Wanderers

[Chloe Blake]

It all started innocently enough.

With the way the 'verse was goin', there was always some time to be had to just get some R and R. Lately, with the damper that Corellia wasn't what it was, Chloe Blake had times few and far between where she could relax and take part on what the Gods had so blessed her with.

Her pops was alive. There was no better blessing than that. Granted, they'd lost the farm and the bulk of the fields on Corellia, but they still had the Twin planets for her grandfather to do what he would. The Blake family came from sturdy stock, and they would survive this as they had plagues, wars, famine, and the like in the past.

As it was, Chloe would find delight in getting a little R and R of her own. Mail call had come at their last pit stop, a place where Micah Blake knew to send packages to. Much to her delight, in there was a package from her beloved grandfather.

The note that came with her present said the following.

Happy birthday, baby girl. Love you, Pops.

The contents of the box would bring a glow to her face and a wide smile. It was a bottle of Whyrens Reserve, stock pre Gulag Plague. One of the few to have survived the Netherworld attack. Priceless, she knew her grandfather sent it to cheer her some.

A Corellian thorough and thorough, she wasn't the sort to let it collect dust. No, she was the sort to toast for all she had thanks for and enjoy it thoroughly.

A wild thought came to her then, and with a mischievous grin, the blonde would take the bottle and dash through the Aurora. Without further ado, she slowed her step, bare feet coming to a stop as they tiptoed to Jannik's room.

Dressed in her usual, pj's and all, the blonde would poke her head through the opening, searching for the man there in.

A whimsical grin would paint her expression, and the bottle of whyren's would make its appearance. There was a mischief in her eyes, and an invitation in her smile.

"Guess what pops sent me?"

 

[Jannik Morlandt]

As was more often than not, he was buried deep in the things he did when doing nothing else, and often enough he was caught up in those other things, be it the matter of attending to his charge, Choli, or being in the company of and company to Chloe. This made him far beyond the mere dipping of toes in the waters as they lapped at the shore - aye, he was long washed out to sea on the waves of her wanderings and doings, and even his own student was a valuable cog in the workings of the Aurora Hawk.

He noticed more and more her comings and goings as time lulled and rushed onward. Not that she was coming and going any more often, no... but his attention had become attuned to the particular patter of her feet, the swish of the clothes on her back, and the niggling thought as to whether she'd caught him noticing her more and whether it mattered. It also wasn't so often that the soft pad of her footsteps would come to a stop at his door, like now.

"Hm?" was what came from him, the 'pad falling to his lap with assistance as his eyes were drawn up to the cavity in which [member="Chloe Blake"] stood, "Oh."

A pause, a blink.

"Oh!"

The look of her in pyjamas wasn't the easiest thing to put aside, and... the bottle. A particular kind of bottle that spoke to parts of him that were considered dead, according to internal agreement. Well, they were supposed to be, but the mind was funny. One corner of his mouth pulled unavoidably upwards, and his eyes warmed. The look in hers said a lot.

"Something you might need help with, by the looks of it."

 

[Chloe Blake]

With a devilish grin, Chloe was quick to prance into Jannik's quarters.

"I just might," she would let out with mild glee, wiggling her eyebrows at the man. Her hair would flutter around her, golden flaxen waves that would brush just past mid waist. Her face was scrubbed clean, leaving nary a trace of hydraulic fluid or grease upon her form.

Without further ado, and with no real thought of consequence, Chloe would quickly pad over to plop herself down upon Jannik's bed. It gave a slight bounce as she sat upon it, bare legs revealing a bit more flesh as the hemline of her pajama's hiked up just to midthigh. That was the thing about Chloe, she had no real thought about circumstance. She gave it her all.

"That is.. if you have the time?" Chloe would ask, canting her head to the right as she would ask her question.

 

[Jannik Morlandt]

Her glee was often infectious, the other corner of his lips joining the first, and when it became apparent that she was aiming for the bed on which he was reclined, he sat up and swung his legs around to go over the edge of the bunk just in time for her to plop down around where his calves and feet had been. Speaking of legs... his eyes went so very quickly back to the datapad, not focusing on the words it held while the elder portion of his psyche fixated on the woman next to him, and the younger wrestled with the whole thing... well, for a few moments, at any rate.

"Time?" He parroted back, shutting the 'pad off and setting it aside, pulling his eyes up to her face. "Yes, of course."

He had all the time in the universe, yet none of it at the same time.

"What's the occasion?"

 

[Chloe Blake]

"Mm.." she would glance around. Did he have cups? Well, i guess it really didn't matter. She would cross her legs, making herself comforable. Jannik had been a constant for her for the past months. Going on a year really. It was nice. Normally, she would be traveling the 'verse by herself. Jannik by far had made it a far more interesting experience.

"It's my birthday." she'd confide to the seer with the low hush of one revealing a secret to the other. Her eyebrows would waggle, and she would start to twist the top open for them to enjoy the distilled spirit. Bright blue eyes would dance at the revelation.

"Do you have any glasses?" she would ask, tossing the cap over her shoulder. It was a preview on just how this night was going to roll.

 

[Jannik Morlandt]

"Your birthday?" he said with a soft mock-gasp, "And I didn't get you anything!"

There was a bright glimmer of the cheekiness that had been strong in years past, chased by a short string of laughter. In truth, he hadn't known it was her birthday; the subject had never come up, somehow, in the almost-year they'd been gallivanting across the stars together. He couldn't put a finger on the last time his own birthday had been celebrated... but such things had gained an air of unimportance on his part, considering the circumstances of his strange existence.

"Glasses? Hm..." he said, casting a searching glance about the room, "...no, afraid not."

His gaze made its way back to the form of the loosely dressed, loosely coiffed woman next to him, then to the bottle now freed of its cap, then to her face.

"This wouldn't be the first time I've drank right from the bottle," he said, more than one memory of imbibing the very same variety she held in her hand bubbling to the surface of his mind, "unless the birthday girl would like me to fetch glasses from the galley...?"

 

[Chloe Blake]

[member="Jannik Morlandt"]

"Mmm," Chloe's eyes danced with certain glee, wiggling her brows. She scrunched up her nose, wiggling it like a rabbits, giving a shake of her head. Loose blonde waves swayed about her shoulders with a near whimsical flair.

"I reckon we do well without, no?" another bright sunny smile flashed his way, along with a friendly wink. If anything, Chloe was always a breath of easy going companionship. Bringing the bottle up, she got to it with removing the cork top.

"Between you and me, figure we can do well with it," the bottle gave a slight pop as she uncorked it, and her face burst into surprised glee, giving a light laugh. Nibbling her lower lip, she shimmied her shoulders, extending the bottle up in mock toast.

"To the worlds promising untold opportunities." she sang, bright blue eyes latching upon Jannik's with whimsical delight.

 

[Jannik Morlandt]

[member="Chloe Blake"]

His body relaxed by a measure, no longer poised to the potential of getting up and gallivanting off for those vessels of drinking, and he watched her uncork the bottle. A deft action that spoke to some practice and made his eyebrows creep upwards a smidge. This body hadn't ever made with uncorking a bottle of anything, but memories that were both his and not his made his hands feel a ghosting tingle of fond and familiar; his fingers curled in towards his palms at the feeling.

"Quite well!"

Yes, quite, quite well. She saluted with the bottle and the motion pulled a genuine grin from him.

"Aye, to the countless and endless!"

 

[Chloe Blake]

[member="Jannik Morlandt"]

Both brows rose with a waggle, and she went tipping the bottle into her mouth. Liquid fire burned in her mouth, taking a large sip as the Whyren's reserve smoothly slipped down her throat. If there was anything her granddaddy was good for, it was whiskey. The Blakes had it in them to make Corellian Gold just like their forefathers centuries before. If anything, it was the proof that they were Corellian thorough and thorough.

Her arm extended the bottle, encouraging him to take a drink. The pink tip of her tongue went sweeping across the fullness of her lower lip, and she gave a slight chuckle. Once he'd take the bottle, those legs of her shifted, moving her as she scooted on back until she was flush against the wall. Leaning against it, she gave a content sigh.

"Mmm... you ever figure you'd be travelin' this much?" she asked him, curious to know.

 

[Jannik Morlandt]

[member="Chloe Blake"]

Watching her drink drew on his attention in quite another way. It was the first time in these many months that he'd seen her do such a thing and that made it perhaps a mite more interesting than it would have been otherwise. In ways, she didn't seem the type, and this belief only informed him that he was far from having the full measure of this Corellian nailed down. He took the bottle, needing no encouragement, and intook a hearty swig, wiping his lips with the sleeve of the same arm while she repositioned herself.

"I had," he said, and the bottle came down and was extended back to her when he adjusted the way he sat, scooching back to where he'd been before she had come in, that he might have an eye on her while they talked and drank, "but all of this..."

He signified in a general manner with a flourish of his hand in the air above himself.

"...was not how I intended for it to happen," and he smiled thinly, "life and the Force... the best-laid plans, as they say."

 

[Chloe Blake]

[member="Jannik Morlandt"]

Chloe shined him with a mysterious grin, her shoulders giving a soft roll in a nonchalant shrug. "Mmm," she agreed, reaching out to take the bottle from him.

"Grandpa always said we've a time and a place, that the Gods have a purpose for us." Being Corellian born and raised, she took to her grandfather's teachin and in that came the faith of a true believer. The Corellian Pantheon might be a bit outdated, but it gave Chloe Blake her joy and her guidance. The Jedi Order had the Force. Others had the Sacred Way. Chloe had her Faith. If there was anything she could believe in, it was in trust to what greater power had planned. A might bit old fashioned, but it was what made her who she was.

"Whatever path we take," her free hand would gesture as if to trace a path in the air, "We've a place to be." she gave Jannik a sideways grin, "So what were your best-laid plans?"

Curiosity sparked in her eyes, brightening her expression. One leg curled free from her cross legged position, stretching out in front of her, knee lightly bent. Bringing the bottle to her lips, she took another swig as her leg lightly began to rock from side to side.

 

[Jannik Morlandt]

[member="Chloe Blake"]

His hands settled into his lap, nothing with which to occupy them, the bottle having traveled to her. The stretch of her mouth as it expressed, smiling, grinning, joyful, taunting, inviting, cheeky... each having their own distinctions with which he had gained much familiarity. Her words trailed to her faith, the faith of her forebears, a quality of hers he appreciated more than he might have as a younger man. Some would look at him and see physical youth at first blush, but the lines... the aura, indescribable and intangible pushed the feel of otherwise.

"To expand my knowledge and give my students..." a small smile, "... my student a wholly better, broader experience than what I had within the unfortunate, narrow view of the order in which I became what I am. Jedi."

A hand rose from his lap and raked through the long, dark strands that were once shorter and held more of a soft curl, years upon years prior.

"That being the surface, the top-layer of an answer that in truth fills a very deep, complex hole," and that was all he said on it, unless she were to chase for more, "cryptic, I know."

 

[Chloe Blake]

[member="Jannik Morlandt"]

Her musical laughter would bubble in light mirth. "Mmm, cryptic yes," she agreed, giving a small nod, the act prompting the length of gossamer locks falling over her brow. She brought the bottle to rest upon her lap, her fingers lightly encircling the neck.

Tipping her head back, she appeared to mull over Jannik's words, the smile lingering upon her still wet lips. "You are a puzzle," she'd admit, the corner of her mouth quirking up as she studied him with wide eyed curiosity. But she did more than that, her sky blue eyes observing the Jedi with the look of a woman well beyond the years she wore. More akin to the orators of old, with a wisdom beyond her years.

See, it was there in his eyes. Set in deep within those hollows, a dark brown with fathom depths. Her leg gave a light rock, and her head gave a cant to the right.

"You've an old soul Jannik." she murmured lightly, commenting with as much of a mysterious air as Jannik clung to his own.

 

[Jannik Morlandt]

[member="Chloe Blake"]

A puzzle?

"That's one way of putting it."

He felt that look, the one she was giving now that seemed to dive into his very soul, and he wasn't sure he was comfortable with it; he let her look, nonetheless. Someone had to be allowed, and who better than one he had been with day-in, day-out, almost every day, for this long? It was enough, he hoped it was.

"More than you know, Chloe," he said, his expression turning grim, "more than you know."

But it was her birthday, and the course of this conversation was bound to make a ruin of it. He extended an arm, splayed out that hand.

"Peer into the depths of my soul, will you? Is this what you do with your birthdays, lass? Hand me that bottle before it gets too comfortable where it is."

He tried a half of a sly grin on for size, served with his request that tasted more of demand than anything else.

 

[Chloe Blake]

[member="Jannik Morlandt"]


Chloe gave a short burst of laughter, her knee sliding up so she could set her elbow on top of it. Eyes twinkling, she extended the bottle out to the Jedi, setting her chin upon her open palm. Four fingers would dribble across her cheek, and her infectious laughter waned to a soft chuckle.

"Mia komerci Bey Al fluli de mit, pieteshal de lelento, Il cpini Ihn grand favel, Jannik Morlandt" «My trade is to fly with myths, stand with legends, and spin a tall tale, Jannik Morlandt» Olys Corellisi came floating from her mouth with a slight tilting crone. Her smile grew wider, and she held her tongue between her teeth for a moment in her cheeky mirth.

"Esplori n Uhl profuntelaj Al poshviv Al dir Uhl favel Bey ne shranla Al mi." «Peering into the abyss to survive to tell the tale is no stranger to me. » she added, leaning forward somewhat as if to tell a secret.

As to her birthdays...

"Esplori Mahn jusha Bey Uhl eciri." «Peering might just be the start.» she whispered with mischievous glee. Of course, there was always Sabaac to pass the time as well.

 

[Jannik Morlandt]

[member="Chloe Blake"]

He received the bottle, fingers wrapping around the body of it and grazing hers as they left the vessel in the care of his grasp. He split few seconds in delivering the mouth of the bottle to his lips and tipping it back, the liquid washing over his tongue and burning down his gullet as she began to chatter in words that he had heard at points here and there over the preceding many months, only enough to grasp small snippets of understanding - not enough to fully understand at all. The bottle broke free from his face.

"Oh, is tha'.." he paused, and he jabbed a finger in her direction, the remaining fingers retaining a grip on the bottle of Reserve, "..is that how it's going to be, then?"

He leaned forward some, himself, with some taunting of his own...

"You might as well be gibbering at me in Verpine."

...the depth and breadth of experience and knowledge that had merged with his own dredging up the key to the words she spoke, as it had every time, and every time he summarily dismissed it. He fought daily to continue to experience life on his own, as if there were still such a thing. He settled back again, a self-satisfied smirk on his face, and took another swig.

It was a terrible jab, but he was out of practice!

 

[Chloe Blake]

[member="Jannik Morlandt"]

There came a waggle of her eyebrows, a twinkle in her eyes.

"Reckon I should do something about that, no?" she countered, adding to offer a method of teaching him the old tongue as it were. "And have you get a proper taste of my native tongue."

That impish grin would widen, and before Jan knew it, Chloe's forefinger would reach up to flick at the middle of his forehead. It would be only a light rap, aimed to tap at his skin with humor. Were she to be successful, delighted, mischievous giggles would ensue.

 

[Jannik Morlandt]

Another swig accomplished, he wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and held it out to the birthday girl again. Was it just him, or was she a teensy bit prettier? She was beautiful already, for certain, but he'd kept a lot of that to himself.

"A..." he started, with a laugh, her flick at his forehead only exacerbating what he was sure he was feeling, "...a taste of your tongue?"

A little more laughter ensued, with a hand to his mouth, but there was no muffling it until he forced a cough, showing her a grin while trying hard not to stare at her mouth, her lips. Honestly, her way of responding to him had provoked this and he was failing a titch at keeping it to himself.

"That sounds like an offer I can't refuse, lass."

And he even managed to look serious for a few moments after he said so!

[member="Chloe Blake"]

 

[Chloe Blake]

[member="Jannik Morlandt"]

A bubble of mirth and impish glow would twinkle from the Corellian's bright blue eyes. With a chuckle, Chloe went leaning back to her seat, taking a parting swig of the whiskey as her back met the durasteel wall.

"Reckon we can start you off with the basics," she would add, her mischievous nature infectious as her smile. With a light sway of her knee, she would mull along, musing where to exactly start. Her mouth turned to a small 'o' as it came to her.

"Mmm!" one finger gestured in a 'ahah!' "If you want to say hello," she began, "You can say, Kha-saan-'l." Chloe slowly would present the word, her tongue rolling in her mouth as she recited it for Jannik to try.

 

[Jannik Morlandt]

[member="Chloe Blake"]

She leaned, he leaned; backs to the bulkheads again. A good mood, this was, and teasing of the likes he hadn't had for some twenty years hence, perhaps more, not since he had been a padawan in this body, in this life. One arm lapsed about his stomach, one leg drawn up for the other arm to perch, and he listened to, watched her speak and think. Her smile egged on his own, and the whiskey warmed his skin from the inside out.

"Khaa-san'l", he would parrot back in slower pace, tasting the word for the first time, his brows furrowing a moment at the pronunciation; a fist to the mouth, a cough, brows lifting, and a soft grin, he had a go of it, again: "Kha-saan-'l, Chloe."

His eyes searched her face, seeking critique, approval, a response; his arm hung out, hand making a soundless gesture for the bottle. These ears had never heard the word from any mouth but hers, never spoken it until now. It was this body that mattered in life, in here and now.