It is all Relative

[Rashae]

Rashae had barely two seconds to rub together since Manaan and Zeltros. The sith born disease from The Hapan issue plauged her to no end due to its unusual properties. The whole Sith thing kept getting in the way and the scientist refused to let some hocus pocus be the answer. There was a science there and she would find it. She hadnt had a lot of personal time with Ardgal for a while. Sure they text and communicate which was a relief for the anxious woman, but nothing replaced the personal touch. The self assured woman would never admit she needed it.

Onderon was doing well and her team might be able to pull out of there soon. That was good as those people could be applied to Mandalore. Hydroponics deployed were showing promise but trying to explain how to farm using this technology till the soil was repaired was difficult to a stiff necked people like the Mandalorians. The fact she has had to intervene every other week directly was causing her to be in a constant state of irritation. The only thing that was more irritating was the lack of lab time. All the data from Manaan was still waiting on her to go through. There just wasnt enough time in the day. A silent 'Frak' was mouthed as she punched her desk in her official office.

What little Gentech was doing remained steady, very steady. The other bright spot other than Ardgal was those two babies from Mandalore. They tested to be related but not directly. Same family blood line but not brother and sister. Still just about the same age which was about five months now. The baby boy was robust and growing like a weed. The baby girl responded well to gene therapy and was getting nutrition. She was starting to grow and her catching up on her milestones.

“Found your toes today I see, little one.” Rashae had to smile at those little hazel eyes looking at her. They needed names. There was something itching the back of her mind she wanted to do but hesitated.

The baby was busy sucking on her toes as she rolled to the side. The boy was trying to crawl already. “Rashae that boy is going to be a big man. According to the numbers, about the size of Ardgal. “

“Mandalorians do get good size. We need names for these little ones. “ She said to Kathleen her head nurse.

“Any word from Mandalore?” She asked.

Rashae shook her head. “No. Frankly if we are taking good care of them. They seemed content to have one less worry. No one has a name nor family name. So many were wiped out that no one left to remember. “

Kathleen didn't like the answer but she pursed her lips. “Well then, Minister, you name them.” The practical woman shrugged.

“I dont want to name the boy anything lame like walter or Cadbury. The girl, easy. Ceah. “ Rashae smiled. “There was a story of an anciet warrior woman named Bodicea. She's a fighter. “

Kathleen made notes. “Ceah it is.. now the boy.” As the boy was seen half scooting on his tummy and trying to crawl to pull himself along after a rancor toy.

[member="Ardgal Raxis"]

 

[Ardgal Raxis]

He stood on the deck of the Atonement. The planet bellow them, a wartorn Pzob, was burning. It was still in war, still in transition. The Gamorreans were still fighting, resistant to his people. His eyes dazed out and the man could still the faces again of the twisted pork-beings, their green twisted faces in rage, fury, pain. His fists gripped the railing of the command chair, his breath came in heavy pants. It was easy to leave himself while he was on the battlefield. He had been designed to survive anything--but the geneticists had never cared to think about what happened afterwards. That wasn't their problem. He could hear the roar of the cannons, the blasts, the shots all around him. The last screams of his dying men echoed in his ears.

"Raxis?"

Ardgal jolted back to the present, a layer of sweat covered his face. Ardgal blinked twice before realizing who he was looking at. Homer's wrinkled, tan face was etched with concern as he looked down at his employer.

"You doing alright, son?" the doctor asked.

"Fine," the general breathed at last, releasing the edges of his chair. He leaned back, "Just the war is starting to catch up with me."

"Been at it too long, sir," the doctor sighed crossing his arms, "Not just this one. The one before, and the one before that one. I know you think your some kinda god," he shrugged, "But hell, even God rested on the seventh day."

Ardgal smirked. The man had a way with words, even if he was a little outdated on his facts. "Message taken, Homer," he looked to the helm, "Hermes, ping off our lady's comm. Let's pay her a surprise visit."

"With pleasure, bossman," Hermes said with a boyish grin.

"I'm gonna personally thank that woman for what she's doing to you," Homer said shaking his head, "First time in ten years you've ever listened to me."

"Don't get used to it, I have to keep you on your toes."

__________________________________________​

​

The angular dark Attonement cut through the atmosphere and landed gently on her props in the GenTech facility. Ardgal didn't even have time to change out of his battle-marked armor--or polish the muck off of it.

"You got this one or you need an escort?" Virgil bantered as the two made their way towards the loading ramp.

"I think I can pick my girlfriend up without getting mugged," Ardgal smirked. "But thank you so much for looking out for safety. What would I do without you?"

"Not have the girlfriend, that's for sure," she stopped at the entrance, leaning on one of the hydraulic pumps that had lowered the door, "Alright then, Ard, go out and take that," she said making a gesture that totally is not ok for a PG-13 board and put a whole second meaning to take that.

The general didn't have too hard of a time making is way to the medical nursery where the two babies were under the care his lady love's able staff. He stopped by the door, setting his white helmet gingerly on a table before making his entrance.

“Ceah it is.. now the boy.”

"Oh a boy's name eh?" Ardgal spoke up as he closed the distance to Rashae. The man wrapped his beskar-clad arm around her slender waist, pulling her close for a long-belated kiss. His hand cradled her neck as their lips met in what could best be described as pent-up-passion. He took a moment to look into her beautiful blue eyes for a moment. He could slowly feel the horrors of war in the back of his mind die down from screams to murmurs. A smile of relief and genuine happiness crossed his lips, "I missed you."

All the fighting, all the hell, every ounce of the war and bloodshed didn't matter anymore right now. Genocide and enslavement wasn't important anymore. This was what he lived for. No small part of him was scared that if he let her go, the screaming voices would come back again. With his arm still wrapped around Rashae tightly, he poked one of his massive fingers at the baby. The boy let out a happy shriek, flailing his arms and kicking his legs. His small hands wrapped around his dark finger, pulling it to his lips with wide, curious eyes.

Ardgal laughed, "Your quite a fighter aren't you? Your a big boy already, aren't you?" he let his thumb caress the baby's soft cheek, his dark eyes grew reflective for a moment, "Cahal, like my father," the baby boy seized Ardgal's thumb with his other hand, his mouth instinctively bit down on Ardgal's thumb and began sucking. The warrior chuckled, "And you're gonna be one hellva fighter. Just like my father."

[member="Rashae"]

 

[Rashae]

Hmm a boy's name. Rashae's brow furrowed before Ardgal's voice penetrated the air. Seems Hermes and her security staff have an understanding so instead of telling her of arrivals, they kept this one hushed. She would have to get Hermes for this as she would think about that much later.

“Ardgal!!” That was as much as she got out before his arm was around her waist pulling her firmly close to him and his mouth claimed her own.

There was a muffled surprise at the intensity of it then an exhale of a soft muffled moan before her arms s lid around his neck and that moan would turn into a growl. Pent up passion? How about damned up. They came up for air perhaps to save the staff from an x-rated moment. How that man got the classy lady to forget all protocol and ..well, lets save that for privacy.

The baby girl was still busily examining her toes with her mouth quite happily. Ardgal's choice of name surprised her. “That's settled then .. Ceah Raxis and Cahal Raxis. Do what you can for birth records, Kathleen. “

Kathleen watched the display of passioned affection between the two. “That's already been started, just needed names. You two get out of here before the babies get a lesson they don't need right now. “ The older woman made shooing motions with her hand for them to get out of the nursery.

“Don't give me that look General. I have shoes older than you.” As if to counter any glare or second guessing from Rashae. “You too Minister. “ She was head nurse for a reason.

“Kathleen.. “ The older woman put her first on her hips and again made the shooing motion. Rashae shook her head. “Ardgal. You know Claude and Paul would be dieing to see Hermes. “ As she took his hand to lead him back to the apartment set aside for her when she is at the facility.

Through the private gardens and hot springs, beyond that was her apartment. Pii V was picturesque but a cold planet with a lot of geothermal options. Snow was swirling out of the viewing window as the door closed and Rashae pulled him hard down to her lips for another planet shattering kiss. The higher the rage of passion grew within her the more of her scent would waft up mingling exotic and wanting.

Rather it was well afterwards or before, Rashae was in a much better mood. Kissing the man on his lips briefly before getting up to brush her hair naked at a vanity that was in her chambers. The woman was even humming a soft tune that had been played by the Alderaanian orchestra. It was a lively piece that reminded her of spring.

[member="Ardgal Raxis"]

 

[Ardgal Raxis]

“That's already been started, just needed names. You two get out of here before the babies get a lesson they don't need right now. “

Ardgal gave her a half smirk and a shrug, "Mandalorians learn to shoot as we learn to walk, we always have to grow up fast."

___________​

​

After what the intense kissing led to, Ardgal lay back on the plush bed, resting his head in the crux of his arm. He lay there for several moments, his bare body hardly covered by the silken sheets half draped over his form. He savored the feeling of sweet release as the afterglow washed over him for time out of end. For now, it didn't matter what was waiting for him back on Pzob. The lives lost didn't matter, and the horrors he had experienced were not even a faint shadow of the past. This was pure release, this was pure security.

At last the man rolled over, barely opening his eyes as he watched Rashae brush her hair out at the vanity. She was beautiful from every angle, in every way.

"I swear the beds are softer with you in them," Ardgal said with a content sigh.

After a moment more, he pulled himself up to his feet and came up behind Rashae, his calloused hands gently caressed her shoulders as he planted a soft kiss on the side of her cheek. His hands gently ran down to her back, feeling every supple inch of her form.

"I want to take you somewhere, I have a gift for you," he said at last, "Don't pack anything, I have your stuff on the Attonement, everything you will need. You are all that I need. I think that it would be good for us to get away," he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to his chest. He didn't know when they would have this chance again. When they would have the ability to spend so much time together, "No work. No distractions. Just us."

[member="Rashae"]

 

[Rashae]

Kathleen just gave the mandalorian a baleful glare as he left with a pointed finger towards the door. There was a sigh as she looked down at the babies. “not if I can help it. No blasters for you till your older. “

The older woman wasn't stupid. Those babies will learn to fight for sure, but in due time not as babies. She shook her head at the Alor of Raxis clan and her employer as she was pretty sure they would be busy for a few hours. Good thing too, Doctor Rashae was getting crankier than usual.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

The brush glided down the waves of lusterous blue black as she hummed. The woman was quite content and in a much better mood. Those ice blue eyes glanced at the man looking at her through the mirror as she gave a wicked little smile.

“And warmer too. “ She added with a raised eyebrow. “any hotter though we just might set off the fire control system. “ She laughed at her own silly comedy.

She looked at him through the mirror as he came up behind her. Those elegantly kept eyebrows furrowed. It wasnt that she minded a trip or a gift but to pack nothing? “Ardgal this..” as she motioned to her face, hair and body in a circular motion as if to say all of this. “doesn't happen by accident. How can I pack nothing?” That seemed impossible for her.

She at least had to have a bag of toiletries and what she considered necessities. Then she craned around to look at him “What could it possibly be that requires me to have none of my luggage. “ She always goes anywhere with luggage if she wasn't on the Padme. “ She was actually panicing a little. How would she do her hair and moisturize. It was incredibly important to moisturize. Rashae was trying to get Virgil to moisturize her pretty face but the woman was stubborn about that sort of thing. “Just give me an hour and I can have what I need in order. “ Maybe two bags as her mind went through a mental inventory. “And the casual wardrobe... Will I need anything nice?”

At that point she got up and went to one of her closets to pick out outfits. “How long will I be there for?” This was nice, oh and I need the platinum necklace and those shoes. The doctor thought as she started pulling from what apparently she considered casual wardrobe. That's what Ardgal gets for having a woman with fashion taste as a girlfriend. “you know Ardo fashion line wants me to come in for a fitting in a couple of weeks. Not sure I'm crazy about their spring line this year. Savinghe is quite surprising actually looking forward to their fashion show next month. Can you believe they gave me tickets?” The woman talking as she was looking over her closet to see what else she thought she needed. There wasn't much she had that wasn't an outfit. Rashae owned few separates and everything she owned was name brand or one of a kind couture. The little woman had no idea what was in store for her and this gift.

[member="Ardgal Raxis"]

 

[Ardgal Raxis]

"Well we can't scare the staff too terribly," the general kidded back about setting off the cooling system.

How could she pack nothing? He gave her a sly smile, "Did you forget I am a cyborg?" the man tapped his head, "Augmented limbic system. Perfect recall, all the time. I couldn't forget anything even if I wanted to," the truth of the words could chill him to the bone. Even the most horrific of events done to him or by him, he could never forget. "And, more importantly, I remember all your brands and what you use most." He gave her a soft kiss on the side of the neck, "Besides you don't need any of that to be beautiful. You are naturally gorgeous."

She looked up at him and asked what could need her to go without her luggage. The man couldn't help but think that sometimes what people did and brought affected how they thought. When on a mission, you only brought what you needed, the gear for the mission. And only what was needed for the mission, it was part of mission preparedness.

"Just a get away, you and me," he said leaning back, "I bought out a nice secluded cottage on Aargau. Nothing too amazing, just off outside a small town, a vacation home for us and a little get away."

She got up to begin packing and began rummaging through her wardrobe. The man turned around, leaning back against the vanity,

"Rashae--"

"Just give me an hour and I can have what I need in order."

"Rashae--"

“And the casual wardrobe... Will I need anything nice?”

"Rashae--"

“How long will I be there for?”

The man shrugged, "Hard to tell really. As long as we can, I suppose. Or as long as we need." He pushed off the vanity and lumbered closer to Rashae as she was talking about the fashion show. The man gently clutched both of her hand and pulled them to his lips, giving them a soft peck. "I think its lovely."

He looked down at her, his soft brown eyes locking on her blue ones bellow him, a soft kiss smile his lips, "I don't want to spend time with your bags, I want to spend time with you. I love that you have an eye for beauty and aesthetics," his arms wrapped around her bare waist, holding her close, "but you also don't need any help. Your perfect just as you are," his smile turned to a wry grin, "You don't love me for my armor, I don't love you for yours. So, put something on and let's move out. You don't need any of that madness."

[member="Rashae"]

 

[Rashae]

How he managed to get her to not think of what to wear and how she looks was mind bogling and certainly not part of his programming. It was the real Ardgal. Maybe she did this subconsciously to bring that out now and again so she could see it. Those abyssal brown eyes were soft as they looked down on hers. This in turn softened the icy blues to a more liquid ocean blue. As deep and as mysterious as the oceans of the water planets across the galaxy.

Rashae wanted to argue and counter each one of his points but something stopped her. He said something that stopped the very words from coming out of her mouth. Those liquid blue eyes widened and blinked up at him. Then they narrowed as her mind was working something over rapidly over and over again. She wasnt sure she heard it right, did she? Did he say that he loved her?

Her heart beat quickly as she was still trying to put words in her mouth that was not working. Then she cleared her throat. “You love me?” She finally said in a quiet seeking voice.

Rashae had been afraid to put her heart on the line like that fully. It wasnt that she didnt feel love for the man. She did and that was frightening because it could leave her at any moment. Any second he could change his mind and walk away with her heart bleeding right there on the floor. He could just throw her away just as she was getting comfortable with the idea of trusting her love to someone. That vulnerability and fear was etched in her eyes carefully shielded even as her hands clung to his own.

Rashae took back those hands gently as she turned to wipe her eyes for a moment so she could get a pair of black leggings and a poet ruffled type blouse that went down below her hips and belted. The poofy sleeves would be artfully bound up along the arms giving her a art deco renaissance look modernized. A bit of jewelry and black calf length boots she was ready to depart. This rather attractive and still fashionable look was casual for the woman. The white silken fabric of the poet blouse swished across the tights covered bottom enticingly as she walked in front of him ready to depart as he wanted. Her heart was still beating rapidly.

[member="Ardgal Raxis"]

 

[Ardgal Raxis]

It was odd, somehow. Not just how the two of them were different as people, all though that itself was a wild difference, but how the two genders were different in how they perceived things. Ardgal took it for granted that he loved her. He felt it, he thought his actions would show it, and when he said it--he hadn't intended to it. It had just happened. As an outpouring of what he had already taken as fact. But that meant that he felt something. Something so natural, so human, so organic that he hadn't even realized it was there or what it meant. The man hadn't been programmed to feel anything. And more than that, he had been conditioned to suppress anything that he did feel. Even rage. But his programmers and trainers had never counted on Rashae. They never could have.

Slowly, her every being had brought it out of him and showed him that even now he could make his way back from the complete disfunctionality that had gripped his emotional existence. The man ran his fingers through her lovely brown hair, feeling the silky loveliness between his fingers, "Of course I do."

He leaned in close and planted a gentle kiss on her lips before the woman went to get dressed. Ardgal had come in wearing his armor. For now, his black beskar plates were splattered with blood, grime and other things that really could only be described as battlefield ilk. His red underlying body glove wasn't much better, but it would do. And more importantly it was faster and easier to put on. The man donned the skin-tight garment that covered his entire body. Just to be on the safe side, he slipped into a pair of black fatigue pants so that no one would get shapely outlines of things that really only Rashae should have ideas about. With his armor plates bundled under one arm, the man looked his finely clothed woman over and gave her a whistle, "Ever the head-turner."

He gently took his lady's hand, guiding her to the Atonement. When the duo came up the boarding ramp, Virgil was there to greet them.

"Well someone is in a good mood," the armored woman teased coming up behind them.

"You better believe it," Ardgal said, not glancing back at her.

"God damn, I hope there aren't any little Ardies on the way soon, that's the last thing we need," Virgil teased.

"Alright, enough of you," the man said shaking his head, "Get us off the ground."

Her beskar boots could be heard retreating away as the two of them came to the end of the passage, and Ardgal's own quarters. The man fished in the pockets of his pants, retrieving a key card, "I suppose you should have one of these too," he could smell the adrenaline coming off her skin, and feel her elevated body heat. Part of him had said that it was just the after glow from their frivolities. But still he felt a nagging suspicion it was something more. He furrowed his brows, caressing [member="Rashae"]'s cheek softly, "Are you alright?"

 

[Rashae]

Rashae let herself be guided and lead by Ardgal to the Atonement. Her booted feet making a light but crisp tap on the metal. Oh yeah did Ardgal cut a fine shape in that body glove. It was everything she could do to keep from delaying them further as a brief hungry smile was thrown his way. Especially when Virgil piped up about him being in a good mood.

“Well I did offer to do the gene splicing for a little ardie but we opted to adopt instead. “ A datapad was lifted in her hands as she sent the picture of Ceah and Cahal to her helmet. “Ceah and Cahal Raxis, Auntie Virgil” She said Auntie with emphasis as the sidelong wicked smile was shot towards the warrior woman.

Rashae's hand clasped her armored shoulder and then patted her back. “They are in the nursery at Gentech.” She could provide access to video feeds on a secured channel but Virgil would understand that should be done sparingly. It was a series of closed networks on Gentech and an open video feed may lead to breaches. Not that Prometheus and hermes couldnt deal with that with her tech crew. Best not to open that can of worms.

“Adoption paperwork should be done by the time we get back, Auntie. “ There was a softer smile as she watched her retreating steps and moved with Ardgal to his quarters.. err their quarters?

She took the keycard from him as she looked up. Her back was leaned up against the wall just outside that door. Just like that he gives her a key. Just like that he loves her with no reservation and seemingly no conditions. His hand was softly to her cheek that was in stark contrast to the killer. That beautiful face would look up as those eyes. Those damned abyssal deep eyes that she had fallen into time and time again stop her in her very tracks. Stopped her from thinking!! Only to feel.

“Yeah, im alright. Mostly. Never been this far with anyone before. “ That brow furrowed as her hand went to the hand that caressed her cheek as she leaned into it and closed her eyes. “ I keep expecting the floor to drop from beneath me or the other shoe to drop and this will all end. This will all be a dream and I wake up into the nightmare that was my life before. “

He ended that. Her nightmares had been fewer and fewer with him. When he is physically in bed with her, none at all. Every fiber of her being knows she was safe and secure, that nothing would get to her with him there. That was more valuable than anything. Her other hand rested on his chest. Her fingers curling into the material of the body glove that etched his chiseled chest to perfection. When those normally ice blue eyes returned to his browns, they were a softer liquid blue. That part of her that made her feel small and unsure, what was left that caused her to doubt at times. He could do anything he wanted to, have anyone he wanted to.

The emotional woman loved that man. The worst feeling was to have that love ripped up in front of you. To be treated as an object instead of a person of value. Sure she was beautiful, intelligent and capable but deep down she was a woman of value. That was her whole fight against Count Boris Lovous though now he was a crispy critter. Rashae barely understood Mandalorian culture. It was coming along but she were some aspects she was vehemently against and argued. Might versus science was the biggest one. Ardgal was very mandalorian and yet was with this high maintenance scientist. Why? He said he loved her. There had to be more. Love was great and fantastic, it was what she wanted but a relationship was built on more than just love.

“Where do we go from here?” She asked after a long pause to feel him, herself. It was said softly and with an earnest heart. In those softened liquid blues was something a bit more prevalent for his eyes, her heart was clearly laid there. It scared her to no end that he would drop what she hoped he would cradle and care for.

[member="Ardgal Raxis"]

 

[Ardgal Raxis]

Ardgal laughed as Rashae called Virgil Auntie. He couldn't remember the last time he saw the armored woman balk or express anything without some underlying anger or rage. He would have paid to see her expression at this point.

The man gave Rashae an approving caress on her lower back, "I've never seen anyone shut her up like that before. Good work."

She had never been this far with anyone before. Ardgal never had either. For him, life had always been the battlefield. Before he had been re-programmed and designed by Project: Madman the man had created a cult around himself that considered him a deity of war. The man had never considered that there could be a life beyond the rifle, the blade, and the beskar. He had completely become war. Before he fought for nothing, not even for himself. He fought to fight, and that was all there was. Now he had someone to fight for, something to fight for. And that made all the difference.

"Me neither," he said, his voice low and reflective. "I suppose we are both trying to find our way across new territory."

She said she was worried about it falling apart, the bottom falling out and the other shoe to drop. He knew that fear. Fear. It was so foreign to him. Ardgal had never questioned that he would survive combat, he just knew he would always make it through. Even when he laid himself down on the slab to be completely gutted after the 12 other participants died, he knew he would live. Even when he fell from the burning drop ship and sustained the horrific injuries that lead him to Rashae, the man knew he would survive. Even when he crashed head-first into hostile territory battling the Dominion without an exit plan and bodies dropping all around him, he still had no fear of death.

But here, in this, there was fear. The man felt it. Fear of--losing it. Of messing up. Fear of hurting her or screwing things up. He had never acknowledged it or realized it till now, but it was there. Perhaps because for the first time in his life, he had come across something he didn't know fully. Or something that was too complex to be solved with blaster shots. He had realized early on; war was easy. Relationships were hard.

"I am too," he admitted to [member="Rashae"] at last. "I just--I don't want to hurt you. Or disappoint you. I feel so inadequate and I know," he grimaced, a flash of the campaign he had just come from crossed his mind, as vivid as Rashae before him. "I know what I am capable of. Its nothing that you deserve to be exposed to. And I'd never want it to affect you."

She asked where they'd go from here. The man's finger wavered over the open button for the door. "I have to warn you, its a little more spartan. It needs a gentler touch."

The durasteel door opened. Ardgal's words were, if anything, understated. The walls were drab plasteel white, the floor was nothing but cold durasteel gray. A gunmetal gray Alurasteel chest stood against the right wall, flanked by a pair of gun cabinets and lockers. On the other end of the room lay the bed, Queen size and apparently new. It was memory foam and very comfortable, and while the new sheets were a quality, high thread count, they were a lack-luster grey. The squat metal frame the bed rested on offered a great deal in security and very little in style. Next to either side of the bed were nightstands press-forged from bluish Desh. Beside the bed arrangement stood a desk, lined with stacks of perfectly neat papers, envelopes, blue-prints, and various office supplies. The entire place was lit by lifeless fluorescent bulbs overhead.

"As you can see," Ardgal said, his voice hinting with apology, "its very, uh, utilitarian."