Private Break's Over

[Shai Maji]

Mandalore's Orbit/Still the same ship​

Morning/Rush Hour​

The ship was bustling with activity on this particular morning. The battle was a victory and all was seemingly right again with the Mandalorian people. The doctors declared her fighting fit and she was free to go. She knew that was physically true, but hopefully this job of hers would help with the mental side as well. It was a job she had been looking forward to for a while now. Joti accepted her invitation and the only thing that was left was for her to return from her mission. There was also mention of an extra but Shai didn't mind. Some company was greatly appreciated.

The Shistavanen carried a duffle bag containing her gear onto her ship and stashed it in her quarters before emerging once again. Apart from a few small things, everything was packed and ready to go. Baby charted a course for a number of planets and now she was simply waiting for Joti and her friend to arrive. She stood on her ship's boarding ramp and slipped a nervestick into her mouth, letting out a plume of orange smoke through her nose as she waited. Even on her elevated position, the hangar was a mess. People ran all over to load ships or unload them. Some did their last-minute prepping for takeoff while others were powering down and handing control over to the mechanics. The Shistavanen couldn't help but silently judge the mechanics and engineers as they started to work on a fighter that seemed to have some sort of stabilization issue. Her cybernetic hand opened up at the thought and produced her hydrospanner, earning a surprised look from Shai. "Oh kark off." she grumbled as she switched it back. Even after more than a week of playing with it, she still wasn't used to the built in features.

With her hand behaving itself for the moment, she glanced around again for her friend. At least they weren't in a rush otherwise she would be blowing a fuse right about now... perhaps literally. With another puff of her nervestick she leaned against the doorway and petted Baby's dome. "They'll be here in a bit, don't worry." she said to her droid with a small smile as she glanced down at him.

Tan'yill Vizsla Aloy Vizsla

 

[Aloy Vizsla]

Tag: Shai Maji | Tan'yill Vizsla ​

If anyone present had ever doubted the claims that Aloy was the most anxious Mandalorian in the Union, Today was quite possibly the day that she herself blew those doubts out of the water. She had a new mission today, And not only would she have to explain to shay that her leg had been torn clean off between their last meeting, But she was also meeting her partner again. She'd have to explain to the woman that she'd lost her leg and changed her kriffing name, But she'd have to explain her and Darsch.

By manda... What have I gotten myself into?

∗ C l i n k ∗

∗ c l a c k ∗

∗ C l i n k ∗

∗ c l a c k ∗

Aloy's cybernetic leg clicks metallically against the durasteel deck, Announcing her arrival in the hanger bay as she marches up to Shai's with her hand on her sore hip, Right above the new clawed leg.

<"Shai,"> She nods to her vode as she comes to a stop, Planing her clawed foot against the deck to give herself more stability than she had before.
<"I trust we're ready to move out soon. Is she here?">

Tan'yill... How was she going to break the news to her? Gods it made her feel awful. She'd let her emotions get the best of her, Told Darsch how she felt all those years ago despite having something good with someone else. She'd gone so far as to change her name too... Would Tan'yill ever recognize her now? Now that "Red" had taken the blue? Lost her leg? Her entire identity? Which had been almost entirely replaced in an effort to distance herself from her past. Hell, She wouldn't even blame the woman if she killed Aloy today.

 

[Tan'yill Vizsla]

It had been some time now from the mission to Ord Mantell and the events that had diverted her life onto a whole new path, both professionally and on the personal level, so to speak. A mission that landed her in a partnership, which even that was an astonishing feat because of the twi'lek smuggler preference to work alone, but also not only for the credits and satisfaction of her bosses but for something... else. That something else was a redheaded mandalorian doll, whos abilities had to be admired and features easy to become attracted to, even for an often suspicious, cold and at times antisocial one as Tan'yill. For the first time since Coronet, she felt that she could trust another human being than her brother and sister along with very few exceptions. It had been bewildering and earth-shattering for the former smuggler, to say the least. All in a way that turned out to be good so far.

The newly found trust in someone was new. The armor, belonging to an ancient creed of warriors, that had been crafted and customised for her was new, as well as sharing a few rather intimate moments with the same gender... Was earth-shattering mentioned before? Literally this time? That had been some realy interesting and realy good times. Feth, it actually put a lot of earlier ones in the shadows. Yeah... she liked this mando.

Fully armored with her blue and grey beskar'gam, Blue emerged in a doorway leading to the bustling hangar bay. Her trusted KYD-21 in a holster on her right hip, a beskad in a sheath on her back and a kal in the back of her belt, along with a variety of goodies built-in the vambraces. What little other stuff she had packed had already been loaded on the shistavanens ship.

Blue saw them from a far; the shistavanen lady that she had met on the fly just once before in another setting, and Joti, or Red which was the nickname of the mandalorian with fiery red hair. Of course, she recognised her partners armor and also knew that they were going to meet here. Something was awfully wrong with her. Something was was different since last time they met - the cybernetic leg that presented itself in clear sight despite the distance between them. It made Blue stop. Behind the black t-visor of the helmet, her hazel eyes started to glow in that fierce green-yellowish glow that it used to do when her body was filled with anger and unyielding determination, like when going a hard match in some fighting ring on Nar Shaddaa.

Her gaze became fixed on the cybernetic leg, all the while as she approached them on firm steps. Unfortunate was the soul that would take a stray step in front of her, blocking her dead straight path to them. Just about there, reached for the helmet and took it off, just to reveal the predatory gaze that Joti had experienced on Felucia. It was not meant for her, though. No, it studied the leg silently before looking up at Red.

''Who did this to you?'' she said in a slightly demanding manner, looking both angry and sad for the fate of her vode. Demanding an answer to who she would serve a cold and bloody death upon sight for the action. That was who the gaze was meant for. Waiting for the answer, she spared Shai a greeting nod before looking back at Red. Blue's gaze spoke of the deep care of her vode as well as the wish of avenging her.

Shai Maji Aloy Vizsla

 

[Shai Maji]

After a few minutes Shai finally spotted Joti through the crowd. A smile appeared on her face as she pushed herself off the doorway and rested a hand on her hip. Another plume of orange smoke drifted from her muzzle but as the Mandalorian rested a foot -or rather claw- on her boarding ramp, her face fell from happiness into shock. She blinked in surprise as she stared at the leg then at Joti. "What the kriff happened to you?!" she called out as she marched down the ramp to stand in front of her. "I leave you alone for a week and this is what happens?! Seriously, what the hell is even that?" she commented as she gave the leg a light tap with her boot's durasteel-capped tip. "Who? Your friend? Nope. I don't even know who to look out for, to be honest." she admitted with a calmer tone, though she did notice something in the corner of her eye.

"Yo heads up, that queen looks ready to deck one of us right about now..." she muttered as she gave her helmet a light knock with a metallic knuckle and pointed behind the woman. She straightened her back and got ready to throw down if the Mando was here to fight her. Unless this was just an overreaction on her end and this was the friend that Joti mentioned...

The Twi'lek removed her helmet as she neared and Shai's metallic hand curled into a fist. <"Can I help ya, sis?"> she asked her in Mando'a as she looked down at the woman. She couldn't deny that she was quite a looker... but hot damn, that face was an instant killjoy if that was her constant state of being. She blinked in surprise as the Twi'lek asked Joti her question and gave the Shistavanen a nod. Perhaps she did overreact a little...

"I uh... take it you're Joti's friend?" she asked awkwardly as she ran a hand through her mane. "The name's Shai. Nice to meet you." she introduced herself as she held out her right hand for the woman to shake. Thankfully it behaved itself this time and didn't turn into a plasma torch like last time.

Aloy Vizsla Tan'yill Vizsla

 

[Aloy Vizsla]

Tag: Tan'yill Vizsla Shai Maji ​

∗Thunk∗ ∗thunk∗ Aloys footing remains solid as ever despite Shai's tapping <"What's the matter Shai? Never seen cybernetics before? Woulda thought Aerith would get you used to it by now."> She sighs. The leg was a recent addition. Or... Loss? Truth be told, She still wasn't used to this, She'd only had it a few days. It was... Hard.
Then came shai's warning that another was approaching, And Aloy was met with the Buy'c of her Twi'lek partner observing her from behind her cold black visor, A sight that made Aloy both proud but wary. The sight of it and Tan'yill's prying caused Aloy to recoil ever so slightly, And her cybernetic claws to curl up just a little.

Then, The helm came off and Aloy's suspicions were confirmed. Tan'yill was pissed... Those golden-green eyes, They fascinated her, But she'd be lying if she said they weren't frightening sometimes.

<"Blue..."> Manda, How would she even explain this? <"Eternal Empire. The union was called to support their allies and we did. An imp got a lucky shot. CryoBan...">

Best to be upfront, She decided <"It's war, I knew the risks. I did my duty and they patched me up after, Nothing I can't bounce back from.">

She'd step aside for a moment, Looking away and trying to regain her composure while Shai and Tan'yill either shook hands or awkwardly left the shistavanen hanging. Once they're done, She takes a deep breath and pulls her helm off, Running her fingers through her ginger hair, Which used to be dyed scarlet when she and tan'yill first met, But had since faded back to a vibrant orange.

"There's uhm. There's something else." She looks up at Tan'yill, Her pale blue eyes ready to face whatever the twi'lek's golden-green gaze would tell her "It's Aloy now... Aloy of Clan Vizsla."

 

[Tan'yill Vizsla]

Feth! FETH!!

Tan was well aware of the intense gaze that she had been gifted with. One that seemed to be able to look right through the soul of anyone that made the mistake of pissing her off. It had proven very useful on Corellia. Together with the knowledge of what could happen if you crossed their gang, often preceed by a statement of sorts, it had sometimes been enough to make people remember their debts or other unfinished business that they had.

Now, it was not her intention to make Joti feel uneasy or uncomfortable in any way. Hell no, she would not even come to think about it. Yet, she could hear traces of it in her voice. Blue tried to hide the burning fury inside her by closing her eyes for a moment and take a deep quiet breath. She grit her teeth and felt her fists clench together. She fought the pure rage inside her so hard. For a moment, the only thing she could think of was how badly she wanted to bash in some Empire skulls right now. It wouldn't have been pretty. No, she would have made them regret their cowardly use of CryoBan.

Shortly after, she opened her eyes and the worst of the intense green-yellowish glow had replaced by a warmer tone closer to her original hazel eye color. Looking over at the shistavanen woman offering a hand to shake, she took it with another deep breath.

''Shai. Yeah, that's right... I am.'' she said affirmatory in a more mournful voice, and glanced at Joti once before looking back at Shai. ''Name's Tan'yill... But you can call me Blue... As she does.'' she continued and nodded sideways in an almost unnoticeable manner at her partner.

Blue turned to Red again and studied her, her new ginger hair and deep blue eyes, and listened to what she had to tell before she spoke up.

''I'm glad to see you're alive, Red...'' she said honest as nothing else, before she wrapped her free arm around her in a tight caring hug. Slowly letting go of the hug, her hand found itself to the mandalorians cheek, caressing it gently while Blue could not fight the urge to kiss Red right then and there. Once. A short but true and loving one. She could not deny that she would have liked more, but they wasn't alone and with some tension built up now, it was just about fine.

''Joti? Aloy? Red? Doll? What difference does it make...? You're still the same person I met on Ord Mantell...'' she begun, understanding that a lot had happened in a very short time since they last met. She was still... Red, wasn't she? Together, they had made it through a fair amount of difficult ordeals in a fairly short time. ''I wouldn't dream of demanding that of you, Red!'' she continued, pointing that fact out. ''That leg... Well, let's just say that you don't want to be around when I find myself an Empire soldier...''

''Why do I recognise that name - Vizsla? Have you mentioned it before...?'' she asked her friend, and begun to slowly get back into a more collected mood.

"And I thought you were aiming to recreate clan Jjota?" she added interrogatory with a raised eyebrow, remembering their talk about making a clan of their own by reviving hers.

Aloy Vizsla Shai Maji

 

[Shai Maji]

Shai gave Joti an annoyed look as she made her comment. "That's just karked up man, come on." she grumbled as she glanced down at her own arm. While she made a joke about it here and there, she still wasn't entirely used to the fact that she no longer had her own arm. There was also the occasional 'phantom pains' she got. She just chalked it up to her own weakness with stuff like this but still, jokes like that wasn't entirely right with her just yet. At least she could get Joti back later.

As she waited for the woman to shake her hand, she watched her try to calm herself down. At least the sickening glare disappeared into something much more agreeable and the woman shook her hand. Shai involuntarily held her breath up in hopes that the hand wouldn't suddenly transform into a karking vibroblade. "Blue? Heh, catchy. You can call me 'Twig' if you really want." she commented with a small smile, letting her breathing go back to normal as she rested her hand on her hip. Things quickly turned pretty awkward as Blue -or Tan as Shai would likely call her- hugged Joti and shared a rather intimate moment. The Shistavanen took a puff from her Nervestick and glanced around as she waited for them to finish their moment. She couldn't deny that there was a pang of jealousy in her heart but she shoved the feeling aside. She wouldn't be so petty to try and undermine the chemistry the two Mandos shared. She snapped out of her thoughts when Joti mentioned having a new name.

A slight grunt escaped Shai as she glanced at the woman. "Yeah no, still Joti to me." she commented as she turned to take a step up the boarding ramp. "Come on, let's go! I'm anxious to get off this tub." she called over her shoulder as she entered her ship, waiting for them by the doorway. As she walked she overheard Tan's question and couldn't help but chime in. "Clan Vizsla. They're a pretty big deal if you check out the last few millennia of Mando history." she quipped as she led the way through her ship. "Sorry if it's a bit of a mess. I'm horrible at keeping the place tidy." she admitted as she walked through the ship towards the cockpit.

Once she dropped into the pilot's seat, she sighed with relief and got the ship started up. A few moments later they were in the void of space and plotting hyperspace routes. "Good to be home." she muttered to herself with a smile as she engaged the hyperdrive. With Baby taking over controls, she rose to her feet. "Just stay put, I'll be right back." she insisted as she walked out of the cockpit.

A minute or so later she returned and squatted down beside Joti's cybernetic leg. "Hold still real quick." she said as she held up a piece of duct tape. Scribbled onto it with a permanent marker was the words 'get well soon!' and within a second it was stuck on the calf of the woman's cybernetic leg.

Aloy Vizsla Tan'yill Vizsla

 

[Aloy Vizsla]

Location: Union Space, Shai Maiji's ship
Tag: Tan'yill Vizsla | Shai Maji |

There was a lot to unpack here. She'd been anxious about this meeting even before, She knew she'd have to tell Tan'yill things that she wasn't really ready to tell her, But then there was all this on top of it. She felt so small and wished she could just shove herself into her helm and hide behind the visor like she usually did...

And then it happened.

Tan'yill pulled her into a gentle hug, Caressing the new Vizsla's cheek, Causing her to close her eyes while placing her own hand over Tan'yill's. She was about to speak when she felt her partner's soft lavender lips against her own, However briefly it may have been. She couldn't help but lean into it for a moment before their lips parted and she opened her eyes slowly, Looking up in surprise and total captivation.

Her moment under Tan'yill's spell was broken however by Shai commenting on the name.

"Joti is dead..." She states in a mournful tone, Looking off to the side. "And the Jjota died with her. I don't want to be that woman anymore, Shai. That's why I dropped the name..." She suspected that the shistavanen simply wouldn't get it. She barely knew Aloy and was a stubborn little thing. But Aloy wouldn't budge on this one. "Call me Vizsla or something... But that name died on Mandalore, And rightfully so."

Turning into the ship, Her magno-gripp claws begin rapidly activating and deactivating, Hydraulic and electrical whirring announcing her departure as everything works in tandem to keep her cybernetic prosthetic from slipping on the boarding ramp. That's when she decided to explain the clan situation to Tan'yill.

"House Vizsla has always been one of the largest factions on mandalore. They have a mixed reputation unfortunately, Their last Alor betrayed Mand'alor the infernal almost a decade ago. I was... 15 at the time. My birth family, Clan... Jjota, Had been loyal members of House Vizsla for over 800 years... Then the Red Coronation happened." By Manda... She'd never explained the fall of her clan to Tan'yill, And she sure as hell didn't want to explain it Shai right now. What would anyone think... The last time she'd explained, She'd been branded a traitor...

She continues look straight ahead, Trying to keep it all in as she makes her way deeper into the ship.

"Tan'yill," She finally uses the Twi'lek's real name "I told you that I once had a partner, Right? That she too was called "Blue", And I Red?... Her name is Darsch Vizsla."

Sighing, She enters the cockpit and sits down in a nearby chair, The leather creaking as she brings up her cybernetic leg, Laying it across the other while she studies the duraplast carapace, Rubbing out an oil smudge with her glove, Trying to distract herself from her own thoughts.

"Unlike the others, Darsch stayed and fought for Mand'alor the Infernal as a member of Death Watch, Like her ancestor, Pre Vizsla. She is a true mandalorian, And fought with honor, But she was betrayed. I met her while hunting bounties, As a target initially. But we put our differences aside and became a team. Red and Blue."

∗sigh∗

"We... We were close. The dynamic was different than what you and me have. Darsh was a hardass but a better person than I am. But we've both seen some chit. One night we got drunk. Got vulnerable. All we had was each other and, Well..."

She scratches the back of her head, Looking off into space beyond the glasteel.
. . .

"So sorta had a thing. Casual but it was good for us. Later though, Something happened and we split up. That was... 4 years ago. I know I left suddenly a few months back, And I really am sorry... It's because, Well... She's back. I had to get her out of something bad and I had to do it alone. We fought on Mandalore during the rebellion and... After a long talk, She offered me something no one else had... A life. A clan. She made me a Vizsla, Tan'yill. I wasn't sure about it at first but... Here I am."

She expected a lot of questions. Questions she didn't want to answer but would if she had to. She'd already accepted that, But she silently prayed to whatever's out there that Shai wouldn't mention her and Darsch, That she'd let Aloy explain when the time was right or Tan'yill asked at least. Though admittedly, It'd be easier to just let the shistavanen mention it and then nod along...

 

[Tan'yill Vizsla]

''Yeah, sorry I haven't been up to date with the last thousand years of Mandalorian history...'' she said with sarcasm to the shistavanens statement as they all boarded ship. As they followed Shai through her ship and to the cockpit, Tan could not help herself but notice a few bits and pieces in the ships interior and and design. Things that she recognised from her days as a mechanic in one of the largest shipyards in Coronet, and sporadic jobs every now and then in the rest of the galaxy. One of those jobs had even reunited her with her long lost sister; Stardust Solus Skirae , but they had their own lives now and had not heard from or seen each other for quite some time now.

Ending up in the cockpit, Shai took the wheel and immediately got them on the way of this tube that she so sorely wanted to leave. Tan glanced after her as she rose to her feet, leaving the control of the ship to her droid, just to soon return with a piece of duct tape on which she wrote a rather sweet and funny message. A small merry laugh left the blue twi'leks lips, as she glanced at the note and Red's cute face from her place in the chair behind the pilots chair and the opposite side of Red. With her chin resting in her palm and fiddling thoughtfully with her lips, Blue spun back and forth in the chair, admiring her partners facial details for a moment before she saw her turn more serious and addressed her by her full name. Tan stretched herself some and listened on what her partner had to tell. She was going to ask her about this Red Coronation, but something else came up that touched them both a whole lot more.

''Huh...'' was the only thing she could muster up in response, while her tounge played rumatively at the back of her teeth and she looked to the side. A whole lot of thoughts was running through her mind right now as silence filled the cockpit. She knew Joti, or Aloy as it now was, had mentioned that she have had an old partner also called Blue before. If she recalled it right, that would have been when they first met on Ord Mantell and Tan had told her she could call her Blue. It had gone a few months now, and they had gone through a lot, done a lot and shared a lot of nice moments together. Blue had thought that she knew Red by now, but the doubts loomed in the distance now as it seemed. While she refused to think that what Red said wasn't true, two questions still came to her mind.

''So...'' she begun and glanced down to the floor and then up to Red, before continuing. ''What about the chits we've gone through...? The things we've done...?''

Red would knew exactly what she searched for and what she asked between the lines.

''I mean...'' Tan continued with a soft sigh. ''I for one am happy that you've finally found your clan... Somewhere to belong again. That life you mentioned. Those desires you told me about. And... You sort of did the same to me... When you invited me to became a vod.''

Blue made a pause and searched for the gaze of her partner.

''You've turned my life around, Red... And... And, what else is there to say...? I love you for it.''

Tan could not say that she was mad or angry. Maybe a little disappointed with her redheaded partner, because of the time that had passed since she came back from Mandalore, but Tan could also see the vulnerable Red behind that skull buy'c of hers.

''You got a drink around, Shai...? Just tell me where and I'll get it myself...'' Blue said and turned to the shistavanen, hoping that she would have had something strong aboard.

Aloy Vizsla Shai Maji

 

[Shai Maji]

Shai halted when Joti stressed that it wasn't her name anymore. Shai stared at her for a moment before shaking her head. "We can talk about it later." she muttered as she turned to enter the ship. Something told her that her philosophy on names differed quite a bit from Joti's...

On the ship she stuck the sticker on her leg and gave it a light slap when she was done. "There we go." she muttered with a snicker, glancing at Tan as the Twi'lek laughed along. At least she wasn't the only one who found it funny. She slipped back into the pilot's seat and minded her own business. She listened to Joti's story with interest, learning as much as she could from her new friend. As the story reached the saucier parts, she couldn't help but think of what she saw between Joti and Darsch. In her mind it was straight up cheating but she wouldn't be the one to start that conversation. It had nothing to do with her... though she was going to ask Joti about it if the moment presented itself.

When Tan asked about drinks, a massive grin formed on the Shistavanen's lips. "Sis, you've come to the right place." she quipped as she spun the chair to face her. "In the mess room, up the ladder down the hall. Cabinet above the kitchen sink. Just leave the tihaar, that shit's reserved. The rest are free to pick from." she explained with enthusiasm. Her collection was probably concerning given she was alone on the ship, but she could justify the variety of hard liquor as well as the beer in the fridge as being for guests. Once Tan was out of the cockpit, she glanced at Joti. She clearly wanted to say something but did little more than clear her throat and turn back to the dashboard, awkwardly checking the readings. "... I'm... I kinda got a serious thing when it comes to names." she admitted as she turned to look at Joti.

"My dad always said that... you die twice in your life. Once when you're in your grave. Again when someone mentions your name for the last time. You could say that I take that to the extreme, but I'm super critical about names and identities. That's why I hate it when people don't introduce me or call me by my name or a nickname. Or why I don't take clan Loc's name as my surname." she explained gently, looking into the visor of her helmet. "Another thing I learned over the years is that... no matter what you did in your past, changing your name doesn't erase that. I wanted to drop off the map and change my name when I nearly blew up my dad's freighter by messing with the hyperdrive. In your case, I'm sure you did some stuff in your life that you're not proud of, maybe even hate yourself for. But changing your name will not make that disappear. Only what you do now and tomorrow can change what you did yesterday. 'Joti' is also who I met and who helped me when I was in a very hard spot. You might not want that name, but I can't look at you and then call you a name that I don't know you by. At the same time, I don't want a friendship barely off the ground to end over something like this." her tone was calm and gentle, not wanting to start a fight or misunderstanding. A chuckle escaped her as she shrugged. "I'll just call you 'legs' or 'high five' to keep the peace... 'cause I can't take that handprint on your helmet seriously. It looks like you got slapped into next week by someone." she quipped as she snickered quietly.

Her laughter faded as she looked at Joti. "So yeah... names are important to me. Just know that if I call you 'Joti' it's not because I wanna undermine you or anything. I just can't... call you any other name." she finished her confession to her. "And I know it's none of my business... but I think you'll need to take Tan aside and tell her about you and Darsch. Either that or think long and hard about who you want to be with. Because it feels wrong to keep her in the dark about your situation when she's clearly head over heels for you." she continued with a much more serious tone.

Turning back to the dashboard, she opened the intercom line to the rest of the ship. "Yo Tan, don't empty my entire stock. And if you come back, could you please bring a bottle of beer for me and..." she trailed off with a smile in her voice, looking at Joti. "... You want anything?"

Tan'yill Vizsla Aloy Vizsla

 

[Aloy Vizsla]

Location: Mandalorian Space
Tag: Shai Maji | Tan'yill Vizsla

"What about the chits we've gone through...? The things we've done...?" Eye contact breaks, Shattering suddenly not unlike Aloy's heart that very moment as her eyes close and her head drifts gently downward, While her hand rose to meet her face.

" I mean... I for one am happy that you've finally found your clan... Somewhere to belong again. That life you mentioned. Those desires you told me about. And... You sort of did the same to me... When you invited me to become a vod."

" You've turned my life around, Red... And... And, what else is there to say...? I love you for it. "

"Our time together means everything to me, Tan'yill..." She did bad, And she knew it.

"I'm not going to ask for your forgiveness Blue. Asking for chit I don't deserve is a losing game..."

"I...Love you too... But I fucked up man... I know that."

Eventually, Tan'yill had gone off to get a drink, Which sounded like a good idea right about now. Under normal circumstances, She'd have asked for something as well, But these weren't normal circumstances for her, Far from it.

So, She sat back with her arms crossed, Her pale eyes staring out into space, Her own guilt staring right back at her, Mirrored by the cockpit's glasteel.

Eventually, Shai breaks the silence.

" .. I'm... I kinda got a serious thing when it comes to names."

"Oh god Shai..."

" My dad always said that... you die twice in your life. Once when you're in your grave. Again when someone mentions your name for the last time. You could say that I take that to the extreme, but I'm super critical about names and identities. That's why I hate it when people don't introduce me or call me by my name or a nickname. Or why I don't take clan Loc's name as my surname. "

" Another thing I learned over the years is that... no matter what you did in your past, changing your name doesn't erase that. I wanted to drop off the map and change my name when I nearly blew up my dad's freighter by messing with the hyperdrive. In your case, I'm sure you did some stuff in your life that you're not proud of, maybe even hate yourself for. But changing your name will not make that disappear. Only what you do now and tomorrow can change what you did yesterday. 'Joti' is also who I met and who helped me when I was in a very hard spot. You might not want that name, but I can't look at you and then call you a name that I don't know you by. At the same time, I don't want a friendship barely off the ground to end over something like this."

"I'll just call you 'legs' or 'high five' to keep the peace... 'cause I can't take that handprint on your helmet seriously. It looks like you got slapped into next week by someone. "

"Pff!" She shakes her head, Though she couldn't help smiling for a brief moment, Even she tried to hide it.

But then it was back to business. "It's Not my name, Shai... Never was. It's another alias..." Oh yes, Aloy still had her secrets, Even now.

"I wasn't born with that name... I adopted it to keep myself hidden after the Red Coronation. I did something. I was forced to do something, And I took that name to protect myself..." She sighs, Recalling things. Dark things. Things that even Darsch and Tan'yill would likely never know.

"Let's just say, That I was born with a name that... That mocked me. Something I don't ever wish to hear again. If that person is dead now because no one will ever speak that name, Than I am proud to be the one that finally ended it..."

"Aloy is... It's what I was supposed to be named. What my mother wanted to name me, But I was... I wasn't what she thought."
How would she ever explain? That she was born with a man's name, And for a reason...? Aloy was the name she was supposed to have been given, The name she was owed.

"∗ Sigh∗ I'll take a whisky, I dunno."

"And before you say chit about me and Darsch, I know... I know damn well. I'm just... Lost... Lost again."

​

​

​

 

[Tan'yill Vizsla]

Tan'yill sat there silently, her hazel gaze resting upon her partner as she tried to answer the rather hard and ruthless questions that had left the twi'leks lips. There was no evil meant to them, though. The answers she were given had few spoken words to them, but the time that had passed and the endeavours that the two women had shared made them mean so much more. It moved Tan'yill to the core, even if it did not show on her blue outside. She needed a moment. Just a short one on her own, and close to the bottle as she was, a drink.

Catching Shai's directions, she rose up and left the cockpit without a word. The humming sound reaching through the walls of the ship travelling through hyperspace was a familiar and rather soothing one. So many times she had heard it aboard her own ship, with only her droids to keep her company while on some smugglers contract... The times she and Joti had enjoyed each others company to the sound of it, sharing a laugh and a drink on the way to their next adventure... The moment alone was a moment well needed.

Tan reached the ladder and climbed up to the mess room, helping herself to the cabinet that Shai had pointed out. What met her as she opened it proved that the shistavanen had not lied to her. She had some pretty good stuff aboard, that canine girl. The bottle of Thiaar, that mandalorian moonshine that Red was to introduce her to sometime, was certainly alluring but she respected Shai's wishes and continued browse through the labels. At least, she tried to care what was on those labels. She just needed something strong right now.

Shai's voice broke through the ships intercom and Tan reched for it by the cabinet and pushed the small lever upwards.

''Right!'' she called shortly over the comms, before releasing the lever as well as a deep sigh afterwards.

A beer and a whiskey. She took a whole bottle of whiskey, deciding that she too was going to have one. Or two. The way it worked wearing this armor, if you had to settle a dispute or talk through things, you either fought or shared a drink. The first not even exsisting as an option for her in this case, Tan thought that they would at least share the same bottle. She grabbed the bottles and two short glasses pinched between her fingers and made her way back to the cockpit.

Upon entering the cockpit, the dejection hit her like an invisible wall. While it was only between two pair of eyes, Shai already knew and the presence of her fellow vod had to be set aside. Tan gave the bottle of beer to Shai by offering it from behind and over her shoulder, before smoothly turning to Red.

''Look...'' she said with a slight sigh and offered Aloy one of the short glasses. ''Aloy...?''

Tan choosed to use her partners new clan name to show her acceptance, knowing how much she had desired belonging to a clan again. She filled the two glasses with the amber liqour, put the bottle aside and took the same seat again, opposite the redheaded mando. She let the drink be for now, slowly swirling it around in the glass while leaning forward to Aloy, putting all her focus on her.

''Hey... I know. I know that it have, and I'm not trying to blame you...'' Tan said and reached for Aloy's cheek, to gently make their gazes meet if they already had not. ''I'm sorry if it sounded like that... It... It just came as a surprise...''

Her hazel eyes were soft to the look and as well as Tan tried to read Aloy, she opened herself up and make her feelings show in just a silent gaze.

''It's not your fault that friendships from the past suddenly decides to come back to your life... I believe you, Red. If I didn't I wouldn't love you... but, now I do...'' she continued in a soft voice, now needing to take a sip of the whiskey. She glanced to the side, sighing deeper this time.

''I guess... Now, that I'm also a mando'a...'' she said and glanced back at Aloy. ''It's inevitable that I get to meet this old Blue... If that is your wish, Aloy... I will honor it. For you. Maybe we'll get along just fine...'' Tan said, a small and soft smile appearing on her lips while the hyperspace passed them outside the glassteel of the cockpit.

Shai Maji Aloy Vizsla

 

[Shai Maji]

Shai sat in silence as she listened to Joti's explanation. Towards the end her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. A suspicion arose in her mind but she didn't voice it. Joti... or Aloy... clearly was uncomfortable about it. Regardless, her explanation was enough to make the mutt understand. With a smile she reached into her pocket and pulled out a nervestick, taking a puff before offering it to her. "You should have said that sooner! It definitely changes things. Well then, welcome aboard, Aloy." she quipped with a wink. "And don't worry about me yapping my muzzle. I can keep my mouth shut." she reassured her as her hand opened to expose her plasma torch. Nonchalantly she leaned over and blasted one of the talons on her cybernetic leg for a quick second. "Toasty talon." she muttered with a snicker before letting her hand change back.

Leaning back she reached for the intercom controls. "Beer and a whiskey! Thanks, sis!" she continued before closing the comms. Pretty soon Tan returned and handed her the beer. "Thanks sis." she muttered as she popped the cap against the dashboard and took a sip. She was about to make a comment when Tan spoke up. Her eyes went wide as her lips pursed, realizing that the heavy conversation wasn't over just yet. Awkwardly she sat with her hands gripping the controls, keeping herself busy by checking the systems. Apparently a good choice too as her eye caught an issue. "Oh for..." she grumbled to herself, rising from her seat with annoyance. "Don't you just love it when you got a slow leak and the sensors don't let you know?" she asked with sarcastic happiness as she marched towards the exit. "Sit tight, I'll be back." she called out down the hall. While it was a legitimate issue, she figured it would give the two lovebirds a chance to talk things out.

After several minutes of Shai's absence, an alarm would start screaming with a coolant rupture warning flashing on the main screen. Luckily it disappeared quickly after a few seconds and soon Shai reappeared in the cockpit, drenched in something with a blue hue and looking utterly miserable. "Had a coolant rupture and a broken sensor. It's fixed now. I'm gonna go shower... and contemplate buying new sensors." she stated with possibly the most monotonous voice in existence before wandering out and up the ladder.

Tan'yill Vizsla Aloy Vizsla

 

[Aloy Vizsla]

Location: Mandalorian Space
Tag: Tan'yill Vizsla | Shai Maji |

Aloy had been sat there staring at the soft blue hyperlanes outside while Shai spoke, Mostly just trying to take her mind off everything that had happened so far. Meanwhile Shai was still going, Though thankfully she'd changed her tune.

" You should have said that sooner! It definitely changes things. Well then, welcome aboard, Aloy. "

Well, At least she could rest easy knowing her name would be respected.

" And don't worry about me yapping my muzzle. I can keep my mouth shut "

"Hey," She gives Shai a sidelong glance. Tired, But smiling just a little all the same "Thanks... For not making a scene about it I mean-"

∗woosh∗

"The Hell?!" She exclaims, Practically jumping in her seat as the sound of the blow torch humms beside her, Scorching the very tip of her cybernetic claw.

" Toasty talon. "

"Damn Shai, Good thing I haven't activated the artificial nerves yet!" ∗scoff∗

It was right about then that Tan'yill re-entered the room, Carrying a bottle of beer and separate bottle of whisky that she realized was for the both of them. Yeah, They were about to have a conversation that she didn't want to be sober for.

"Look," Oh no... "Aloy...?"

It wasn't long before Shai had left the cockpit after that, Leaving the two alone to converse in relative peace. Shai cared, Or at least felt it too awkward to hang around, Who knows.

Aloy was still staring into space with her arms crossed, But as Tan'yill leaned forward, She couldn't help but look sidelong at her blue skinned partner with a look in her eye like she had Tan'yill's next words all figured out, And that she didn't the future she'd just glimpsed.

" Hey... I know. I know that it have, and I'm not trying to blame you... " Suddenly Aloy is met with the sensation of her partner's hand against her cheek, Gently turning her to face the meet the Twi'lek's gentle hazel gaze. Her breathing and heartbeat both sped up just a little more, Her own vibrant blue eyes staring into Tan'yill's with a clear focus, As if everything around her were a simple blur, Tan'yill's gaze being the only clear image in the entire room, Her words the only sound.

" 'I'm sorry if it sounded like that... It... It just came as a surprise... " She was reading Aloy. She knew it, And yet she was powerless to stop it, To put on her mask as she had always done in the past. The look of guilt in her eye was unmistakable, The reasons undenyable. It only worsened when she saw Tan'yill's own pain. And yet there was a calmness to it. She was disappointed, Yes, But strangely understanding.

" It's not your fault that friendships from the past suddenly decides to come back to your life... I believe you, Red. If I didn't I wouldn't love you... but, now I do... "

A single tear falls down her cheek, Sliding over her partner's blue hand. Tan'yill turned away afterwards, Taking a sip of her whisky which gave Aloy time to close her eyes and turn away, More tears evident before she'd turned towards the cockpit again, Leaning back in her chair with her arms held tight to her chest.

" I guess... Now, that I'm also a mando'a... " She turns briefly again to see that Tan'yill had glance back at her, Though she was hesitant to show herself in this state, But she looked back briefly, Listening all the same.

" It's inevitable that I get to meet this old Blue... If that is your wish, Aloy... I will honor it. For you. Maybe we'll get along just fine... "

Old Blue... Vod Blue... Darsch Vizsla. Their relationship, Brief as it may have been was always a little strained. The more she thought about it, The more she questioned if she and Darsch would have ever worked even without the complications brought on by timing.
Darsch had once left her for EllieEx , The queen of Krieg. Perhaps she'd been a little hasty. The fear of loss, Abandonment even, Had caused her to do strange things in the past. Maybe it was the fear of losing Darsch she felt, And not... Love.

But for Tan'yill?

"Blue... She is the leader of my clan..." Oh yes, Great start Aloy, Great start...

"We... I think you understand already that we had feelings for eachother... It might complicate things, But... She could make you one of us. Officially, I mean. A Vizsla."
She looks back, Her tears beginning to dry again, Though her tone remained mournful as ever.

"I... I respect whatever decision you make. It's selfish of me to ask, Especially now, But..."
Her vibrant blue eyes meet Tan'yill's one more time.

"I want you to join me. Clan Vizsla, The union, Whatever. I'll find a way to break it off with Darsch... I just... I've lost too many people, And the thought of losing you, Even I've done something to deserve it... It's... It's like being shot on mandalore all over again - !" Her voice nearly breaks before she lowers the volume and falls dead silent as Shai enters.

" Had a coolant rupture and a broken sensor. It's fixed now. I'm gonna go shower... and contemplate buying new sensors "

Shai's voice fills the room behind Aloy, Causing her head to droop as she turns away, Finally taking a swig of the whisky before looking up at shai.

"You look like chit, Shai." She meant it as a joke, But her tone was simply exhausted, No humor parted from her lips, And only whisky touched them before Shai left to shower.

Aloy waits till the shistavanen has left before setting the bottle back down.

"I'm... Sorry."
. . .
"I love you, Tan'yill."

​

​

​

 

[Tan'yill Vizsla]

Tan'yill had never seen Aloy this emotional and fragile before. When Shai gave them some well needed time in solitude, the usually tough redheaded mando soon approached the verge of emotional collapse. Tan felt the tear upon her hand and it struck her deeply. Red was letting her heart speak, it was no doubt about that. Why would Tan doubt her partner in this exposed position? Why would she not offer her forgiveness?

Tan'yill herself had certainly never felt just as vulnerable. Old and since long thought dead feelings was overwhelming her whole state of mind. Searching them carefully, it was as if she had always known Joti was going to mean something special, it was just a question of what. Not in a million lightyears could she have imagined that she would invade her life in this substantial way. Tan'yill let Aloy speak and listened attentively.

''Well... You think she'd accept me? Of course, I'll accept if the offer is given to me... If that is what you want...'' Tan said in the same smooth voice that was demanded by the moment, leaving them a moment of silence before she took another ruminative sip of the whiskey and looked out of the winshield of the cockpit. A quiet sigh left her and she looked back at the troubled yet beautiful mandalorian in front of her. ''I never thought I would say this to anyone ever again, but... I want you in my life, Aloy... More than anything else...''

That was when Shai made her return all messed up, giving them a sort of comic relief to their serious discussion. Tan'yill and Aloy would most probably continue it later in their private quarters, they both knew that.

Aloy made a remark about Shai looking like chit, which wasn't that far from the truth. It elicit a brief grin from the rutian.

"I love you, Tan'yill."

The words made Tan's glance fall on Aloy again, silently regarding her person for another moment before a soft smile could be noticed in the corner of her mouth. She carefully leaned forward in a move to place yet another short but warm kiss upon the mandalorians lips, as a token of her understanding and love to her partner. She wanted her to be the glad and cheerful Red that she knew.

''And I you, Aloy...'' she replied in a low voice before realising they had a long journey ahead of them. ''Hey! I'm not going to sit around this ship and see you all broken and sad...! Let's drink to us - the best pair of bounty hunters this side of the rishi maze! You still owe me that candle lit dinner, though!'' she said and offered Aloy a warm smile and a toast to lighten up her mood.

''What was our destination again? You think Shai got any dejarik aboard?''

Aloy Vizsla Shai Maji

 

[Shai Maji]

"At least I aint ginger!" called her voice from the hallway as Shai headed for the ladder, a smirk clearly audible. However her ears couldn't help but overhear what the two were saying. For a brief moment she stopped by the ladder, simply listening to the two before continuing up the ladder and into her room. She stripped as she wandered to the shower and wasted no time in shoving herself under the soothing warm water. Her mind wandered as she held her breath and let the water run through her mane. Her thoughts drifted towards Tan and Aloy, the way they looked at each other and the bond they shared. Something Shai dearly wanted in her life. It didn't take long for her brain to shift towards Aerith and how the two of them meshed -in her eyes- perfectly. But she couldn't shake the thought that maybe it wasn't what Aerith was looking for. That was going to be an important talk once this job was over...

Likely half an hour later Shai emerged from her quarters and made her way to the cockpit, wearing a simple tank top and shorts while looking a lot fluffier than usual. She dropped back into her seat and helped herself to the bottle of beer sitting on the dashboard where she left it. "If you two comment on the fur, I'll jettison both of you." she quipped, trying to hold back a smile. She looked over her navicomputer and sat back with a sigh. "Well this is still gonna take a while. Still a couple hours 'till we hit Nar Shaddaa. Sadly I don't got any board games onboard... though I do got a nice holoprojector and sound system." she explained to them, flashing a grin. "So if you two wanna watch a movie or two, just ask. I just need to tidy up my room, it's... a little messy." she admitted with a nervous chuckle. Between the guns, droid parts, ship components and other more questionable stuff up there, they should have given a week's notice at this point.

She rose from her seat and finished off her beer, turning to the other two. "I'm gonna make something to eat, you guys want anything?" she asked as she left for the mess room.

Tan'yill Vizsla Aloy Vizsla

 

[Aloy Vizsla]

(New post template!)​

T A G : Tan'yill Vizsla | Shai Maji ​

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" I never thought I would say this to anyone ever again, but... I want you in my life, Aloy... More than anything else..."
Words she never thought she'd hear from anyone. Certainly not after every Aloy had told someone that she'd more or less cheated them...
And yet she soon felt Tan'yill's warm lavender lips against her own, Leaning into it and forgetting her recent troubles, Just closing her eyes and enjoying the moment, However brief it might have been.

I love you, Tan'yill...

" And I you, Aloy..."

"Blue, I won't hurt you ever again... I promise." It was a beautiful thing they shared. Something Aloy had thought impossible, And never knew she needed so badly.

It wasn't long before Shai returned, Causing Aloy to turn away suddenly and wipe the salty moisture from her face before the Shistavanen could see.

" If you two comment on the fur, I'll jettison both of you. "

"Pff! I used to keep pets, Shai. Don't worry, I know the struggle!" She laughs it off, Taking a second swig from the bottle before turning back to listen now that her face was seemingly dry.

" Well this is still gonna take a while. Still a couple hours 'till we hit Nar Shaddaa. Sadly I don't got any board games onboard... though I do got a nice holoprojector and sound system. "
" So if you two wanna watch a movie or two, just ask. I just need to tidy up my room, it's... a little messy. "

" I'm gonna make something to eat, you guys want anything? "

"Oh, I dunno what you got layin' around but I'll take anything at this rate. I'm starving" She chuckles "And I'm good with a movie if Blue's in. Else, I might just... Meditate. Clear my head. Hell, You two could probably get to know better if I did."

​

​

 

[Tan'yill Vizsla]

"If you two comment on the fur, I'll jettison both of you."

When the shistavanen entered the cockpit again, pointing out the obvious in her fur, Tan'yill didn't know if she was serious or if it laid some degree of irony in her statement. Either way, it was easy for the twi'lek to hold back a laugh due to the circumstances. However, it offered a relief in the conversation and a focus on something else, even if Shai wanted or didn't want the next topic to be the care of her fur.

What did elicit a smile from the rutian, was seeing Aloy laugh it off with a comment relating to her own experiences with pets. Tan'yill had never owned one herself, if one didn't count the droids, that was. It gave her immense comfort seeing an end to this conversation, at least for now, and her partner to finally show some emotions of joy. As slow but steady it might have came to her.

"Oh, I dunno what you got layin' around but I'll take anything at this rate. I'm starving" She chuckles "And I'm good with a movie if Blue's in. Else, I might just... Meditate. Clear my head. Hell, You two could probably get to know better if I did."

Blue glanced at Red, admiring her strenght to tell her all of this, while she took another sip of the strong liqour. The road ahead of them was not as smooth and straight as before this trip, but Blue had travelled on rough roads before and for Red... she could not make any less efforts this time. They were doing this, and hopefully the road would became smooth and straight again.

''I'm in. After this, we... might need that.'' she said, and smiled softly while meeting with those vibrant blue eyes, staying with them for a moment before turning her head to Shai. ''No space-rom, though!'' Tan remarked with the index finger and the hand holding the glass, before taking yet another sip of the whiskey in it.

As Shai left the cockpit, Blue stood up and waited for Red to do the same. ''What do you say about we ditch the armor in favour of something more comfortable?'' she said to Red, laying an arm around her sway-back and placed kiss on her cheek, before they would join Shai to the mess room, if not Aloy decided to meditate.

Aloy Vizsla Shai Maji

 

[Shai Maji]

They both agreed to the movie and Shai gave her thighs a light slap as she rose from her seat. "Okay, shweet! I'll get to cleaning my room then." she quipped as she walked out and made her way to her room.

The sight of it made her want to bail out already.

She stood for a few moments and simply tried to figure out where to begin. It was clear to her that she simply couldn't jam everything into her closet so she did the next best thing. Starting with the ship components she was fixing, she sorted them out and neatly packed them in a corner. Following that she sorted out her arsenal but simply packed it neatly on her work desk along with the duffel bag containing her armour. Her dirty clothing and everything else was either packed somewhere or simply thrown into her closet or nightstands. She dearly hoped they didn't check any of that out. She finished up by polarizing the window behind her bed and dusted off the photos of her and her parents or friends, neatly placing them in their rightful places. With a smile and a nod she exited her room and entered the mess room.

"I'll make some hotdogs for lunch. Room's sorted so that's out of the way." she commented as she walked past and got to work on preparing hot dogs. "In the meantime, what say you two we break open that Tihaar?" she asked with a toothy grin as she poured each of them a shot. She quickly emptied the glass in her mouth and let out a satisfied sigh, turning to prepare the buns for the hot dogs. She was in a world of her own as she worked on the meals and even prepared some popcorn for the movies as well. But when it was time to head off, Baby came rolling in and asked Shai to follow. "Oh for kriff's sake, what's breaking this time?" she grumbled as she took her hot dogs and followed after Baby. "There's a bottle of soda in the fridge, feel free to take it for the movies." she called out as she walked down the hallway.

What was supposed to be a quick checkup quickly turned into a very long repair time as Shai wrenched away on her cargo hold's elevator to the upper levels, leaving the two lovebirds alone in her room. The only non-mechanical sounds coming from the cargo hold was the beautiful combination of Basic, Mando'a and Huttese cuss words as Shai worked.

Luckily it wouldn't be too long before they reached Nar Shaddaa...

Tan'yill Vizsla Aloy Vizsla

 

[Aloy Vizsla]

Tag: Tan'yill Vizsla | Shai Maji

Aloy smiles softly at her partner's touch, Followed another kiss of her lavender lips against the mandalorian's cheek
"Mm. More comfortable huh? Careful Blue, Almost sounds like you want more than the armor off" She chuckles teasingly as she stands, Following the pair into the mess room.

Today had been quite something so far. From a damn near breakup to business as usual. Flirty, smartass business anyway, Just like when they met. It was like she'd rediscovered the old Blue, But, More? She'd have hell to pay when she got back to Darsch later, But... She knew Darsch wasn't over Vhei yet. But that's another story, Today's about her and Blue's story, And she wasn't going to let anything spoil the moment.

∗click∗ ∗ clack∗

∗click∗ ∗clack∗

The cybernetic limb and it's claws would take some getting used to. She'd only had it a week, And already it felt like she'd been listening to that metallic racket for well over a month. Luckily for her she had sound dampeners for stealth, Else she'd have to re-learn her own fighting style on the fly. The limb had it's uses though, That much she couldn't deny. Both in day to day mobility, And even in battle.

She stares at her new foot, Flexing the claws a few times as she leans up against the wall while Shai disappears into her room to prepare for the guests. Well, That gives them time to talk more anyway.

"So... I was right... You look kickass in the armor. Kinda sounds like you want it off, But I know you look equally kickass without it." She chuckles

"But I guess we better continue where we left off, Once we're home I mean? OH speaking of home. We're uhm. My old home is still intact on Concordia. The home of my old clan... I might be a Vizsla, But the place is abandoned now but it could be repurposed as a base for our group. For... For the two of us."

Truth be told, She wasn't looking forward to the memories that place would dredge up. And yet a part of her had to. She had to know what had happened to the place since she was gone, What became of her droids and Sabbath. But more importantly, It could be a new home for Tan'yill and herself. A place that, With the right care, Could be where they'd be happy.

"I dunno if you're looking to settle down anytime soon, But..."She looks up at Tan'yill with an expression of both curiosity and hope "It's a good place, Blue. A safe place. Where we could settle down between missions. Together."