Just a Day's Ride From Here

[Tmoxin Temi]

Nestled in the foothills of Drev'starn, Bothawui was the Seven Moons Ranch, a Keffi farm, riding school and home to Techno Union Executive and ex-Stormtrooper Commander, Tmoxin Temi. After neutralizing a tense raid on Hypori and during a mission fighting Vong on Rothana, at the spur of the moment, the red-haired Hapan had invited her personal pilot Lt. Carten Flaa to come visit her at the picturesque ranch.

A luxury shuttle would take the Lt. from the nearby Drev'starn spaceport to the base of the small, grassy mountain on which the structure was built. Rolling, verdant hills, spiring mountains and waterfalls were a constant backdrop. Tmoxin could not have picked a more beautiful spot for her residence.

A Bothan attendant opened the door for Carten, and he would see his Hapan employer walking up to greet him. The Dark Jedi was in a riding outfit - dark sweater, slim, white pants and black boots so flawless that they looked almost brand new.

Spoiler

"Welcome, Lt. Flaa," she said, smiling. Even though there was a formalness to her wardrobe, she appeared much more casual and relaxed than he had seen prior to this. Her hair was wavy and windblown, her cheeks flushed with color from activity as though she had already been out riding before he arrived.

"Have you ever ridden a Keffi?"

[member="Carten Flaa"]

 

[Judah Lesan]

Carten wasn't used to all the posh and fancy treatment. There had been a time in his life when he would have enjoyed it. The world [member="Tmoxin Temi"] lived in was not all too different than the one he had married into what seemed like ages ago. He was beginning to think saying yes to this trip had been a mistake. Everything about the private escort to the ranch, to the Bothan opening the door for him, it was a painful reminder of his late wife's world. Had Tmoxin not been there to greet him, Carten would have turned around and left.

She was a vision of beauty. The riding suit was perfect, and the pants hugged her hips in all the right ways. There was a voice in the back of the pilot's head telling him to play this week right and it was going to be one of the best he'd had in a long time. For his own, he was dressed in a simple pair of jeans, casual boots, and a button down red, white, and blue plaid shirt, and a light black coat over top. He traveled light, only one duffle in hand, which the Bothan took almost the exact moment Flaa stepped into the door.

"I'm officially on leave, you better call me Carten or I'm walking out the door and heading back to mobile command."

He was on leave, and Tmoxin couldn't fire him since it was the First Order that had set him up as her pilot in regards to First Order business, otherwise he was the XO for the newly formed 181st TIE squadron. Of course he was teasing though, and had a big smile on his face.

"Another lifetime ago. I'm a bit rusty. Oh and Tmoxin, you look stunning in those pants."

Carten smirked on the outside, but on the inside he was a wreck. Was being here not honoring to the memory of what he lost. The pilot was well aware of what happened between two single consenting adults on a shared vacation. Was there some unspoken expectation on the part of his hostess that they were here for that as well?

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

"Okay, Carten," said Tmoxin with a smirk. His boldness was refreshing. As a Hapan and higher-ranking officer, she was used to being treated with deference. That the pilot emerged from the limo shuttle with a mischievous, scoundrel-like grin, teasing up a storm, made her heart race just a little. And instead of being offended at him appraising her shapely hips and legs in the white, riding pants, she twirled around so he could see them from all angles. With an innocent-but-not innocent smile, she said, "They were specially tailored on Annaxes to protect against the particular gait of Keffis. It can be quite a bouncy ride."

He would be able to see the Bothans who took his luggage taking a lift up into the mountain home. Tmoxin made no move to follow them. There was an electro-fence nearby, and a Bothan Keffi handler emerged from the gate with two of the animals on leads. One was a larger stallion, presumably for Carten.

"Would you like to ride now? Or did you want to relax after your journey? You are my guest here this week. I will try to refrain from giving you the orders."

The sun was high, the skies clear and azure. The air was a little thinner in the Drev'starn foothills, but as a pilot he was trained for sudden changes in the atmosphere. It was unlikely he would feel lightheaded or tired, although the trip itself could have drained him. But it wasn't anything a short ride in the mountains wouldn't solve.

[member="Carten Flaa"]

 

[Judah Lesan]

Now she was showing off. Flaa picked up on the look she had on her face. There was part of which was showing her backside off for him to intentionally look at. He was quite fond of looking at it if he were honest. [member="Tmoxin Temi"] was pretty, she was Hapan, and Carten would be lying if he said looking at her, being around her, did not generate certain desires. It had been a long time since Carten had been with a woman in that way, and he was usually rather intentional about avoiding it all.

"I can imagine it is, and since you had your man go to the trouble of bringing them out for us, I suppose now is as good a time as any. I do feel a bit underdressed though."

Carten winked, then motioned for Tmoxin to walk over toward the animals. A ride in the mountains was just what he needed to relax from the recent battles he'd been in. The first had led to a training with the Ren to deal with the different ways to prevent illusions. Some of the bisons he was subjected to only made sleep harder. Carten had been hitting the bottle harder lately, and his duffle had a couple of bottles in case he needed them. He expected to feel guilty at some point.

"It's your ranch, so you'll have to lead the way," Carten said as he placed his foot in the stirrup and mounted the stallion. He remarked to himself that Tmoxin looked much like the rich girl, and he looked like the ranch hand. Carten circled around the pad for a bit getting used to the stallion. When Tmoxin was ready they'd be off.

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

"The riding school operates on the first floor," said Tmoxin. "There are some extra riding outfits up there which can be brought down. But something tells me you'll do fine in what you're wearing. We won't go far enough today that you'll be sore tomorrow." The Hapan let those words hang in the air, and then stuck a booted foot into her Keffi's stirrup and hoisted herself up onto the saddle gracefully. Carten did the same, and for someone that had ridden a lifetime ago, he cut a fine figure on the stallion. Tmoxin knew from her time in the Hapan Royal Navy that military training involved mastering all sorts of skills, even riding horses and other mounts. It was likely he had learned at his flight academy.

The Hapan set off, her Keffi in a slow canter as they moved towards a riding trail that went up into the foothills and to the base of the mountains. "I learned to ride Keffis during my stay on Annaxes, both with the Sith military and also under house arrest." She said this very casually as though it was an everyday occurance to be under Sith house arrest. Perhaps she had been through hardship as well, like interrogation or even torture, but her poised riding - spine straight, shoulders back - gave nothing away. Like Carten had been trained by the Ren to resist illusions and mind tricks, it was likely Tmoxin had been similarly conditioned to resist spilling intelligence even under duress.

They climbed a wide stone stairway which opened up to a breathtaking view of a waterfall. "Just a little further up and there's a great expanse where we can overlook the entire valley," she said. "Carten, what flight school did you attend? And how were you recruited by the First Order?"

Spoiler

[member="Carten Flaa"]

 

[Judah Lesan]

The pilot was enjoying the ride. It had been too long, and the scenery was breathtaking. He couldn't quite decide if Tmoxin was trying to show him the sites, or she was making an attempt to break through his hard exterior so she could actually romance him. She was Hapan after all, and it would not be unheard of for a Hapan woman to take lead in a romantic relationship. Unfortunately she had no way of knowing Carten learned to ride because of his late wife. They would take rides through nature like the one he was on now. The pretty sites were colored by the loss. Everything was colored by that. If he was staying the week, he'd have to tell Tmoxin his story. It was the only way he'd make it, the only way it could be relaxing.

"I'm trying to decide if the scenery is more pretty, or if you are," he said as the past up to the top of trail. It forked off, and there seemed to be a path leading to the lake, the top of the falls. While Carten usually prefrred to get behind a waterfall, he wanted to see how high it really was. "Let's go to the left. I want to see how far down the falls really go."

This time Carten took the lead, but slowed enough so the two could ride side by side. Now was as good a time as any to tell her about his sad lot in life. The sooner it was over, the better.

"You know this is my first time riding since my wife and daughter were killed," he floated it out there to see how she'd take it.

[member="Tmoxin Temi"]

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

Lt. Flaa either ignored her question, or didn't hear her over the sound of the wind as it softly blew through the foothills. But it didn't matter, he was right there with a compliment for her, which she found chilvarious. Tmoxin may have had a cold exterior at times, but she was just as succeptible to flattery as a normal human woman. As he compared her beauty to the mountain scenery, she blushed and pretended to fiddle with her Keffi reigns.

And now he took the lead. She fell in line as the TIE pilot took them higher up the stone stairs to view the very top of the falls. As they climbed, their Keffis stepped, one hoof over the other, effortlessly. They were incredible specimens of muscle and sinew, perfectly conditioned for these mountain rides. Once they leveled out, Carten slowed so Tmoxin's Keffi could catch up.

"You know this is my first time riding since my wife and daughter were killed."

The Hapan executive didn't know how to respond - not right away at least. But it all made sense now! This piece of information shed a lot of light on how uneasy the Lt. was at times. His dark humor - his difficult-to-read mood swings. Sure, she'd watched colleagues die in battle. At times, she had to witness her own troopers who she drank and joked with, hand-picked recruits with so much promise, with families of their own like Carten... she had watched as blaster bolts struck within inches from where she stood. But she simulteanously felt a deep pain for the Lt. coupled with a sense of relief that she had never lost anyone that close. While Tmoxin was estranged from Hapes and her family, her siblings... they still lived. Knowing they were there, and not just in her memory, was more than a cold comfort.

"I'm sorry, Carten," was all she said. She leaned over and placed her slender hand on his, near the reigns. She wouldn't press, but the touch of her fingers on his warm palm was a sign that he could talk more about it if he wanted to.

[member="Carten Flaa"]

 

[Judah Lesan]

"Well, I thought you should know," he said when she placed her hand on his briefly. He'd been vulnerable with that, and she hadn't made him feel poorly for being so. He knew he could share more. "I hadn't always been a soldier. I used to be a bounty hunter for the rich executive types. One of my clients had a gorgeous daughter, and we fell in love, got married quickly, and had a daughter about as fast as we were married. We went on a cruise, and the ship was boarded by pirates. They wanted everything we had, and when my wife refused to give the the wedding set they shot her, to keep me from coming after them they shot my daughter. Then they let me keep the wedding set."

Carten stopped riding. They had just passed up the crest of the hill they were on, and the top of the lake came into view. He dismounted and walked off to the top of the falls. He didn't look to see if Tmoxin had followed or not. This would let him shed a couple of tears before he had to put his strong face back on. He'd never told the story to anyone before so he hoped she recognized that. It was a sensitive issue for him.

[member="Tmoxin Temi"]

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

It was true that Tmoxin was known by her colleagues as cold and unfeeling, but this was only because she refused to let that part of her show. Born and raised on Hapes, sent to the finest finishing school in the Fountain Palace, and gaining employment with the Hapan Queen had allowed her to polish any rough edges to a smooth, hard shell.

But that's exactly what it was - a shell. A shell that could only be cracked in the company of close friends or lovers and out of the public eye.

So of course she was visibly upset at the story. His family had been murdered in cold blood by the scum of the galaxy. This was no Hapan Palace assassination plot which had gossip Holosites a-buzz with speculation. This was true and utter tragedy at its worst. And since she wasn't a sociopathic monster, Tmoxin empathized strongly with his pain.

She watched him dismount and walk off. The Hapan knew enough about grief and social mores to leave him alone. She dismounted from her Keffi and tied it so it could graze on the thin blanket of grass that grew at this higher altitude. When he returned, he would see her brushing down the animal. She turned to him and said, "I don't think we ever had that drink after Hypori. It might be nice to share one together when we return to the ranch."

[member="Carten Flaa"]

 

[Judah Lesan]

Carten stared off at the falls, and the drop below for a few moments. Tmoxin hadn't followed, but stayed behind. In a way he felt as though he ruined such a nice ride, but she has to know the truth. He hadn't been invited as her guest because this was a friendly trip. Invitations like this didn't work that way. The way Carten read this was she wanted to know him better, and see if there could be something beyond a working relationship. He'd read it that way when he said yes.

He turned on his heels and walked back. She knew and that was enough. It was time to put his happy face back on and move on with life. He was horrible at it, but he needed to.

"Whiskey if you have it, and I promise not to get drunk, but I do tend to overindulge."

Carten mounted the stallion and looked to Tmoxin.

"Thank you for understanding, Tmoxin. It means a lot, really."

[member="Tmoxin Temi"]

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

For Tmoxin, nothing could ruin this trip back to her ranch. Well, not unless the pilot decided to pack up his things and hustle back to the Drev'starn spaceport without a word of goodbye. But even still, she would understand. The chemistry between them was undeniably there, but his revelation was akin to a fork in the road in their relationship - one way went to straight to awkwardville, and the other way was a nice, smooth space lane. For a moment, she didn't know which way they were going like a shuttle traveling at breakneck speeds, off the road and without a map. This unsettled her because she enjoyed being in control.

But when Carten made his way back to her, his gait was more relaxed, his face softer than it had been.

Do I have whiskey? thought Tmoxin. She had an entire wine cellar with extra storage for other bottled spirits in the underground of the ranch.

"I don't know that I've met a pilot who didn't like to overindulge," the Hapan said, laughing. She stepped back into the stirrup and swung onto the Keffi's saddle again. Clucking her tongue at the creature, it picked up its strong legs and headed back towards the ranch. "And you're welcome."

Once back inside, Carten would be offered a shower before reconvening in the ranch's large guest living room on the second floor. If he accepted one, Tmoxin would be waiting for him on a long sofa in front of a stone fireplace with a blazing fire. A drink cart was placed nearby with a decanter of whiskey and various other bottles, including a plum-colored wine.

[member="Carten Flaa"]

 

[Judah Lesan]

Carten accepted the invitation to take a shower. If anything it would give him the chance to push everything past awkward and back to where it had been. Nothing could go back to where it had been in all reality, and he realized this as the water cascaded along his body. There was plenty of tension between he and Tmoxin, and he would be lying if he said he didn't want to see where things would go. The Hapan was attractive, and from a matter of practicallity, it had been a while since Carten was with a woman.

The shower did not take long, and Carten wass dressed once more. This time he came down in something a little more less travel clothes looking, though he still had the jeans on. His top was replaced by a sweater, ivory colored, as the weather was cooler than Carten had expected it to be. He was glad to see Tmoxin had a fire going, and the drink cart waiting. He wasted no time in going after the whiskey. Pouring it into a larger glass, he left ice out of it. He would drink it straigh up, still wanting to avoid getting drunk, he'd take his time. He took a drink before sitting down on the couch, a safe, but close, distance from the Hapan.

"Thanks for the shower and the whiskey,' he said with a smile. "Oh, and the invitation to stay here for the week," he added. "Speaking of which, was the invitation to spend the week here, or to spend it with you?"

Carten already knew the answer to the question, but he wanted to hear her say it for some reason. Rather than dance around would they or wouldn't they, the pilot just wanted to get the elephant in the room out of the room. Now that he had been honest about why he seemed distant on occasion, despite knowing there was tension there, he wanted to get down to it. Tmoxin was someone he was assigned to when the 181st wasn't flying, or on duty. The XO of the squadron, like the CO, pulled double duty. All the pilots pulled double duty. Certain political figures required the best pilots and the best escorts. The 181st was used for more than just shooting X-wings out of the sky.

"Because despite my story or history, I find myself hoping the invitation to be here was meant as an invitation to be here with you."

[member="Tmoxin Temi"]

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

Tmoxin also took a shower on the third floor in her expansive, private refresher. She didn't relish the thought of greeting Lt. Flaa again smelling like a Keffi. Letting the high-pressure, spa-quality showerhead pummel her back and neck with water, she also thought about what she wanted from this burgeoning relationship. But she didn't dwell on it too long. At the end of the day, the Hapan was pragmatic. She was not the type of woman to brood about what-ifs and should-haves.

Once they met in the guest living room, she watched the pilot from the corner of the couch. Tmoxin was also wearing a light-colored sweater with such a wide v at the neck that the straps of her brassiere were visible. She had loose black pants on, and her bare feet were tucked up under her. A glass of wine already sat balanced in her hand.

Tmoxin pursed her lips at his direct question. "First of all, I felt that we both needed a vacation after Hypori. Didn't you?" That wasn't completely addressing his question though. She sighed and traced the rim of her glass with a slender finger. "Carten, I did... and I do want to spend this vacation with you."

Suddenly she was the one who closed the gap between them, brazenly sliding over to nestle against him. She doubted he would push her away, but if he wasn't ready for this, he would tell her. Biting her bottom lip, she asked, "Are you worried about getting some flak from your superior officers over this rendezvous?" she asked.

And if so, I know exactly how to make that go away, she thought. Her bank account was flush with credits, and her business, military and personal contacts extended across the galaxy and included Moffs and politicians. If someone wasn't happy with Carten Flaa shagging his powerful red-haired boss, she felt certain she could make that scandal go away both swiftly and quietly.

[member="Carten Flaa"]

 

[Judah Lesan]

She was drinking wine, and he had his whiskey. The Hapan seemed a bit put off by his direct question, whether she was or wasn't, that was the lens Carten saw it through. He was a bit anxious because he actually felt attracted to the Hapan. Relief washed over him when she closed the distance and snuggled into him. A different kind of anxiousness washed over him though. It was clear where things were heading, and if he played things right, the pilot was going to be having sex with the woman he was charged with serving. To hide it, Carten took a slow drink of the whiskey, then placed the glass on the coffee table in front of the couch. He grabbed a coaster first to set the glass on, showing there was still some of the old Carten about that had been used to doing business with the wealthy.

"Part of me is nervous about that, but don't go doing anything about it. I just gave a new pilot in our ranks the speech about no fraternization. I'm not sure being with you technically fits that, but you know..."

Carten place his arm around the Hapan and held her close to him. He could smell the fresh scent of her shower, and whatever perfume it was she wore. Her shoulders were nearly bare with how wide the V neck of the sweater was, and the man began to lazily caress the right shoulder without any thought. For the first time in a long while there was something about his life that felt normal. He would be dumb to ruin it. She was inviting him into her life, and he needed to make sure he opened his life up to her enough to keep her around. The pain would take a while to heal fully, but Carten was no longer going to let that hold him back. Even his wingmate was starting to cave when it came to a certain Ren. He saw it.

"...I'm nervous, naturally. I want to be with you, but I haven't been this open with anyone since it all happened. I think what I really want is to kiss you. I've wanted that, and more, since we met on Hypori."

The truth finally came out. Now it was up to her. They both knew what they wanted it seemed, and the real question was how long until they acted on it.

[member="Tmoxin Temi"]

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

"I will follow your lead," Tmoxin said, idly stroking Carten's thigh. But whether she meant it or not, remained to be seen. The Hapan executive, awash in relaxation, was almost distracted by her own happiness at this moment. It had been a long time since she was happy about anything. She was ambitious, calculating and patient. Satisfaction usually came at the end of something she had worked extremely hard to obtain. It didn't just happen this easily. So in a way, the red-haired Dark Jedi was, not caught of guard by her feelings, but a little bit vulnerable.

She gazed into his tapestry eyes and said, "I'll make sure everything between us is private. You do know I have been requested to report upon your service to me on a bi-monthly basis. While I haven't even glanced at the paperwork yet, I want you not to worry. Everything will be in order and will be of the highest professionalism."

Tmoxin faced the pilot, and her hands crept over his broad shoulders. "If you want to kiss me, what are you waiting for?" she asked.

[member="Carten Flaa"]

 

[Judah Lesan]

Carten believed her when Tmoxin promised to keep the relationship private. He was not ready for anything public, and was nervous enough as it was to attempt a relationship to begin with. His last one ended poorly, and that clearly had an impact on how he viewed things. Tmoxin would never know how much it meant to hear her say that she would let him lead. For this to work he had to be allowed to set the pace, though he was becoming very open to a quick pace in regards to the physical side of things.

Not even one second passed before Tmoxin asked him what he was waiting for before his lips were pressed to hers. It was purely motivated by desire. In that moment though, there was a spark between them that made him want to kiss herore. What was intended to be a simole kiss turned into several before Carten pulled away. The taste of her plumb colored wine was still on her lips, they were soft, and delicious.

"Um, wow," he said after touching his lips. "How about some dinner and then we can spend the rest of the night doing that?"

[member="Tmoxin Temi"]

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

The Hapan's lips yielded at once to Carten's passionate kiss. She gently cradled his head, and then slid one of her hands down to linger on his broad chest. At the same time that her stomach dropped out like a school-girl on her first rollercoaster, her lust for him began building in other ways. When he pulled away, she just wanted to go right back at it again. But he suggested dinner.

Tmoxin wasn't hungry - not in the slightest, but the pilot was sturdy and in shape. It was likely he was going to need a meal to keep going at the pace both of them would like, especially with the full drink cart hovering next to them. She on the other hand could drink a couple of bottles on an empty stomach. The red-haired Dark Jedi took a large gulp of wine and paged one of her Bothan assistants.

"While I cook occasionally, the Bothans I've employed do a much better job with the local delicacies. So would you like to stay here and fool around? Or did you want a tour of the inside of the ranch while we wait for dinner? It won't be more than twenty, thirty minutes."

Tmoxin knew which activity she preferred, but Carten was her guest after all. She was trying to be a good hostess, regardless of her own desires.

[member="Carten Flaa"]

 

[Judah Lesan]

A lot could happen in twenty to thirty minutes. Sure it wasn't a lot of time by way of spending time together, but if the goal was to fool around and be ready for food by then, it could be done. The thing was, Flaa was interested in seeing the estate as well as fooling around with the red haired Hapan. He decided both were the best best course, after all when was the last Tmoxin would have made out all over the house.

"You know, there is a third option... we could do both!"

Carten smirked playfully as he pumped his brows. It would be enough to warm them up for the activity to come later. Granted sometimes that activity on a full stomach could be problematic. Carten wasn't really going to let that get in the way though. He stood up, picked Tmoxin up to her feet, then picked her up as though we was going to carry her over the threshold to bed. His lips pressed to hers again, and he smiled as he pulled away. He whispered into her ear.

"If you show me the estate we can figure out how many of the rooms we can hit this week, that is, if your not opposed to all the activity?"

He nibbled her ear a bit as finished speaking, then moved for her lips again.

"Where to first, Moxi," he asked letting a random pet name slip.

[member="Tmoxin Temi"]

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

Tmoxin shrieked in mock-protest when Carten picked her up. Then he kissed her again, and she almost felt as though she were on her honeymoon. Is it okay to feel this happy? she thought suddenly. It seemed like everytime the Hapan got too complacent, the other proverbial shoe dropped, and she was back to being slightly miserable. And only slightly because her lavish lifestyle did create somewhat of a panacea. But when that wore off, and she was still alone at the end of the night, she only had herself to blame.

"I like where your head is at, Lt.," she said playfully back. Moxi. If anyone else called her that she would probably give them a good verbal hiding. But if the two - pilot and executive - were going to have an affectionate relationship, she could tolerate the name. In fact, she kind of liked it.

"The third floor houses my living quarters - office, master bath, bedroom. Any of those appeal to you?" she asked as he made no move to put her down.

[member="Carten Flaa"]

 

[Judah Lesan]

"Well that's a good thing, because you're going to be stuck with me all week," he said as he walked to the lift and hit the button to call it down if it was not already. The doors opened, and he passed through. Carten finally set her on her feet but just long enough to pick her up again, this time to straddle his waist as he pinned her to the back wall. "I'm sure will make it to all of those places before the week is up. To bad we already took separate showers," he said as he pressed a kiss to her lips. Reaching back with his hand he batted at the buttons until he mannaged to hit the one for the third floor.

The turbolift stopped sooner than Carten had wanted. The doors opened and the two were still making out. At this point Carten had already gotten rid of Tmoxin's sweater and tossed it on the floor as was working at her neck shoulders. He carried her out, not bothering to stop for the sweater he'd removed on the way up. The kissing was feverish, and exciting. Carten paused a moment, breaking his attentions long enough to figure out where he was going.

"Which room is closest," he asked. If they keep this up, they might miss the tour entirely and be late for dinner.

[member="Tmoxin Temi"]