had either been a patrol pilot, a Jedi, or an archaeologist – always on some mission, always training, always having… responsibility.

Now, his only responsibility was sitting next to him, and she was responsible for him, too.

Sabine Galen

 

[Sabine Galen]

“Aww, are you sure? It's really cute,” she teased, her voice light with laughter as she playfully nudged him with her elbow. Sly one, Cassius Droma, placing a kiss on her cheek at the very last moment. Sabine admired the image with a wide grin before shooting him a look that said 'don't worry,' and sliding the datapad back into her bag.

As they finished their meal and the sun continued to sink below the waves, Sabine figured it'd be best to walk the beach before it got dark. After cleaning up the table and disposing the trash, she glanced down the stretch of shore. Colorful beach towels accented the dunes, and several sunbathers were still trying to soak up the last rays of the day to color their tans (and a few painful shades of burnt red). She doubted they'd find any beach treasures with the area so crowded, but maybe she'd luck out and find a shell or two to bring back as souvenirs of the trip.

“I think I'm ready to get my feet wet,” she said with a nod towards the waves. It did look rather refreshing, especially after the spicy tacos she'd just enjoyed. Taking a couple of steps onto the sun-warmed sand, she pulled the cover-up off and gently folded it to fit it into her bag. Though she had a svelte figure that was lithe and lightly toned, she couldn't help but feel self-conscious. But there was no need to be shy. Everyone else was wearing swimwear of various sorts—some women (and men) had things on that could barely qualify as bathing suits.

When at the beach, right?

Taking a few steps towards the water, she let the next wave rise to wrap around her ankles for a moment. It was pretty nice, rejuvenating, even. Sabine bit her lip slightly and cast a glance over her shoulder Cassius and arched her brows as if to ask 'coming?'

Cassius Droma

 

[Cassius Droma]

They’d managed to find a decent stretch of beach that wasn’t too crowded – there were some Twi’lek kids who were playing in the water maybe twenty meters down. There was perhaps twenty minutes of sun left, so some were already packing up to head back to their rooms or bungalows.

Cassius couldn’t help but look as Sabine removed her dress-shirt. Even after a year of living together, he’d never seen this much of her before. They’d still managed to be very private people, despite having rooms directly next to each other, with separate refreshers and everything. So now, seeing her like this, and knowing that she was totally fine with him seeing this much of her, just added to the whole experience.

If she could be comfortable, then so could he. He unwrapped his light tunic and sat it on her bag as well, having not brought a towel or anything to protect his clothing from the sands of the beach. He stretched his arms over his head, getting his shoulders a bit more limbered up. As Sabine looked back at him, he smiled and raced past her, getting to where the water was just under his knees and then diving in head first, skimming along just under the surface.

The water was incredibly nice – he wouldn’t be surprised if there was some sort of temperature regulation system the resort had to make the water a consistent temperature at a certain range from the shore. He was even able to open his eyes underwater without them burning. Popping back up, he stood and ran his hand through his now-wet hair, slicking it back.

Sabine Galen

 

[Sabine Galen]

Standing in the surf, Sabine aimed a backwards glance at Cassius as he removed his tunic, and she grinned as he ran towards the water. She laughed as Cassius sped past her, and she held her hands up to shield against being splashed as he went.

For a moment, he disappeared beneath the water's crystal-clear surface, and she craned her neck to see him. Then, he rose from the surf, glistening. Her mouth dropped open. She'd had no doubt in her mind that he was fit beneath the typical Jedi garb he wore (not like she'd ever imagined him without it), she had seen him in action many times now. But the sight of his toned shoulders, chest, and arms made her pale countenance burn up. And she may have murmured, “wow...” Her heart might also have stopped for what felt like the longest moment.

Time to cool off...

She bit her bottom lip as she stood ankle-deep. Sabine stared at Cassius, his light hair now a shade darker as he slicked it back. Crouching slightly, she prepared for her next move. Pushing off her foot, she launched herself at Cassius, with a light touch of the force to help power her movement. And she would wrap her arms around his middle, planning to take him off his feet and down into the water.

It was reminiscent of how they had first met... those years ago in the desert of Klatooine.

Cassius Droma

 

[Cassius Droma]

As Cassius looked back at the shoreline, he saw Sabine standing there, not moving, as if she was maybe hesitant to come in. She was just kinda staring at him for a minute. He was confused – was there something wrong? Did his shorts come down or something? He glanced down… nope, everything was where it was supposed to be.

The moment passed like a fleeting shadow, and she excitedly charged at him, throwing her arms around his torso. They both crashed down into the water with a mighty splash. For one so small, she seemed so strong – and also, Cassius didn’t resist her too much. With the similar motion, his mind went back to Klatooine, when she had tackled him off of a speeder bike. He’d been sore for a few days after that. Who knew this would be where the pair would end up?

He wrapped his own arms around her and twisted around a little in a short bout of play wrestling before standing up, pulling her close yet again. Putting his forehead against hers, he stood there for a moment, arms around her waist. He planted another kiss on her forehead as a bit of a tease before jumping back into the water, backstroking.

By the time they got back to the bungalow, the last sliver of sun was dipping below the horizon, and the sky was as vibrant as ever – a mixture of blues, oranges, and purples made it look more like an idyllic painting than real. It was completely quiet around them, as perhaps the soundproofing worked both ways, and only some tiny fauna could be heard chirping in the background.

He stood on the back deck, enjoying the sunset. “I’m glad we did this,” he said, smiling. “And I’m glad I’m here with you.” Looking over to Sabine, he turned his attention to her and pulled her in yet again. Her face reflected the warm glow of the sunset, and he gently rubbed a thumb on her cheek. Feeling the moment was finally right, he pulled her in for a real kiss.

Sabine Galen